Rolling Plains – Grassland Bird – Bobwhite Quail

Primary Resource Concern - Wildlife

Target Areas

MLRA 78B - Rolling Plains, Western Part
MLRA 78C - Rolling Plains, Eastern Part
MLRA 78D - Rolling Limestone Prairie MLRA 80B - North Central Prairie

Applicable counties are:

Priority for Funding

To be eligible for this state resource concern, applicants must meet all three criteria. If any criteria are not met, the application is not eligible.

• The offered acreage is contiguous and at least 51% of the acreage is located in MLRA's 78B, 78C, 78D or 80B.

• The land use of the offered acreage is at least 90% rangeland .

• The applicant must agree to implement an NRCS approved grazing program that's  primary beneficial to quail and other grassland birds.

If applicant cannot agree to all three criteria below, the application will be ranked  low priority. Applications not meeting this criteria, will be accepted but not ranked unless funds are available after all high priority application have been funded.

• Applicant agrees to follow Texas Parks and Wildlife Department ( TPWD) recommendations and implement a TPWD approved wildlife management plan that includes bobwhite quail before the end of the first full year of the contract.

• Offered acreage is adequately fenced and watered to carry out prescribed grazing

• Agree to restrict application of herbicides to IPT and forgo the use a Picloram on the offered acreage for the duration of the contract.

• How many contiguous acres are offered?

All high priority applications will be accepted and ranked for possible funding. Medium and low priority application sill be accepted but not ranked unless funds are available after all high priority applications have been funded.

Eligible Practices

Prescribed Grazing (528A)
Brush Management (314)
Prescribed Burning (338)
Range Planting (550)

Cost Share

Resource Farmer/Rancher - 90 Percent
Farmer/Rancher -  50 Percent
Other categories - 50 Percent

Incentives

Incentive cost share is 100%

Prescribed Grazing (528A) Payment is limited to a maximum of 2500 acres per contract.

• $5 per acre – Limited to a maximum of 2 years. Applicable only to acres requiring a planned full growing season deferment (such as planned rest, before and after a prescribed burn or following brush management). Payment to be made after each full growing season deferment is completed.

• $5 per acre – Year 5 (maximum 1 year). Must be actively implementing NRCS approved grazing management plan and TPWD approved wildlife management plan to receive this payment.

Ranking Criteria

Points

Grazing System

What grazing system will the applicant implement following the next full growing season of livestock deferment.

What percentage of the grazing land in this operating unit will be operated under an active grazing management plan for the duration of the contract?

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