Pheasants Forever Conservation
To some, conservation is a word. To Pheasants Forever, it's a way of life - anything short of a holistic approach to conservation would be unacceptable. That's why Pheasants Forever provides the most efficient conservation model of any organization. PF's unique model empowers local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally-raised conservation funds will be spent. Whether it's through improving habitat, informing the public about land management or educating future generations of hunting enthusiasts, conservation is the underlying principle in all we do at the grassroots level of our chapters all the way to Washington DC when we fight for strong conservation policy.
Pheasants Forever is honored to carry along America's rich tradition of conservation. Deeply engrained in Pheasants Forever's conservation approach are the teachings, philosophies and lessons of Aldo Leopold, one of the country's most renowned and well-respected conservationists. Pheasants Forever holds Leopold's work in such high regard that the organization's education arm is the Leopold Education Project (LEP), a curriculum based on Leopold's writings. Pheasants Forever's mission is tied to the theory that "knowledge is power," taking the works and writings of Leopold and applying them to the fields and forests of today. Leopold wrote of building a connection with the land, and Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters make that connection today through all the work they do at the grassroots level.
Although we're extremely proud of the work we at Pheasants Forever have accomplished in our first 24 years, we realize that when your work is conservation, the work is never-ending. We invite you to join Pheasants Forever in our quest to ensure a country rich in natural resources and long on people willing to work to preserve them. After all, natural resources - pheasants, quail and other wildlife and the land, air and water on which they live - are our greatest resources.
Grasslands for Pheasants
In the current issue of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, Tom Conroy writes about the hard work that Pheasants Forever, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and others have put in over the years to make sure pheasants have access to the healthy grassland habitat they need to thrive. Read all about it at the Minnesota DNR website.
Growing Conservation in the Farm Bill
If you ask most folks to list the country's important laws for fish and wildlife, they probably would not mention the Farm Bill. Similarly, they might not immediately think of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), whcih administers Farm Bill programs, as a powerhouse of conservation.
The past three Farm Bills, however, have shaped more conservation programs for a longer period of time - and put more funding behind those programs - than any other suite of legislation. The more than $5 billion the USDA spends on conservation each year is two-and-a-half times larger than the entire U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service budget. And the USDA is proving everyday that it can balance the goals of maintaining a stable food and fiber supply while sustaining fish and wildlife populations...
This Farm Bill Booklet will give you some background on what the Farm Bill has done for conservation and the different programs included in the Farm Bill.
National Conservation Leadership with Local Habitat Results
This 10 minute video gives a sneak peak to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever's work in Washington D.C.. It also explains how those efforts create the tools local chapters need to create wildlife habitat in their own communities.
 | |||
| High 24.5 MB |
Medium 11.1 MB |
Low 3.1 MB |
|
| *WARNING: this is a 10 minute video and may take some time to download. Copies of this DVD are available in a limited supply. Please send a request for a DVD copy to stpete@pheasantsforever.org |
|||
May-12-2008 - Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) recently announced the launch of the first annual Illinois Build a Wildlife Area campaign. Through the campaign, PF/QF and its partners will raise funds to be used for the acquisition of public game production areas in Illinois. All funds raised through the campaign will be tripled by matching grants. "Illinois is a state where 95 percent of land is in private ownership, so we're excited to be launching a Build a Wildlife Area campaign as a way to ensure we'll always have places to enjoy the great outdoors," said Aaron Kuehl, PF/QF Director of Conservation in the state, "And what really makes the campaign unique it that it stretches one dollar into three, one hundred dollars becomes three hundred. The Build a Wildlife Area campaign gives you the most conservation bang for your conservation buck." ...more
Pheasants Forever's Farm Bill Biologist Program Lands in North DakotaMay-12-2008 - Pheasants Forever (PF) announces Steve Stensgard is the organization's first-ever Farm Bill Biologist in the state of North Dakota. Stensgard joins PF after serving as a wildlife biologist technician with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The position was created through a partnership with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Stensgard will work out of the Jamestown NRCS office. The Farm Bill Biologist program is designed to educate farmers and landowners about the benefits of conservation programs, as well as assist those farmers and landowners after programs have been implemented. Pheasants Forever first began employing Farm Bill Biologists in 2005, and now has 33 Farm Bill Biologists working in seven states – Ohio, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin and now North Dakota. Last year, Farm Bill Biologists contacted and consulted 5,400 landowners, resulting in the improvement of 310,000 acres of land for wildlife. ...more
Congressional Leaders Reach Farm Bill AgreementMay-09-2008 - After nearly four months of extensions, House and Senate Farm Bill conferees have reached an agreement on the main elements of the 2008 Farm Bill. Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) urge both the House and the Senate to pass the legislation, and for President George W. Bush to sign the bill into law as quickly as possible. If passed, the bill would provide an additional $5.3 billion in new funding for conservation programs; welcome news for wildlife conservation and hunters. "The Farm Bill is the single biggest opportunity for conservation. Any further delay to a new bill would have jeopardized three decades worth of progress toward cleaning our water, protecting our soils and creating habitat for wildlife," said Dave Nomsen, PF/QF's Vice President of Government Affairs who has played a critical role in shaping the Farm Bill's conservation title. ...more
Play it SAFE for Pheasants, Get Your Back Forty in Now!May-05-2008 - Despite the expiration of 79,677 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in Minnesota since October 1 of last year, interest in CRP remains as evidenced by the 6,365 acres already offered for enrollment in the new State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) conservation practice, the Minnesota Back Forty Pheasant Habitat program. As part of the continuous enrollment portion of CRP, Minnesota has been allocated 23,100 acres for enrollment in the Back Forty Pheasant Habitat program, which establishes small blocks of grassland (10-40 acres) and enhances existing habitats. "Pheasants are part of the fabric of Minnesota farm country," said Perry Aasness, State Executive Director of USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), "We are pleased to offer a flexible program that helps our producers help the pheasants and other farmland wildlife. Our early success speaks to our producer's interest in wildlife and conservation and a program that is put together well." ...more
PF’s Mother’s Day Membership PromotionMay-05-2008 - Show your Mom how much she's meant to your love of the outdoors by giving her a Pheasants Forever membership this year. Mom has nurtured your love of wildlife and the outdoors; it's time to thank her with a commitment to conservation. Be one of the FIRST 40 to buy her a Pheasants Forever membership - [elink=http://pheasantsforever.org/mall/pfStore/?main_page=product_info&products_id=548]visit the Mother's Day Special Membership[/elink] in our online store and your mom will receive this James Meger print titled "The Dream Team". ...more
