New East Texas Wetlands Project open to landowners

By DAVY MOSELEY | East Texas Editi

September 27, 2001 -- Wetlands often have a bad connotation with farmers and ranchers, but because of their recreational value, wetlands can be a great asset for a landowner. In fact, many landowners are constructing manmade wetlands on their private land - and getting reimbursed for doing it.

The East Texas Wetlands Project (ETWP) is a cooperative program supporting waterfowl and wetlands on private lands, and was one item of discussion at a Sept. 14 Quail and Waterfowl Field Day in Bonham.

The program provides East Texas landowners with technical assistance, and/or financial incentives, to restore, enhance, and/or create natural or manmade wetlands and associated upland habitats in wetlands, riparian areas, emerged wetlands, moist soil areas, harvested croplands, or waterfowl food plots to increase biodiversity for waterfowl, other migratory birds and related wetland wildlife.

The number one reason a landowner would want to have a wetland on their property is so they would have easy access for waterfowl hunting, and/or fishing on their private lands.

Sponsored by the Fannin County Extension Service and USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), the event highlighted the importance of wetlands, as well as, what management measures must be taken to promote different wetland species, such as ducks, quail, and fish, for conservation and recreational purposes.

Carl Frentress, Texas Parks and Wildlife regional waterfowl coordinator in Athens, spoke on waterfowl management.

"We are blessed with tremendous natural resources (in Texas). They are not there to just stare at; they need to be managed, or one day they won't be there," said Frentress. "To have waterfowl, you have to have a wetland."

According to Frentress, there are three components needed for waterfowl to flourish in a wetland: water, shelter and food. These make up a habitat triangle.

This triangle is more of a circle of life, where both plants and animals benefit from each other in the wetland. Consideration must be given in selecting plants that will provide food and shelter for waterfowl and other wetland species.

"If you manage for, say, Mallard ducks, other waterfowl will follow," Frentress said. Once the environment is created, it will lend itself to be adapted by species with similar needs.

According to Frentress, ducks are very much creatures of habit. It may take them years to relocate to a new wetland habitat, but when they do come, they, and their ducklings, will be there every year as long as there is adequate food and shelter.

Many plants that are considered weeds in the agricultural sector are desirable in wetland habitats. Weeds like barnyard grass, smart weeds, and duck potato all provide a source of food for waterfowl - primarily ducks.

Planting annual plants and trees are necessary to ensure the wetland habitat survives long enough to meet the minimum requirement for a Wetland Development Agreement (WDA) - an agreement between the cooperator and the ETWP committee to assure project objectives are fulfilled for a minimum of 10 years.

A minimum WDA will be for a term of 10 or 15 years on projects restoring or enhancing hydrologic wetlands. A cooperator may receive a minimum of 75 percent of the total project construction cost under a WDA during any one calendar year, not to exceed $15,000. The cost share limit may be increased to $30,000 if the WDA is longer than 15 years, and the cost to the ETWP is equal to or less than $50 per acre, according to the ETWP guidelines.

The ETWP program is funded and delivered by Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and NRCS. For more information: (903)570-9626.