Many Hands Make for Light Work in the Arizona Quail Initiative

Quail are extremely well adapted to survive in the diverse but frequently harsh landscapes of Arizona. Actions being implemented by the Arizona Quail Initiative (AQI) aim to help them not just survive, but to thrive.

Reversing habitat loss from invasive woody plant encroachment, water development and grazing management, are just a few ways this initiative can help to give the birds an advantage.

Just like the habitat it intends to restore, the AQI represents a diverse partnership of organizations and individuals, committed to landscape-level efforts to ensure AQI is successful in making a lasting impact on quality habitat for quail and other wildlife.

"The Arizona Quail Initiative is a broad, long-term concept that has helped rally together partners, and to set very ambitious habitat goals," said Scott Poppenberger, Quail Forever Arizona state coordinator.

Before any habitat improvement projects can break ground, funding is needed to lay the foundation.

Some of the most impactful goals the AQI has set include restoring 30,000 acres of habitat, impacting over 100,000 acres through water facilities development, and negotiating access to several parcels of land-locked public lands.

"It's really important that we provide crucial resources for quail such as quality habitat and water, but it's also important to our team that folks also get opportunities to enjoy these landscapes," Poppenberger said.

Partnering with state agencies including the Arizona Game and Fish Department and Federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management and USDA's Forest Service have expanded the reach of the AQI. The Arizona Quail Forever team is actively engaged at many levels to restore habitat on public lands.

However, the team wants to continue fostering private lands connections.

The support of local Quail Forever chapters has been an important element for making progress. Across the region, several chapters have made donations toward the AQI and have assisted with habitat improvement projects.

"It means so much to have such fantastic support from our chapters," Poppenberger said. "For example, the Southern Arizona Chapter has an ongoing effort to build small rock dam structures to slow water run-off, making it last longer on the landscape. Additionally, The Valley of the Sun Chapter is contributing substantially to a landscape-scale grassland restoration project on the Santa Rita Experimental Range that will immediately benefit Scaled and Gambles quail."

The AQI team reports they are getting close to accomplishing some of their set goals, and those benchmarks are already looking to be raised.

"In the long run, I see this being a very durable initiative," Poppenberger said. "It's inspiring to see our goals met, but we want to stretch these. I think the possibilities are endless for how big an impact our team can make, especially when we have wonderful partners at our sides."

Partners and Supporters

• Arizona Game and Fish Department

• Bureau of Land Management

• Natural Resources Conservation Service

• Arizona Association of Conservation Districts

• Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management

• Intermountain West Joint Venture

• United States Forest Service

• Salt River Project

• Foundation for America's Public Lands

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Major Gifts Donors

• NextEra

• Will Primos

• Davidson's firearms

• Bob Bernard

• Steve Reich

• Arizona Quail Forever Chapters