What is the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative?

As a result of bobwhite population declines, an ambitious, range-wide population and habitat restoration plan called the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) was developed by the National Bobwhite Technical Committee. The NBCI was developed to provide a quantitative, habitat-oriented plan for bobwhite population restoration throughout the species range.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP), along with other cooperating agencies and organizations, is actively implementing Mississippi's quail restoration plan as part of the NBCI. Eight focal counties were selected to begin intensively promoting quail habitat and population restoration in 2008. The initial focal counties selected include Amite, Marion, Monroe, Panola, Prentiss, Sunflower, Union, and Yazoo. A quail habitat meeting was conducted in Marshall County in February, 2009. More than 300 interested landowners and quail enthusiasts have attended these meetings. Habitat management field days will also be conducted. The MDWFP will continue to provide technical assistance to landowners statewide. The focal county approach was chosen to focus limited personnel time on intensive promotional work in an effort to develop larger-scale quail habitat areas. Topics covered in these meetings included a discussion of the reasons for the decline in quail populations, habitat requirements, management practices, goals for restoration, and sources of cost-share assistance for managing habitat.

For more information on the NBTC and NBCI, visit Bring Back Bobwhites.