Minnesota DNR: Action plans outline habitat strategies for ducks, pheasants

St. Paul — DNR area wildlife managers across Minnesota soon will begin planning and implementing updated strategic conservation efforts designed to foster stewardship of ducks, pheasants, and their habitats. These efforts follow the state’s recently updated pheasant and duck action plans.

“We’re excited to be shifting into implementation of our updated action plans,” said Dave Trauba, DNR Wildlife Section manager for the DNR. “People will be seeing work based on the priorities outlined in these plans in the coming year.”

The pheasant and duck action plans were updated during the past 10 months. Conversations with and input from conservation organizations, state and federal agencies, tribal nations, technical experts, and the public contributed to the objectives and strategies outlined in the plans.

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Each plan outlines short-term actions that will help fulfill long-term conservation goals and focus the DNR’s funding and conservation efforts related to ducks and pheasants.

Key objectives outlined in the plans include:

• Acquiring additional habitat by maintaining the current pace of wildlife management area acquisitions overall while increasing the proportion within priority areas identified for pheasants and ducks.

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• Improving access to private land for outdoor recreation by increasing acres enrolled in the DNR’s Walk-In Access Program.

• Increasing the quality and quantity of duck and pheasant habitat through restoration and enhancement on state-administered land and managed shallow lakes.

• Supporting the work of partners to protect, restore, and enhance duck and pheasant habitat throughout Minnesota.

• Refining research and monitoring priorities for ducks, pheasants, and their habitat, and implementing and continuing research and monitoring work to address these priorities.

“These action plans highlight our priorities for pheasants and ducks through 2030,” Trauba said. “The objectives and strategies laid out in the plan allow the DNR and its conservation partners to assess and adjust activities in response to changing conditions as we work to meet our long-term conservation goals for ducks, pheasants, and their habitats.”

More information about habitat work, activities, and accomplishments related to the action plans and the plans themselves are available on the Minnesota DNR waterfowl management webpage and pheasant management webpage.