PF’s New Easements a Big Deal

“Conservation easement.” Not the world’s sexiest term. For example this scenario:

“Tim Lincecum, you just won the World Series, what are you going to do with your bonus?”

“I’m gonna buy a conservation easement!”

[Sound of a balloon deflating.]

Yep, don’t think that’s making SportsCenter, which is one reason it took us a while to check in with Pheasants Forever (PF) about its announcement on March 2 of its first-ever donated conservation easement:

…a 63 acre parcel of land in Nebraska’s Adams County. The donation, from Dr. Ralph “Rip” Pfeiffer, permanently protects habitat critical to upland birds and migratory waterfowl in Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin region.

Under the terms of the easement, Dr. Pfeiffer will retain ownership of the property, while Pheasants Forever ensures permanent wildlife habitat management by limiting future land uses. Dr. Pfeiffer wanted to perpetually protect the property from agricultural production and development. He also contributed $15,000 directly to Pheasants Forever for ongoing stewardship of the easement.

Later last month PF actually got its second easement, this time in SD.

Under the terms of the easement, the landowners, K&M Partners, retain ownership of the property and may hay or graze the wetlands basins when conditions allow, while Pheasants Forever ensures permanent wildlife habitat by limiting future land uses.

The easement was funded by a partial donation from the landowners and a $30,000 grant from the federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). The easement is perpetual and stays with the land when ownership changes.

Wetland habitats in this part of South Dakota provide key winter cover for upland birds, and when wet, are important for migratory waterfowl in the Central Flyway.

Okay, since all that sounds important, to find out more we checked in with Ron Leathers, PF’s public finance director and the guy who started PF down this path. A brief Q&A:

SBH: Why is this a big deal?

Ron: PF is taking steps that will last a lifetime – and beyond – to protect habitat. We’re agreeing to help the landowner ensure that the habitat legacy he built will last forever.  This 63 acres [in NE] will never see a plow again. And the value of the donation will be used to leverage future grant money that will turn his 63-acre donation into something much larger.

On a grander scale, this gives PF another tool to conserve habitat in perpetuity. We know that pheasants are “fringe” birds that thrive in grassy areas within agricultural landscapes. Conservation easements like this one make sure these areas always support these birds.

The best part of all is we just ensured permanent habitat on 63 acres for absolutely no cost to PF. The landowner donated the value of the easement and made a cash gift to our stewardship account so the person in my chair 100 years from now has the money he or she needs to continue stewarding this resource.

Why should hunters care?

Permanent, permanent, permanent. This will be habitat forever. And even though that 63 acres isn’t open to public access, it creates a “source patch” that provides a stable population center from which birds can disperse to nearby habitats.

How can other hunters get involved?

The best place to start is the website of The Forever Land Trust, PF’s subsidiary land company.

What can you tell us about the second easement?

We protected 116 acres of wetlands in Lyman County, SD. This place is a wing-shooter mecca, an area with one of the highest pheasant densities in the state of South Dakota yet only moderate pressure.
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We asked for GPS coordinates by email….

Bottom line: Easements, as we’re sure you know, are important, and props to PF for helping make these happen for bird-brains like us.

Now to that term. Instead of “Conservation Easement,” how about something else like:

> Straight up: Permanent Bird Habitat

> Semi-confrontational: No-Development Agreement

> Memorable: Ditch Chicken Paradise

Any better ideas?!

Category: Pheasants Forever