The meeting was called to order about 10:30 AM at the Cape-Atlantic Soil Conservation District meeting room. Mike Pruss, Regional Biologist from Pheasants Forever, Inc., talked extensively about the PF Habitat Teams they operate.

The purpose of this PF program is to put habitat on the ground using various components of the USDA Farm Bill. Habitat Teams work with private landusers. There is not much specialized equipment needed for this process. Total cost per person in the first year is about $80,000. This includes the initial truck, trailer and spray equipment. An annual expense will be the salary of about $30,000. These folk are usually wildlife biologist with a degree just out of school.

The Habitat Team is a more organized group like ours. In Pennsylvania, the group is referred to as Partners for Wildlife (do not confuse with the US Fish and Wildlife –Partners for Fish and Wildlife program) and has multiple partners. This model does use volunteers to do specific projects. This model does use the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a source for used equipment like trucks, trailers, and tractors. Most of this equipment is surplus equipment sold off by the Federal government. The local connected NPO (Nonprofit Organization) provides chainsaws etc., through purchase that removes the state sales tax. The local university (California something I did not write down) and assumed the role as treasurer from the local PF chapter since the habitat team usually runs between $200,000 - $300,000 through the books. This is too much for a volunteer chapter treasurer to do.

This model does habitat work for the local landowners free of charge. The paid staff receives funding from outside grants or private donations. Ducks Unlimited (DU) has heavy equipment that does wetland type development. The grant money comes from the Mellon Foundation (Richard King Mellon Foundation in Pittsburgh). We could try them, Doris Duke or William Penn to see what they may be able to offer.

Equipment is now being leased from a dealer. This gives a more stable, better-looking appearance to the teams. It also gives more up time.

Under Model 2, Pheasants Forever and the University delivers the equipment and does the work for the landowner. It was decided that to be successful, it was important to do this and not expect landowners to learn how to operate the equipment. Some of the University employees are under graduates in the Wildlife program. They are paid for services. We could approach Stockton and Cook colleges.

PF does grow and harvest their own warm season grass seed. They have contracted with a number of local farmers to grow big and little bluestem and switchgrass. PF also helps with the harvest of the seed, cleaning and storage. The usual size of these fields is about 10 acres. It is estimated that a combine is about $12,000 and another $5,000 for the seed cleaner. A hand-held harvester sells for about $1,000, but will beat the user up after 10 minutes or so. It was pointed out that the USDA NRCS Plant Material Center in Cape May has a combine, a head for a tractor, seed cleaning and storage site on premises. Perhaps Emile DeVito (NJ Conservation Foundation) may have a source for the hand-held model. Tim Dunne, USDA NRCS, has one now.

Eric Schrading said that the Bayside State Prison has a metal shop that may be able to build or modify an existing combine head to use for warm season grass harvest. He would make contact. Eric also suggested that Bayside might be willing to convert some agricultural fields to warm season grass specifically to harvest for this purpose.

Tim Dunne and Eric say there are a number of areas in the state that could be harvested right now. This would not give a pure strain of grass, but would give a mix that would be good for a number of project sites.

While the various groups in attendance would like to see their particular wildlife species benefit the most, all agreed it was more desirable to see all wildlife species that live in or visit New Jersey be able to have a place to nest, feed or rest. Team Habitat should look at various habitat components like wetland restoration, creation and maintenance of the early successional forest, stream restoration, creation and maintenance of grasslands, and creation and maintenance of buffers. An earlier meeting also listed creating and maintaining a previous life style associated with the forests of New Jersey.

It is commonly stated that 7% of an area must be secure nesting if birds are to maintain their numbers. If predators are uncommonly high in numbers, then you may need as much as 15 % secure nesting area. It becomes increasingly apparent that whatever Team Habitat does it must look at a diverse habitat that includes shrubs, forest, grasslands, and wetlands. Team Habitat must also include various other groups like the Congressional Sportsman Caucus. Team Habitat must also attend meetings like the Pinelands Commission since they have over 1 million acres of land that could become outstanding wildlife habitat with some enhanced management techniques.

Team Habitat needs to enlarge from the current core groups to include organizations like Audubon Society, NJ Conservation Foundation, Nature Conservancy, Natural Lands Trust, Sportsman Federation, NJ Division of Parks and Forestry, NJ Forestry Association, and others with similar interests.

For now, quarterly meetings were considered applicable with the South Jersey RC&D Council leading the way.

1. Lee will invite members of the Audubon Society, NJ Conservation Foundation, and Natural Lands Trust to the next meeting.
2. Steve Quesenberry will make contact with Mellon, Duke and Penn Foundations for potential funding.
3. There is a need to understand the habitat requirements of specific wildlife. Steve would put this together if he gets information from the group.
4. There is a need for membership from the University. The NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife volunteered to make contacts’ as did Tim Dunne of NRCS.
5. A draft Mission, Vision and area of concern needs to be developed. It can be amended once the other groups join in.
6. Eric Schrading, Rick Parenteau, Nick Cassetta, and Tim Dunne will work together to schedule existing equipment to get certain jobs done until Team Habitat can finalize itself.

 

Thursday, June 5, 2003 at 10:00 AM at Lenape Farms. The Southern Jersey Quail Unlimited Chapter provided the lunch and the South Jersey RC&D Council provided the coffee, doughnuts, and drinks for the lunch.