The U. S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) today announced the availability of more than $305 million in Abandoned Mine Land (AML) grants to states and tribes—90 percent of the more than $339.4 million available for distribution—to eliminate environmental hazards caused by past coal mining. OSM administers the grants in accordance with the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), which requires OSM to make AML funding available to eligible states and tribes. Twenty-eight coal-producing states and tribes receive annual AML grants, which are funded in part by a per-ton reclamation
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Cerulean Warbler management guidelines for enhancing breeding habitat in Appalachian forests are completed and available to download from the AMJV Library. Titled Cerulean Warbler Management Guidelines for Appalachian Hardwood Forests, this document provides land managers in the Appalachian Region with recommendations for retaining and enhancing habitat for Cerulean Warblers and a diverse bird community based on the best available science. Recommendations are intended for use by federal, state, and private foresters, biologists, and other land managers. These management guidelines are based to a large extent on the recently completed Cooperative Cerulean Warbler Forest Management Project but also incorporate relevant findings from other research
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About 100 acres will be added to Buchanan State Forest, resulting in better public access to the forest’s Sweet Root Natural Area, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy announced today. The land in southern Bedford County will be added to the Sweet Root Natural Area’s 1,400 acres, linking two separate pieces of the natural area: a smaller piece that contains parking, a picnic area and a trailhead and a larger area that contains remote land. Before the acquisition, hikers who started at the trailhead needed to cross private property to access the rest of the natural area. “This property will provide an
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While many sportsmen know Sandy Mush Game Land as an excellent place to hunt turkeys in the spring or mourning dove in the fall, bird watchers flock to the 2,600-acre game land year-round to observe birds not commonly seen in western North Carolina. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission game land has become such a well-known birding site that Commission biologists developed a birding checklist with help from the Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society (EMAS) to help bird watchers visiting the game land. The list, which can be downloaded here and the EMAS website, contains 153 bird species that have been documented by Commission staff, EMAS members, as
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The annual NWTF National Convention and Sport Show will be especially special in 2013 as the NWTF celebrates its 40th anniversary Feb. 14-17 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. “Then. Now. Always.” is the theme of the milestone birthday party, emphasizing the NWTF’s continued dedication to wildlife habitat conservation and its important role in the future of hunting. With free admission to NWTF members and active and retired military personnel, the giant convention showroom will be filled with 650 booths displaying the latest in top-quality outdoor gear as well as taxidermy and specialty turkey calls
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Gov. Nathan Deal recognized three corporate forest landowners today for their stewardship in land management and practices benefiting the state’s wildlife. Georgia Power, Plum Creek and Wells Timberland were honored by Gov. Deal as 2012 partners in Forestry for Wildlife Partnership, a program administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. Forestry for Wildlife Partnership is a voluntary program that promotes sustainable forest and wildlife conservation in corporate forestry practices. Partners select and tailor guidelines to improve management for reforestation, harvesting techniques, recreation, sensitive sites and outreach. Company representatives were recognized in a brief ceremony this morning
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