Lower Morse Lake is for the birds and so much more
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 02/09/2012 3:42 PM
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CLARION, Iowa — Land management didn't change when the Lower Morse Lake Grasslands Bird Conservation Area was created in Wright County in 2009, says Charlie Bray, Wright County Conservation naturalist.
"There was a public meeting, and once everyone found out that there were no new regulations for land owners and that hunting didn't change, I think people thought it was pretty neat," Bray said.
The area, which consists of nearly 20,000 acres between Clarion and Belmond, is one of Iowa's most important grassland/wetland complexes, said Bruce Ehresman, DNR wildlife diversity program biologist.
"This is the Prairie Pothole region and we have many knob and kettle areas," Bray said.
"Designating this area as a Bird Conservation Area added to its recognition by indicating its importance for nesting and migratory grassland and wetland birds," said Ehresman. "This area provides important nesting habitat for declining grassland birds, such as bobolink, Henslow's sparrow and sedge wren; for declining wetland species like American bittern, black and Foster's terns and Ruddy ducks; plus the annual nesting and migration stopover habitat for many other species suffering nationwide decline."
Ehresman said creating bird conservation areas is part of a larger international effort. The program encourages habitat conservation at a large landscape level.
Alarming declines in a large number of species have led to national and international programs dedicated to the conservation of game and nongame birds, Ehresman said.
Lower Morse Lake Grasslands Bird Conservation Area includes a combination of federal, state, county and privately owned land.
Ehresman said the area consists of 1,331 acres of DNR land, 607 acres of Wright County Conservation Board land, 1,645 acres of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Waterfowl Production Area and 417 acres of Wetlands Reserve Program easements.
Elm Lake, Morse Lake and Lake Cornelia cover 975 acres, there are184 acres of wetlands, 500 acres of forest, 3,104 acres of ungrazed grassland, 609 acres of grazed grassland and 1,040 acres of CRP grassland. There are just under 13,000 acres of crops.
Public lands within the Lower Morse Lake complex have been seeded with native prairie grasses and forbs, and wetlands have been restored, Bray said.
"Lower Morse Lake Grassland is one of the few places in Iowa where you can walk for several continuous miles without leaving public land and where one can still experience the rolling prairies of the region that used to exist here," Ehresman said.
Larry Turner, owner of Winding Creek Gardens and a member of Wright County Tourism, said he'd like to promote the area more.
He obtained grants from the Wright County Charitable Foundation, Wright County Visitors Bureau and Central Iowa River Partnership to produce a color brochure on the Bird Conservation Area.
"It was a no-brainer to me, why not promote what we have here," Turner said. "According to the Iowa DNR, bird watching along with general wildlife watching is a $304 million industry in Iowa."
The grants also paid for signs designating the Bird Conservation Area.
Bray said Snowy Owls have been spotted in the area this winter.
"I've enjoyed watching eagles that nest in the area and also seeing trumpeter swans," Bray said.
The Bird Conservation Area map as well as a more detailed map of all recreation and conservation areas in Wright County are available from the Wright County Conservation Board office at Lake Cornelia Park.