Tree Planting 2006 Update

The tree planting activities for 2006 for NoCPF has wrapped up. We have replaced 480 evergreens and 500 shrubs. In general the planting conditions were very good and we have high hopes for a good survival. Due to the harsh conditions and resulting poorer survival we have experienced at the Grover location for the last several years, the replanting was focused in that area. With good progress the last 2 years I expect we will be able to complete the replant activities at both the Stoneham and Grover locations in 2007.

On a very positive note, the landowner reported that the sharptail grouse populations are recovering after the devastating hailstorm of 2004 and there was a confirmed sighting of a small group of sharptails by the tree planting crew on Saturday.

A Well Deserved Thanks goes out to all the participants for their efforts on this project.

Food and Cover Plots
There are some very good opportunities through the USDA for landowners to receive payments for leaving unharvested crops in the field or by leaving taller than normal wheat stubble. When these areas are available it can dramatically increase young bird survival. If you know of any landowners in the area that have an interest please have them contact me.

In Drew Larson's most recent newsletter, he recommended an April 15 tour of pheasant habitat. This is when the amount of cover is near it's minimum and is just before the start of the nesting season. We often see these fields in the fall and much of the more marginal cover looks pretty good at that time so looking at habitat only at that time can give a very optimistic view of the situation. Accurate assessment of the situation will help us plan for the best possible results. It is a great time of year to get out and have a discussison with our landowner freinds and partners about things we can do to build our habitat resources.

Think Habitat!
Dean Grundman

Pheasants Forever has established a national reputation for raising money locally and using it to improve pheasant populations.  NOCOPF is involved in several areas of habitat development.

 Working through the DOW's PHIP program, volunteers from the Front Range have been planting trees and shrubs to establish permanent cover from winter storms.  These plantings will also be very beneficial to the sharptail grouse population, which are migrating down from Wyoming.

  NOCOPF also assists activities in eastern Colorado.  We recently put our support behind the establishment of permanent Habitat Teams.  As high-lighted in PF's summer 2002 edition, these teams can fill a need to get certain types of pheasant habitat planted.  

  Volunteers have worked on habitat projects on the Wellington SWA.  What began as a demonstration project to get experience in tree and shrub planting is continuing as a joint effort with the DOW.  There have also been discussions about our involvement with habitat plantings at other SWAs.

 We do planting each spring in April. For more information about habitat activities contact Dean Grundman.