Author: Clay Stamm
Planning Unit: Rowan County CES
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Plan of Work: Environmental and Technology Education
Outcome: Initial Outcome
During the fall of 2018 I was fortunate enough to be able to partner with a Clark County landowner and University of Kentucky Wildlife Specialist Dr. Matthew Springer to plant a demonstration plot for a wildlife planting. The plot was planed in mid-August with a goal to host an educational wildlife food plot work shop in mid-October. Topics to be covered in the workshop would be "food plot site preparation" which would be covered by myself, then Dr. Springer covered "different food plot options, for different goals, and how to define success". During the workshop I was able to discuss in depth site preparation and promote proper farming practices such as; the importance of soil testing, planting legumes, proper tillage methods and herbicide usage based on your planting, and seeding rate and depths. Dr. Springer's portion of the program went into habitat management based on different species of wildlife, and about how habitat construction can work more effectually when the landowner doesn't just focus on one species of wildlife. The night went great and had awesome reviews by out 19 participants. Fifteen out of nineteen surveyed showed and increase of knowledge on the topics covered. Thirteen out of Fifteen said they will use this information to change their current wildlife management practices. Several participants indicated from the post-session evaluation that they are planning to increase (or start) soil testing through the University of Kentucky. One participant stated that "I would like to see more programs like this offered, I am an outdoorsman, not a farmer...". Every year may not be a program specifically based on wildlife, but I would like to continue natural resource program like this on into the future.
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