Representatives from federal, state, and local agencies and conservation groups will be speaking about how to manage property to improve the habitat for bobwhite quail and other wildlife at a farm in Greenfield on Saturday, May 18.

“It is a free event for local land owners who are interested in improving habitat for this species, the northern bobwhite,” said farm bill biologist Melanie Cowell of Pheasants and Quail Forever. “It’s an endangered species her in Ohio that’s been declining pretty steadily since the ‘70s, and so one of the goals of Pheasants Forever alongside the USDA is to improve their habitat. ODNR also has an interest in it as well to improve the population.”

Cowell said private land owners can help by putting habitat on the ground on previously farmed land that is no longer productive. “Maybe they just have a bunch of acres that they’re not doing anything with, and we can show them how to convert that to more productive grassland and forest,” she said.

She said a portion of the program will show people who are interested in hunting these birds how to hunt them with a bird dog. “We have a woman who works for the Pickaway County Parks who has run her own bird dog business for about 20 years now who will be doing a demonstration there,” said Cowell.

An employee of the Fayette County Soil and Water District will use her farm in Greenfield for the presentation. “She has bobwhite quail on her property, so we thought that it would be great to show folks what habitat on the ground looks like that quail like and can exist in,” said Cowell.

Highland County is one of the areas in Ohio that still has wild populations of quail. Quail still only exist in the southwest and southeast corners of the state.

“We’re really excited to see who is interested in getting habitat on the ground and hoping to inspire some future conservationists and hunters and increase their knowledge,” said Cowell.

She said information about financial assistance programs through the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service as well as private funding to assist people with conservation efforts will be provided at the event.

Reservations are required for the free event and can be made by contacting Brigitte Hisey at 740-313-3212 or [email protected].

Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.