Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever improved habitat for pheasants and other upland wildlife on more than 39,000 acres in Iowa in 2014. This includes 2,842 wildlife habitat projects completed by the state’s 103 chapters that improved 25,573 acres for wildlife, as well as 13,558 acres impacted by Pheasants Forever’s Farm Bill biologist program.
“Iowa chapters continue to be adamant supporters of our overarching mission for increased wildlife habitat conservation efforts throughout the state,” stated Brice Morris, Pheasants Forever’s regional representative for northern Iowa. “All of our volunteers are ready to embrace the challenges and victories that will unfold in the coming year, and we hope to make an even larger impact in 2015."
Pheasants Forever in Iowa 2014 Chapter Habitat Accomplishments
|
Type of Project |
2014 Projects |
2014 Acres |
Historical Project Totals |
Total Acres Benefited |
|
Food Plots |
2,133 |
8,187 |
50,971 |
285,369 |
|
Land Acqusitions |
5* |
262* |
737* |
85,900* |
|
Nesting Cover |
381 |
7,837 |
39,999 |
569,498 |
|
Winter Cover |
8 |
211 |
950 |
18,968 |
|
Wetland Restorations |
20 |
156 |
17,950 |
32,315 |
|
Management |
295 |
8,920 |
3,959 |
159,403 |
|
Totals |
2,842 |
25,573 |
114,566 |
1,151,543 |
*Land acquisition project totals reflect more than one chapter's participation
Additionally, Pheasants Forever’s six Farm Bill wildlife biologists in Iowa worked in partnership with 4,259 Iowa landowners and farmers to enroll more than 13,000 acres of habitat into federal and stateside habitat conservation programs (e.g. Conservation Reserve Program). These biologists also provided conservation technical assistance to impact over 22,000 additional acres not enrolled into federal or state programs.
Pheasants Forever in Iowa 2014 Award Winners
•
Chapter of the Year (North) – Winnebago/Hancock Chapter of Pheasants Forever
•
Chapter of the Year (South) – Northern Polk Chapter of Pheasants Forever
•
Iowa Volunteer of the Year (North) – Tim Fiedler, Dubuqueland Chapter of Pheasants Forever
•
Iowa Volunteer of the Year (South) – Chris Lee, Aldo Leopold Chapter of Pheasants Forever
Conservation Excellence Awards – Top Achievement for Chapters Funding Habitat Conservation (Historical)
•
Clayton County Chapter of Pheasants Forever – $1 million
•
Deleware County Chapter of Pheasants Forever – $1 million
•
Humboldt County Chapter of Pheasants Forever – $250,000
For more information, please contact Brice Morris at (515) 360-8712 /
bmorris@pheasantsforever.org. For all other inquiries, please contact Jared Wiklund, Pheasants Forever’s public relations specialist at (651) 209-4953 /
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org.
Pheasants Forever in Iowa
Iowa’s 100 Pheasants Forever chapters and three Quail Forever chapters account for 19,000 members statewide. Those chapters have spent $47 million to complete 114,566 habitat projects since the first Iowa chapter formed in 1982. Those projects have improved over 1.1 million acres for wildlife habitat conservation in the state.
About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division, Quail Forever, is the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 140,000 members and 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent; the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent $508 million on 475,000 habitat projects benefiting 10 million acres nationwide.
Photo Credit: Todd Sauers - Members from the Northern Polk Chapter of Pheasants Forever are all smiles after accepting the Chapter of the Year award for Iowa's southern region.
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651) 209-4953
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org