Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 5 · column 2 of 7 · from the scan, no model involved
everything from hummingbirds to bears.” Keim, who has owned the tract for 25 years, recently received the 1984 Conservationist of the Year Award from the Virginia Wildlife Federation.
As an illustration of wildlife’s current predicament in Virginia, he related the story of an acquaintance who is a cattle farmer in an adjoining county. Such farmers, whom Keim notso-affectionately calls “grassland farmers,” tend to concentrate on producing a single crop. They often pass up easy opportunities for improving their lands for wildlife habitat.
“Listen,” Keim told the farmer, “there’s potential for 60 coveys of quail on this place. You have five.” Keim showed him some field comers that could easily be fenced off, and pointed out some good places for quail food patches. Eventually, the farmer lost his patience and said indignantly, “Get off my back. I’m a cattleman!”
According to Keim, large-scale single-crop farming discourages diversity that is so necessary for wild animals. Forestry monocultures have the same effect. “If you want to eliminate all wildlife, plant pines,” he said. “We don’t have one stand of anything here-it’s all mixed. We don’t follow the forestry recommendations of weeding out the oaks, cherries and hickories. What you need is a mixed stand. That’s what it takes to feed wildlife.”
Keim feels that wildlife managers in Virginia would benefit from technical help that’s better informed and more accessible. For example, government agencies have been unable to find him a source of brown rice seed, which he wants to plant for duck food.
Trapping is only a
last resort; one gets
the impression that
Keim enjoys the
presence of predators
as well as
other wildlife.
90.2%