Delivering on our wildlife habitat mission supports clean water, the Earth, and all of us
By Brent Rudolph
We’re taking time on Earth Day to reflect on the importance of water. Pheasants Forever is known as The Habitat Organization. We’re proud of our work to support wild birds and provide memorable hunting experiences by creating quality wildlife habitat, and public access to it.
But did you know that, despite our organization’s intense focus on upland habitat, our work to protect and restore grasslands where you love to hunt is also a boon to threatened waters and waterways where you work and live? That’s right, many of our habitat programs that you support with your membership, contributions, and volunteer efforts are critical for protecting water resources and restoring water supplies.
Much of the habitat we create and improve is on the working lands of farms and ranches. We help enroll tough-to-farm ground into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and remove trees that invade rangeland and limit its productivity. These practices restore the vigor of forage for cattle and create higher quality grassland cover for birds. These habitat improvements also reduce the volume and slow the rate at which water flows across tilled farm ground and sparse rangeland. Less water, flowing slower …
- picks up less sediment (keeping soil in fields and out of waterways)
- reduces nutrients from fertilizer (like nitrogen and phosphorus) and other contaminants going into wetlands, lakes and streams
The natural vegetation that is upland habitat filters the runoff of rainwater or irrigation as it more slowly flows and percolates into groundwater. Water bodies adjacent to CRP fields experience 95% less nitrogen and 86% less phosphorus leaving the surrounding agricultural land.
The math is simple: grassland management helps improve soil health, protect water resources, and improve a farm or ranch’s bottom line.
There is no more critical natural resource than water. Life depends on clean water. Quality upland habitat provides clean water to drink, recharged groundwater to support grazing and agricultural land, and healthy wetlands, lakes, and streams to sustain fish and wildlife populations.
In other words, the magical cover stalked by bird dogs and eager hunters every hunting season is also key to clean water for all creatures, us included.
So, raise a glass of water (or whatever beverage you may choose) to Earth Day! And as you gather with family and friends this season who might not share your passion for hunting but do share an interest in clean water and a healthy planet, invite them to join you in supporting The Habitat Organization.
Interested in supporting our work? Explore ideas for opportunities to help and Ways to Give.
For more information on ways to build sustainability partnerships with us, contact Brent Rudolph – Director of Sustainability Partnerships, at BRudolph@PheasantsForever.org.