Contact: October Greenfield, Wildlife Habitat Restoration Coordinator & VGBI Co-Coordinator
The Piedmont Environmental Council[email protected]; 540-347-2334, x7051
WARRENTON, Va. (Oct. 2, 2024) – Now through Nov 30, the Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative (VGBI) is accepting applications from producers in 16 counties across the northern Virginia Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Shenandoah Valley, who are interested in financial incentives for protecting nesting grassland birds during the 2025 haying season.
Entering its fourth year and funded by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, VGBI provides up to $35 per acre in exchange for: 1) delaying the first cut of hay until July 1 or later; and/or 2) rotating livestock out of select fields between April 15 and July 1 or later. Because most grassland bird species require wide expanses of grasses for nesting, the program requires a minimum 20-acre commitment, ideally a large, contiguous patch of grassland distant from thick forest edges and human development. To learn more about the program and to apply, visit: vagrasslandbirds.org/incentives/.
How VBGI helps grassland birds
Native grasslands have suffered more intense impact by humans than any other North American terrestrial ecosystem. In response, remaining grassland birds have adopted hayfields and pasturelands as surrogate habitat. Grassland bird conservation, therefore, falls largely on private landowners and farmers. By working with producers to implement a suite of best management practices, VGBI strives to stem the tide of grassland bird decline, improve the resiliency of working landscapes, and positively impact the livelihoods that depend upon those lands. In addition to protecting nesting habitat, these practices can also be used strategically to stockpile forage for late summer grazing, to rest and re-seed fields, and to reduce feed expenses.
“Delaying the first hay cutting until at least early July is a game-changer for our grassland birds because it allows the bulk of them to fledge at least one successful clutch of young. That quickly changes a hayfield from being a site of population loss to one of population gain,” said October Greenfield, VGBI co-coordinator and wildlife habitat coordinator at The Piedmont Environmental Council. “Meanwhile, rotating livestock out of select fields in the early spring and allowing those fields to rest until early summer — a practice called summer pasture stockpiling — is proving to be beneficial for not only nesting birds, but also cattle, soil health, and producer profitability.”
One 2024 program participant, Francis McGuigan of Greene County, shared his experience after enrolling 40 acres of pasture. “The results were dramatic. Not only did the bird population increase, but so did the insect, small mammal and amphibian populations. We saw and heard the results all summer. The program on my small farm is supporting ecosystem expansion and resilience,” he said.
How VGBI helps farmers
“With the majority of remaining grasslands in Virginia currently held in private hands and under agricultural use, VGBI gives farmers the opportunity to become partners in conservation by implementing grassland bird-friendly agricultural practices. We work with farmers to create conservation plans that protect grassland birds while simultaneously supporting their production goals,” Greenfield said.
When farmers delay haying by just a few weeks, they have a significant impact on grassland bird survival. The resulting higher-fiber, more mature hay produced in early July is suitable for many hay operations, including forage for dry cows and retired animals, as well as for mushroom hay and bedding for animals. Additionally, summer pasture stockpiling, a form of rotational grazing, can extend the grazing season and reduce hay feeding days and feed costs while ensuring that grassland birds have enough time to raise their young.
In the program’s first three years, 45 producers formally enrolled 3,000 acres of land in the program. Producers interested in adopting one or both of these practices in 2025, with or without the financial incentive, are asked to apply for participation at vagrasslandbirds.org/incentives. Those already managing for delayed haying and/or summer pasture stockpiling are asked to report their acreage at vagrasslandbirds.org/incentives/ to be included in VGBI’s annual reports.
Tim Mize, of the Virginia Cooperative Extension and a member of VGBI’s steering committee is excited to see this program gaining traction. “Although at times they seem at odds, livestock agriculture and wildlife conservation can benefit one another. It just seems obvious to me that this program is a win/win scenario for both,” he said.
Michelle McKenzie of Bellair Farm in Albemarle County said, “I would absolutely recommend this program to other people. Interacting with the VGBI staff as a part of this program has also provided networking opportunities and discussions about other programs that we’re getting involved with now, like kestrel box monitoring.”
The Virginia Grassland Bird Initiative is a partnership of The Piedmont Environmental Council, Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes, American Farmland Trust, and Quail Forever.
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The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) works to protect and restore the lands and waters of the Virginia Piedmont, while building stronger, more sustainable communities. Founded in 1972, PEC is a locally based, community-supported 501(c)3 nonprofit and accredited land trust. At the core of PEC’s approach is a focus on educating, engaging and empowering people to effect positive change in their communities.
Virginia Working Landscapes is a program convened by the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) to promote the conservation of native biodiversity and encourage the sustainable use of working landscapes through research, education, and outreach.
American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever make up the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 567,500 habitat projects benefiting 22 million acres.