Virginia Wild Turkey Management Plan

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and Virginia Tech's Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation have initiated a process to develop a statewide Wild Turkey Management Plan.

This plan, which will incorporate all wild turkey stakeholders' values, will be similar in scope and purpose to the Virginia Black Bear (under revision) and White-tailed Deer Management Plans. The Virginia Wild Turkey Management Plan will be designed to provide guidance on how to address the complex management challenges and issues related to desirable population levels, recreation (including hunting), human-turkey conflicts, and habitat conservation.

Update as of January 2013

Since the last update, 13 individuals were extended an invitation, and subsequently all have accepted, to participate on the Wild Turkey Management Plan Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC). These individuals represent the spectrum of users and stakes in turkey management, including turkey hunters, other nature enthusiasts, agricultural and/or commodity producers, and representatives of organizations and agencies deemed important to turkey management. This group will work together to develop policy-level draft goals for inclusion in a new statewide management plan for wild turkeys in Virginia. Issues raised during a series of focus group meetings held in April and May 2012 will provide a starting point for discussion. The draft management plan will be available for general public review and comment later this year. Below a link is provided where a summary of issues raised during the focus groups can be viewed. Preparation of an educational document that reviews the history, biology, and management of the wild turkey in Virginia currently is nearing completion and will be used to enhance knowledge and understanding of turkeys and turkey management among the public; when completed, this document will be available via the VDGIF website. In the coming months, the SAC and the VDGIF Wild Turkey Technical Committee will be very busy working to develop a draft plan. Please monitor the VDGIF web site for future updates.

Cully McCurdy, our NWTF Regional Biologist,· our State Chapter representatives on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee.· If you have any issues or concerns that you would like him to carry forward, you can contact·Cully and Richard at:

Patrick "Cully" McCurdy

Regional Biologist -·VA/WV

National Wild Turkey Federation

HC 82 Box 217B

Marlinton WV· 24954

Office: 304-799-4792   Cell: 304-642-4762  

cmccurdy@nwtf.net

Or:

Richard Pauley   540-992-6193   

pauleyr@nationwide.com

Golden-Winged Warbler/Longleaf Pine Initiative

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The NWTF, the leading conservation organization dedicated to improving upland wildlife habitat, and the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service are partnering on two initiatives to enhance critical ecosystems on private land across 16 states, including Virginia. 

The golden-winged warbler and longleaf pine initiatives will improve habitat on private land for targeted species and countless other wildlife and plant species that flourish in the same habitat.

"These are landscape scale habitat initiatives that will have far reaching impacts," said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., the NWTF's chief conservation officer. "The NWTF and our expert wildlife biologists are uniquely positioned to be the driving force behind these critical, on-the-ground habitat improvements. These initiatives will make significant impacts on golden-winged warblers, longleaf pines and the countless other species that depend on these shared habitats."

Daily, 6,000 acres of prime upland habitat are lost to development. Improving existing habitat will make a significant, long-term impact on upland wildlife and help counter these ongoing losses.

The golden-winged warbler songbird is listed as a Federal Species of Special Concern and has experienced dramatic declines, particularly throughout the greater Appalachian region, due to the loss of critical breeding habitat. Golden-winged warblers require patchy shrubland and forest edges, which also is critical for a wide range of species, including wild turkey, ruffed grouse and migratory birds.

Longleaf pine forests once covered an estimated 90 million acres across the Southeast; today only 3 percent remains. Longleaf forests are home to hundreds of wildlife species, including 29 species that are listed as threatened or endangered, and are important to the continuation of these species. This habitat is extremely important for wild turkeys.

Through these free public-private initiatives, the NWTF will work with 725 private landowners to help them improve habitat on their land by providing technical assistance and preparing habitat management plans. These efforts will provide expert guidance and help landowners participate in existing federal cost share programs to help fund these critical improvements. The NWTF also will conduct 38 wildlife habitat management field days to provide landowners with the tools to help wildlife on their lands.

"NRCS is proud to work with the NWTF to further the management of longleaf pine forests and habitat for the golden-winged warbler," said NRCS Chief Dave White. "This partnership provides another opportunity for farmers, ranchers and forestland owners to voluntarily protect this critical wildlife habitat."

The NWTF and its partners will be contributing $1.75 million to these initiatives to compliment NRCS's investment.

The golden-winged warbler initiative will include Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The initiative supporting longleaf pine will include the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

On January 22nd, Brian Chandler will begin work as the Regional Biologist in charge of this initiative in Virginia and West Virginia. Brian is a graduate of the Univ. of Tennessee Knoxville, and received his Masters at Texas Tech. For information on participating in either initiative, contact Brian at bchandler@nwtf.net or 865-414-8524. Please join us in welcoming Brian to our VaNWTF family.

VaDOF Donates Seedling Packages

Our partners at the Virginia Department of Forestry are graciously donating a seedling package to each Virginia NWTF Chapter Banquet between now and May 1st.  This seedling package is specifically targeted to the enhancement of wild turkey habitat. The package will be auctioned off at our local banquets so look for them in your banquet programs. This seedling package includes 5 Chickasaw plum, 10 Chinese chestnut, 25 common apple, 25 bi-color lespedeza, 25 sawtooth oak and 10 persimmon. These species are excellent for wild turkey, as well as numerous other wildlife species.

To learn more about Virginia Department of Forestry and to view our seedling catalog, please visit www.buyvirginiatrees.com.