Here in the Mid-Atlantic, QF is advocating for and restoring populations of Northern Bobwhite (Colinus viriginanus) through habitat restoration and outreach. Populations of Northern Bobwhite in the Mid-Atlantic have declined by over 6% annually since the 1980’s, with similar declines seen in populations of songbirds and other organisms associated with early successional habitats. In this talk, Sierra and Jack, the local Delaware and Maryland QF biologists, respectively, will cover the history and status of quail in the region, their habitat needs, and the work that QF is doing to connect with local landowners and put more habitat on the ground.
Pheasants Forever, Inc. & Quail Forever is the nation’s leading upland wildlife habitat conservation organization and employs hundreds of private lands biologist across the country. The goal of Quail Forever (QF), the quail division of Pheasants Forever, is to generate momentum for quail conservation through advocacy efforts to landowners and natural resource agencies, including work on the federal Farm Bill and implementation of quail-specific habitat projects, while striving to provide increased opportunities for hunters and educating the next generation of land stewards.
Jackson (Jack) Hutchison grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and caught a passion for land stewardship from his father, who is a partner in a family farming operation. Jack received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from Cornell University, where he researched songbirds, while more recently he worked with endangered species in Mississippi with the USFWS. Outside of work, Jack helps on the farm and enjoys hiking, photography, hunting, and birding with friends.
Sierra grew up near Annapolis, Maryland where she developed a passion for wildlife from a young age through enjoying the natural resources in and around the Chesapeake Bay. She pursued this passion and completed her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology at West Texas A&M University where she involved herself in as many field work opportunities as possible taking her all throughout the state. During this time, she gained the hands-on experience to understand the importance of maintaining habitat for the conservation and management of wildlife. After graduating and just before joining Quail Forever, Sierra worked with the Maryland Conservation Corps to assist areas throughout the state with various projects involving trail building and maintenance, insecticide application, prescribed burning, and invasives removal. Now in Delaware as the state’s Quail Forever Biologist, Sierra continues to enjoy hiking, birding, camping, and has recently picked up learning how to upland hunt.
