Habitat & Conservation  |  02/15/2022

Your Questions Answered and Free Habitat Planning at Habitat Help Desk


401b51f2-9a54-4339-9aab-61de573df70c
Above: A habitat project that started at a Habitat Help Desk.
 

Visit this popular hangout at Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, and let’s talk habitat!

By Tom Carpenter, Editor at Pheasants Forever

“We visit with folks managing everything from 10-foot backyard pollinator plots to 10 acres to 10,000 acres. Everybody’s welcome, and we want to see you at the Habitat Help Desk!”

National Fest & Quail Classic attracts folks from all walks of life and with a wide variety of interests related to the uplands. One big cross-section of attendees shares a wonderful and common bond: They own or manage land, and want to create or improve upland habitat for wildlife including pheasants, quail, whitetails, pollinators, songbirds and more.

Help is right here at the show! In a longstanding tradition at National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, the popular Habitat Help Desk, sponsored by Polaris, is available free to any attendee wishing to stop in and visit when you come to this year’s Upland Classic at Omaha’s CHI Center March 11 - 13.

The Habitat Help Desk is dedicated to helping farmers and landowners meet their conservation and habitat goals on their property. Landowners consult with trained wildlife biologists to gain insights into management activities, as well as what local, state and federal voluntary conservation programs may be available for their property. Soil health and precision agriculture are hot topics for producers that stop by.

 "We staff up the area with professional PF & QF biologists whose job is to answer landowners’ and land managers’ questions about upland wildlife habitat and conservation,” says Matt Morlock, coordinator for PF in both Dakotas, and also the coordinator of the Help Desk at this year’s show. “If you can find your property on a map, we’ll start right there and listen to your goals. You’ll leave with a Habitat Plan if you wish, and contacts for your next steps.”

“It’s important to note that no matter where the property is, or how big or small it is, we are there to help,” adds Morlock. “And it’s not just for Nebraska landowners.”

“I also want folks to know that no question is too small,” Morlock adds. “There is nothing formal about us. Habitat, managing it, conservation programs, you name it … just stop by and we’ll talk habitat!”. 

“You might want to go all-out with a free Habitat Plan right at the Show,” says Morlock. “Or maybe you just leave with some answers and ideas.”

“We visit with folks managing everything from 10-foot backyard pollinator plots to 10 acres to 10,000 acres,” he laughs. “Everybody’s welcome, and we want to see you at the Habitat Help Desk.”

The Habitat Help Desk is open all three days during the Classic’s show hours of 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Friday March 11, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday March 12, and 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Sunday March 13.
 

The 2022 National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic will take place at CHI Health Center in Omaha on March 11-13. Tickets and more information can be found at: PheasantFest.org.