NWTF to manage portion of LBL for 10 years

By: AP

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation has signed a 10-year agreement with the USDA Forest Service to manage a portion of the Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area to improve habitat for wild turkeys and other wildlife.
In the first year of the agreement, the NWTF will manage 4,500 acres of wildlife openings, cropland and hay fields on the 170,000-acre peninsula, which lies between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley in western Kentucky and Tennessee and is currently managed by the Forest Service.
Projects done through this agreement will be designed to protect, improve, restore, and maintain habitat for a variety of wildlife species. Some projects will include controlling non-native invasive plant species and supervising maintenance of wildlife openings, cropland, and hay operations consistent with the most beneficial practices for wildlife.
“Reaching this agreement with the Forest Service is an incredible opportunity for the NWTF,” says Dr. James Earl Kennamer, senior vice president for conservation programs for the NWTF. “Both the NWTF and the Forest Service share an interest in wildlife conservation and promotion of environmental education to the public, and the NWTF brings an already established network of partners and volunteers to help further our common mission.”
Land Between The Lakes, the largest inland peninsula in the United States, features 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline, hunting opportunities, a 700-acre Elk & Bison Prairie, hiking and biking trails, campsites, backcountry camping, boat ramps, water sports, a nature center, a planetarium, an observatory, a horseback riding campground, three sites on the National Register of Historic Places and much more.
According to the Land Between The Lakes Area Manager Bill Lisowsky, the NWTF partnership will compliment his staff in managing the National Recreation Area to its fullest potential. The long-standing conservation partner, NWTF, will use its resources and expertise to help promote and manage this large-scale public land, which is home to various threatened, endangered, and sensitive wildlife species.
Hiring a new regional biologist for Kentucky is one way the NWTF will achieve this. The biologist will provide support on private lands and on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ lands in addition to providing biological assistance at Land Between The Lakes. The NWTF plans to expand its coverage area annually, and to incorporate its Environmental Education, Energy For Wildlife and outreach programs.
Published in The Messenger 1.17.08