EDGEFIELD, S.C. — During a recent board of directors meeting, the Illinois State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation approved $229,405 in funding to support the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative in the state.
“Illinois has always been an NWTF perennial powerhouse,” said NWTF District Biologist John Burk. “As one of the top 10 states in dollars deposited into the Super Fund and a match rate of more than 13:1 on habitat projects, Illinois is on track to meet their Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. goals of 175,000 acres enhanced or conserved 5,000 additional acres of hunting access gained. And, they are number one in the country in recruiting, reactivating and retaining hunters through registered events. We have a great team in Illinois and expect them to continue their winning ways into the future.”
The board funded Save the Hunt. efforts in the state, supporting NWTF mentored hunt programming, youth shooting sports and more.
In addition, the Illinois board of directors dedicated funding to Save the Habitat. in the state. Project funding includes prescribed burning and woodland restoration on the following properties: Shawnee National Forest; Wildcat Hollow State Habitat Area; Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area; Beaver Dam, Siloam Springs and Rock Cut state parks; and Hamilton County, Kishwaukee, Kankakee and Crawford County state fish and wildlife areas.
The state chapter also also funded two private lands cost-share assistance programs; one focused on prescribed burning in southern Illinois and one called the Illinois Habitat Incentive Program — part of a 900k Habitat Stamp Grant awarded to NWTF — available to landowners state-wide for forestry work.
To learn more about the Illinois NWTF State chapter, visit www.illinoisnwtf.org.
About the National Wild Turkey FederationWhen the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, there were about 1.3 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of work, that number hit a historic high of almost 7 million turkeys. To succeed, the NWTF stood behind science-based conservation and hunters’ rights. The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to conserve enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. For more information, visit NWTF.org.
