Neighbors Turn to Kanati for Conservation Planning

Neighbors Turn to Kanati for Conservation Planning

When one landowner reached out to Kanati for help developing a conservation plan, his neighbor was prompted to do the same.

The Vision

The initial landowner’s goals were influenced by his father who mentored his son and instilled solid conservation ethics in his son, teaching him how to responsibly hunt, work with the land, and have a general appreciation for nature. His goal was to give back to his father by fulfilling his legacy. The landowner’s father, now 90+ years old, accompanies him on annual turkey hunts on the property and many visits, just the two of them, to appreciate the beautiful nature that surrounds them.

His neighbor, who owns the adjacent property, mirrored what he saw his neighbor doing and asked Kanati to create a plan for his property. He wished to retire the farm from agricultural production and put it all into habitat restoration. His goals emphasized natural and organic systems with no chemical use. He wanted the land to go back to its natural state.

The Process

Kanati’s conservation planning process connected the landowners with programs and processes that fulfilled their wants and needs. Throughout the planning process, Kanati met with the landowners on-site to examine natural resource concerns and discuss objectives. While visiting the properties, areas were highlighted for possible protection and improvement and social, environmental, and economic goals were assessed.

What was best for one of the properties did not necessarily mean it would be best for the neighbor’s property, thus each conservation plan was individually curated for each intended property and landowner.

The plan acted as a road map to help identify the conservation practices individually tailored to the piece of property and landowner’s goals. Each plan highlighted how practices will work most effectively when combined with others to create a complete resource management system. Following the Natural Resource Conservation Service’s 9 steps of conservation planning, and based off on the identified opportunities, determined objectives, and the property’s current conditions, recommendations with the most benefit to the properties were presented to each of the landowners. After reviewing the suggested conservation practices, the landowners decided on their preferred recommendations.

Following a review of the plan, each of the landowners prioritized their own set of practices and a timeline was established. The higher-priority goals and objectives were outlined in a short-term action plan, while the lesser-prioritized practices were incorporated into a long-term plan.

The Results

Kanati worked side by side with the landowners to implement the conservation practices on each of their properties. The landowner who first contacted Kanati successfully staked Willow and Dogwood shrubs to expand the wildlife habitat on his property and planted CRP, a pine forest, and oak savanna which needed tree tubes for protection. Beside these natural improvements, Kanati implemented food plots which the landowner continues to maintain himself.

On the neighboring property, Kanati created a pollinator habitat and planted CRP and trees for the landowner. Kanati also helped develop food plots and helped source funding for wetland restoration so there was no cost to the landowner.

The success of the project led to another landowner north of the two properties to inquire about tree plantings which was also completed. This collaboration had significant impacts on wildlife and the area’s natural corridors.

The conservation work created within that half a mile is amazing and impactful. Our part is completed as the landowner continues to implement the practices but the relationship and advisement piece between us and the landowners is always ongoing. The benefit of this long-term relationship is that landowners consequentially will encourage each of them to continue pursuing ways to add conservation and better their property while also serving as an excellent example of how one piece of property implementing conservation can turn into many over time.

Neighbors Turn to Kanati for Conservation Planning