October 10, 2000

The final agricultural appropriations bill includes a six-state pilot program for small farmed wetlands and adjacent buffers. The provision calls for 500,000 acres of environmentally sensitive wetlands and upland buffers in North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Montana.

Pheasants Forever praised the inclusion of the provision. "This move will further strengthen this nations' most successful conservation program," said Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever CEO, "and ... benefit pheasants and other wildlife, and provide landowners with genuine opportunities to protect valuable small wetlands that can complicate farming operations."

Getting most of the credit for the project are Sens. Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson, both South Dakota Democrats, and Tom Harkin (D-IA).

The bill targets small wetlands five acres or smaller that have been farmed three of the past 10 years. "These wetlands with surrounding upland buffers offer great pheasant habitat," according to Pheasants Forever Biologist Tom Kirschenmann.

There are 550 Pheasants Forever chapters nationwide that work with farmers and ranchers to improve wildlife habitat, completing over 25,000 projects annually. Since its inception in 1982, more than 1.5 million acres of critical wildlife habitat have been established or restored by PF members. Pheasants Forever has 92,000 members.

Final action in the House and Senate is expected this week.