Forage conversion program guidelines : Ducks Unlimited Canada Upland Cover Working Group decision document /

"October 22, 2001."

Many offices across the prairie region have developed and are delivering various forage programs. This document is intended to provide guidelines for forage conversion programs and will take the place of the APSWG decision item recommendations on forage conversion. Given the biological and agronomic uncertainties outlined in the document, forage programs should be delivered in areas of >30 pairs, >30% perennial cover, and where <20% of the active nests will be exposed to haying operations. If perennial cover is <30%, forage programs can still be delivered if predicted uptake will affect enough of the landscape (ex. going from 10 to 30% cover). A well-outlined plan should be developed as to how the goal will be achieved if landscapes have <30% perennial cover. If >20%of the active nests will be at risk from haying operations (and/or in 2 cut landscapes where the earliest cut is in June), forage programs should only be delivered with early cut date restrictions built into the program.