ARKANSAS ACRES FOR WILDLIFE
An Environmental Action Program

ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
In Cooperation with the
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, United States Department of Agriculture and County Governments

The quality of the environment in Arkansas is dependent upon decisions made by the many individuals who own and manage the land. Out of 34 million surface acres in the Arkansas, 30 million are under private ownership. So, as you can see, the private landowner determines the future of wildlife in our state.

Most landowners and managers are interested in the environment and in wildlife, but they often forget to include such considerations for it in their management activities or they don’t know what to do. In some cases they unknowingly perform activities that are detrimental to wildlife and the environmental. The result of these facts has been a great, often needless, reduction of habitat for all kinds of wildlife.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Cooperative Extension Service have initiated a cooperative environmental action program entitled the “Acres for Wildlife (AFW) Program” which is designed to encourage landowners and managers to improve the habitat for wildlife on their land. You can play an important part in improving the habitat for wildlife in Arkansas by taking an active role in this program.

The AFW program is intended to benefit all species of wildlife both game and non-game. It does not retire cropland or grazing land; neither does it open “posted” land to hunters. This is left entirely to the discretion of the landowner or tenant.

As an AFW Cooperator (landowner), you can help Arkansas’ wildlife and the environment by managing all or a portion of your land for wildlife. At least an acre of land is required to enroll in the program. The AFW program creates additional habitat and encourages considerations for wildlife needs, in conjunction with good farming, livestock production, and forestry practices on the entire farm.

Landowners and tenants must meet each of the qualifications listed below to enroll:

1. Plots must be at least one acre in size. An entire farm or any part of a farm can be enrolled.
2. Eligible lands – Nearly all farmlands, rangelands, and woodlands are eligible.
3. Ineligible lands – Cities, towns, parks, and recreation areas or public wildlife management areas.
4. Landowners and other participants must agree that land will be maintained AND/OR management practices will be
   continued for at least one year on land enrolled. Each year, landowners must re-enroll to stay in the program.

Landowners and tenants are also encouraged to actively manage their land for wildlife using such techniques as the following:

1. Prevent destruction of existing cover.
2. Improve existing cover by timber management; adding food or cover plants; adding structures such as brush piles, artificial dens for squirrels, nest boxes for wood ducks or other birds; prescribed burns; strip disking; strip mowing; fencing livestock out of timber and or streams.  
3. To create new wildlife habitat, Cooperators might:
   a. Protect areas to allow native plants to grow and conduct proper management in the future.
   b. Plant desirable trees, shrubs, or herbaceous plants.
   c. Develop water control structures and planting for waterfowl.
   d. Create clearings in extensive wooded areas and plant or manage native vegetation for wildlife.

Benefits of the program:

• Signs are offered to place around gates and entry roads to identify the area is being managed for wildlife.
• Free seed packet(s) provided by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
• Free wildlife technical assistance available from a Private Lands Biologist.
• Cooperating landowners or tenants can receive a certificate of recognition.
• There is no cost to landowners to enroll or to receive any of the benefits of the program.  

Cooperators may receive packet(s) of lespedeza seed and/or an annual wildlife seed mix if requested. Enrollment forms must be received by February 1 of each year to receive that spring’s planting materials. Both types of seed packets are primarily selected to provide food and/or cover for bobwhite quail, but many other species of wildlife will benefit also. The number of seed packets provided will depend upon the number of acres enrolled each year and number of landowners requesting this seed. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission provides these planting materials.

The main purpose of the seed packet component of the program is to provide seed to plant a wildlife food plot and for landowners to follow up on their own to plant additional food plots as needed for specific wildlife objectives. A limited supply of seed packets is provided to help landowners see the benefits wildlife food plots can provide and for them to then plant additional plots as needed to provide food over portions of all their lands. 

Landowners receiving seed packets must have a tractor and planting equipment or have access to these in order to receive the planting materials. Scattering seed from these packets on top the ground provides little or no benefit to wildlife. The food plot(s) should be disked, fertilized and limed according to soil tests, with PROPER GROUND PREPARATION to result in optimum benefits to wildlife.    

“Your TOOL for action in wildlife conservation!” 

Wildlife populations are dependent upon habitat, the natural environment of wildlife. Wildlife habitat includes food, water, cover and the proper arrangement of these components. All four items must be present and in proper quality and quantity for wildlife populations to be at the level desired by the landowner.

Landowners who want to help wildlife will find the AFW program ready to work for you.

The AFW program will give you guidance and assistance to manage your land for wildlife. Wildlife technical assistance is available from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission through Private Lands Biologists who work out of 10 Regional offices around the state. Landowners desiring this assistance should check the appropriate box on the applications entitled “Do you want a wildlife habitat evaluation and plan?” A landowner requesting a habitat evaluation will be contacted to set up a visit to his/her property by a wildlife biologist sometime during the enrollment year. If a land visit is not required, the biologist can provide valuable information through the mail or over the telephone. They can provide tips and recommendations on ways your wildlife habitat can be improved in connection with your farming, livestock, or timber management activities on all or a portion of the land you manage.

Contact any U of A Cooperative Extension Service County Office or the following Arkansas Game and Fish Commission offices toll-free for additional information regarding the AFW Program and other private lands programs:

• Brinkley (877)734-4581
• Calico Rock (877)297-4331
• Camden (877)836-4612
• Fort Smith (877)478-1043
• Hope (877)777-5580
• Hot Springs (877)525-8606
• Jonesboro (877)972-5438
• Little Rock (877)470-3650
• Monticello (877)367-3559
• Russellville (877)967-7577       

Acres for Wildlife Enrollment Form  

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