Des Moines, Iowa – January 15, 2009 – Iowa’s 103 Pheasants Forever’s (PF) chapters and two Quail Forever (QF) chapters completed 4,530 habitat projects in 2008, impacting 35,843 acres for the benefit of pheasants, quail, and other wildlife around the state. PF/QF chapters also contributed to 43 land acquisitions totaling 4,081 acres. Iowa PF/QF will recognize the efforts of chapters and volunteers who made these achievements possible at its annual State Convention at the Sheraton Inn of West Des Moines January 16-18.
At the State Convention, Iowa PF will also honor some of its greatest volunteer leaders with the inaugural induction of 15 PF volunteers into the Iowa Pheasants Forever Volunteer Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held at Saturday night’s banquet. Chapter awards and individual honors will be presented at Saturday’s luncheon.
The other chief focus of the State Convention will be discussing the wildlife habitat challenges that 2009 and beyond are likely to bring. “We are currently facing many obstacles in accomplishing our mission,” said Tom Fuller, PF/QF Regional Representative in Eastern Iowa, “The weather and economy of 2008, coupled with loss of habitat have made the value of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever greater than any time in history. If we want more birds, we need to put more habitat in the ground in the future.”
With weather and habitat loss, seminars with titles like “South Dakota Pheasant Management” and “Return to the Glory Days” are already generating buzz among PF/QF chapter leaders. Seminars will focus on successful pheasant and quail management and youth programs. Leading experts from Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin will be presenting new and informative seminars. “The State Convention is a great opportunity for chapter volunteers and the general public from all regions of the state to come together and learn from the leading pheasant and quail experts in the nation,” Fuller said.
The State Convention’s entire agenda can be found on the Iowa PF website, www.IowaPF.org. For more details, contact Tom Fuller at (319)828-2050 or via email at TFuller@pheasantsforever.org.
Since 1985, Iowa’s PF and QF chapters have raised and spent $33,439,806 on the organization’s wildlife habitat mission. Chapters have planted 500,495 acres of nesting cover, 219,845 acres of food plots, 10,380,955 shrubs and trees for winter cover, and improved 56,062 CRP acres. Additionally, Iowa PF has restored 17,494 acres of wetlands and contributed to 602 land acquisitions that permanently protect 73,694 acres of public wildlife habitat.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 129,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.
For additional information please visit www.PheasantsForever.org and www.QuailForever.org.
