A new team of Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists is helping landowners throughout the Commonwealth make their properties more attractive for wildlife species of concern.

Since being hired in 2004, these biologists, working under the Game Commission's new Private Landowners Assistance Program (PLAP), have helped in excess of 220 landowners develop habitat management plans for more than 33,000 acres of prime Pennsylvania private property, increasing its value to wildlife and helping to keep at bay the state's ongoing decline in habitat quality and loss of wildlife habitat on lands in private ownership.

This landowner assistance initiative, made possible with grant monies from the federal State Wildlife Grants Program and Landowner Incentive Program, both administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has the potential to be incredibly beneficial to many wildlife species, especially those in need of specialized management assistance.

"The four biologists currently heading up this program have done a remarkable job of getting it off the ground and have made a tremendous difference for wildlife communities throughout the Commonwealth," noted Vern Ross, Game Commission executive director. "Much of the work focuses on helping wildlife species of concern, but in the process, scores of other species are benefiting from the effort.

"We are, of course, indebted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its funding generosity and organizational insight to provide a means for state wildlife agencies to work with private landowners to make habitat improvement. This program's worth is virtually immeasurable to both wildlife and landowners, and yet, we would not be administering it without the funding assistance provided by the Service, because the agency's existing revenue streams couldn't support it. This is truly a phenomenal opportunity for Pennsylvania."

Before the establishment of PLAP, the Game Commission provided limited habitat management assistance for species of concern on private properties, which comprise more than 85 percent of the Commonwealth's 45,000 square miles. The Game Commission has invested millions of dollars annually in habitat efforts to benefit all wildlife on its own 1.4 million-acres of State Game Lands, which represents about five percent of the state.

With federal funding, the agency created its landowner assistance initiative and hired regional wildlife diversity biologists (RWD biologists) to aid interested landowners in developing wildlife conservation plans for their properties.

Most plans focus on creating or maintaining habitat for the state's 22 threatened or endangered birds and mammals or 88 bird and mammal species of concern recently identified in the state's draft Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Pennsylvania is home to 495 species of birds and mammals.

Catering to species of concern, RWD biologists develop habitat recommendations for interested property owners that are weighted by the needs of species of concern, as well as the landowner's objectives, cohesiveness with neighboring natural features and the uniqueness of the habitat under consideration.

"Although a wide variety of species will benefit from the habitat plans RWD biologists are writing, we're still placing emphasis on species of concern such as the bald eagle, woodcock, barn owl, eastern meadowlark, several bat species and snowshoe hare," noted Dan Brauning, who supervises the Game Commission's Wildlife Diversity Section.

"The creation of this landowner assistance program is truly an important event in Pennsylvania's unfolding wildlife management history," noted Cal DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. "It embodies increased emphasis on helping species of concern on lands that normally wouldn't have received much professional management attention, largely because of insufficient staff.

"We've known for years, there is tremendous interest among private and public landowners to do something more for wildlife on their properties, particularly if their land is providing habitat for something special such as bald eagles, river otters, or barn owls. Now, we can do more than provide some guidance. We're offering plans to help these landowners maintain or enhance their property's attractiveness and value to species of concern."

RWD biologists will work with any landowner whose property has something to offer wildlife. They also are interested in helping municipal parks, landowners with wildlife refuges, even people with outbuildings that are housing barn owls or bat colonies. If landowners are interested in creating, preserving or enhancing wildlife habitat, PLAP is a program custom-made to accommodate them.

The first step in PLAP is to contact the RWD biologist or region office serving your county. After a short interview, the biologist will send the interested property owner a landowner objective survey, which identifies the property by habitat features and types, ranks the landowner's management goals and species preferences, and lists property uses and activities.

After reviewing the survey, the biologist will visit the property and walk it with the landowner. A detailed plan will be developed based upon the biologist's findings and landowner's chosen level of involvement. Biologists do not inventory species found on the property.

There is no charge for participating in PLAP, nor is there a public access requirement. Biologists will follow-up their planning effort by checking with participating landowners if they have questions or need additional direction.

"What happens after a plan is developed is largely up to the landowner," explained Game Commission Southeast Region RWD Biologist Jamie Zambo. "There's no pressure. The landowners who have sought help in my region have all been enthusiastic about wildlife and conservation, because they see firsthand and daily how habitat is disappearing in the southeastern counties. They're excited to do something that makes a difference for species of concern.

"Plans don't call for wholesale changes on most properties. In fact, some management recommendations are to simply leave the land as it is. But if a landowner is interested in enhancing habitat to attract wildlife, and has the time and/or money to subsidize the habitat modifications needed, this program will help him or her get the job done."

Jeremy Freymoyer, a Berks County farmer and landowner who manages about 120 acres in Upper Bern Township, said he was very satisfied with the recommendations for his property.

"I think the Pennsylvania Landowner's Assistance Program is one of the best starting tools available for property owners interested in doing something more for wildlife," Freymoyer said. "It shows them what they have and provides a roadmap for making it better. The plan really opens your eyes and provides tangible steps you can take to help your property and the wildlife on it.

"I've been involved with several habitat management programs and the Game Commission's program is one of my favorites. What attracted me to it is that it costs zero dollars. The biologist who visited my property was friendly and very professional. The plan she produced for our property was over 20 pages long!"

The response to PLAP has been overwhelming. RWD biologists have already written plans for more than 150 landowners providing recommendations for the conservation of species of concern. Landowners are following through by carrying out some of the recommendations to make their properties more attractive to species of concern, as well as many others.

The decline of species of concern is often closely related to habitat loss and destruction. The American woodcock population in the Northeastern states, for instance, has declined about 40 percent over the past 30 years because of early successional habitat losses. Grassland nesting species, too, such as the bobolink, bobwhite quail and grasshopper sparrow, also have declined sharply over the same period as a result of changes in agricultural practices and development.

The species at greatest risk currently are those that spend at least part of their lives in wetlands, riparian areas, old-field-shrub/grasslands, and within large contiguous blocks of mature forests. Also at great risk are those that use special habitats such as caves, talus slopes and vernal ponds.

PLAP aims to protect and restore at least 50 miles of riparian buffers, 50 acres of wetlands, and 24,900 acres of upland habitat for species at risk by December of 2007. Additionally, over the same period, PLAP aims to establish conservation practices on 2,000 grassland acres to support declining bird species.

If you're interested in participating in PLAP, please use the following listing to determine what region your property is found in and where to call for assistance:

· Northwest: Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties - RWD Biologist Tim Hoppe at 814-860-8123.

· Southwest: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties - RWD Tammy Colt at 724-238-9523.

· Northcentral: Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga and Union counties - Region Office at 570-398-4744.

· Southcentral: Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry and Snyder counties - RWD Biologist Dan Mummert at 814-542-8759.

· Northeast: Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties - RWD Biologist Kevin Wenner at 570-788-8194.

· Southeast: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York counties - RWD Biologist Jamie Zambo at 610-589-4913.

9/2/2005