Roots to Roost

Background 

Prior to European settlement, the Midwest Region of the U.S. consisted of large contiguous grasslands which transitioned along a moisture gradient into savannas and woodlands, and eventually into closed-canopy forests. Over time, this region has experienced significant loss and degradation of these once abundant and diverse ecosystems. 

Furthermore, this region is predominately held in private land ownership (e.g., 88%), emphasizing the importance of restoration of these vital habitats on private lands to effectively impact wild turkey populations and other wildlife at a landscape-scale (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1991). The NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation) developed the Roots to Roost Initiative out of urgency to help address the widescale loss and degradation of these critically important ecosystems, which many wildlife species depend on, including the wild turkey. 

These ecosystems require periodic disturbances, such as prescribed burning to maintain desired vegetative conditions that support increased wildlife diversity and provide significant value. Disturbance sets back the succession of certain plant species, which creates optimal conditions for a response from early successional species. Many of these early successional plant species provide optimal structure and diversity for use by wild turkeys during the nesting and brood-rearing periods of the annual cycle. 

However, changes in land use, increased human development, and the widespread suppression of fire have led to the loss and degradation of these once abundant and diverse grassland, savanna, and forest ecosystems. These landscape changes have resulted in the decline of entire guilds of wildlife species. Unfortunately, the severity of the effects of these changes in habitat and their impacts on wild turkey productivity throughout this region remains largely uninvestigated.

Goals and Objectives 

The Roots to Roost Initiative will help address range-wide declines in many plant and wildlife species, while addressing concerns of water quality and forest health and resilience. The initiative will accomplish this through provision of needed resources for education, outreach, research, political advocacy and by supporting active habitat management through strengthened conservation partnerships. 

Main Pillars 

The initiative will have two fundamental pillars; the first is a targeted conservation delivery objective, and the second is a strategic focus on education and outreach for needed habitat management on private lands. 

Conservation Delivery 

The acreage delivery goal will be tied to an increase in the enhancement, restoration and management activities listed above, which the NWTF is currently delivering in the initiative area. The goal is defined as a percentage increase over time (5% annually), as the goal is tied to maintaining our current efforts while also increasing impact in ten years. 

Currently, the NWTF has been positively impacting approximately 97,800 acres annually at a total cost of $11.3 million (including partner funding). The annual acreage increase will result in improving 250,000 more acres through the Roots to Roost Initiative over the next ten years. The total acreage impact will result in at least 1.2 million acres treated over the next decade. 

Outreach and Education 

The second pillar of this initiative will be a focus on providing strategic education and outreach products and training to private landowners, resource professionals and invested habitat management professionals within the initiative area. 

Roots to Roost Initiative Contact

For Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, contact Ryan Boyer at rboyer@nwtf.net.

For Wisconsin and Minnesota, contact Clayton Lenk clenk@nwtf.net.

For Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, contact jburk@nwtf.net.

For Kentucky, contact dalkire@nwtf.net.