Conservationists, farmers and private landowners across the nation are increasingly focusing much of their time and resources on habitat and wildlife conservation and restoration of private lands. Unfortunately, many landowners have had no place to turn for help as they seek to encourage and foster wildlife on their lands.

No more.

Neil Payne, retired professor emeritus of wildlife at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), has self-published "More Wildlife on Your Land: A Guide For Private Landowners." This is the only book of its kind that gives landowners options on how to best manage their land for wildlife as well as for wood, crops and cattle.

"I wrote the book mainly for people who own a few acres, farm, ranch or woodlot in the United States and Canada," said Payne. "With private lands playing a more prominent role in wildlife habitat and recovery throughout North America, now people have a one-stop guide for a sustainable, workable piece of property where wildlife can flourish."

The photographs were taken by his son, Mark Payne, park ranger at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, Green Bay, who graduated from UWSP in 1994 with a degree in resource management. The book describes how to alter habitat or change land management practices to attract more wildlife from songbirds to deer. In addition, Payne lays out steps that can help private landowners better manage farm and ranchlands, woodlots, wetlands, ponds, timber sales contracts, artificial structures, nuisance wildlife, hunting leases, cost sharing and more. Loaded with information, the book contains more than 100 figures and charts, as well as color photos.

Payne has authored or co-authored four books and more than 60 publications while teaching full time. He began his career at UWSP in 1975 and received UWSP�s Outstanding Scholar Award in 1992. A certified wildlife biologist, he is listed in Contemporary Authors and The Writers Directory.

He is the son of Ruth and Forrest Payne of Sheboygan Falls. He received his bachelor of arts in zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master of science in wildlife and forestry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a doctor of philosophy in wildlife science from Utah State University. Before joining UWSP�s faculty, Payne worked with the Newfoundland Wildlife Service and was on the wildlife faculty at the University of Washington in Seattle. He was a captain with the U.S. Marine Corps and saw combat in Vietnam.

The book is available through Barberie Publications, P.O. Box 212, Plover, WI for $19.95. For more information, email npayne@uwsp.edu, or log on at www.uwsp.edu/wildlife/npayne.

-30-

tmiller/vc/payne book 2