RICE COVER-CROP ROTATION PILOT PROGRAM

The California Waterfowl Association’s Mallard Legacy Program has a goal to provide 80,000 acres over a 10 year period of good quality nesting cover in order to increase production of California mallards.  CWA has recently developed a pilot-level project with funding from the CALFED Working Landscapes Program to establish up to 1,000 acres per year of nesting cover on a rotational basis.  The program is targeting lands north of Gridley California in an area with existing high duck densities but little or no wheat or vetch production. 

The project also seeks landowners in the area interested in providing summer wetland habitat.  Participating landowners are required to keep their ponds flooded between March and October, and receive an incentive payment to offset the additional cost of water and management.  Monitoring will also be done to determine use by birds and giant garter snakes. CWA, and its partners in this venture, hope that the benefits of such a pattern of rotations and wetland habitat will provide the basis for expansion of similar conservation measures.

For more information contact project manager Jake Messerli, Department Director, at (916) 648-1406, ext. 125