Natural Resources: Ohioans can now enroll in the Conservations - TopicsExpress

Natural Resources: Ohioans can now enroll in the Conservations Reserve Program to help restore pheasant in the state, ODNR officials announced this week. The Ohio Pheasant State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement program seeks to establish just under 29,000 acres for habitat improvement. The program uses wildlife management practices developed by conservation organizations located in the state to establish and restore habitats to help declining game bird populations. ODNR Director James Zehringer said in a statement that the program "is an exciting way to honor the tradition of upland game hunting and celebrate nearly 100 years of pheasants in Ohio." Program participants will be eligible for enrollment and practice incentive payments, cost-share assistance and annual rental payments, official said. Sign-up for the program runs through Sept. 30 for landowners with eligible cropland: 18,000 acres remain available.