Georgia was once considered the bobwhite quail capital of the world. However, the state's quail population has declined by more than 70 percent since the early 1960s, primarily due to loss of quality early successional habitat. To address this concern, the Board of Natural Resources worked with key members of Georgia's General Assembly and other supporters to develop and fund the Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI) in 1999. BQI is implemented by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) and is funded through the sale of vehicle license plates.
BQI is a voluntary program that provides private landowners with technical assistance and, on a competitive basis, financial incentives for habitat improvement. It is primarily directed at increasing the abundance of nesting and brood rearing habitat, factors most commonly limiting quail populations across Georgia's landscape. These practices will improve habitats for certain early successional songbird species that are in serious decline, and also reduce soil erosion and improve water quality. Other beneficial aspects may include economic enhancement to local communities from recreational opportunities associated with improved quail hunting and wildlife viewing.
For more information visit the
Georgia DNR website.