NWTF Presents Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation with National Conservation Award
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation received a national award from the National Wild Turkey Federation for its collaborative conservation delivery across the state.
Representatives of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation accepted the Land Stewardship Award during the 44th annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show.
“I’m honored to receive this esteemed award on behalf of the department and our hard-working biologists and technicians who pour out their sweat and toil every day for nothing more than the reward of a prosperous flock and a better hunt for our sportsmen and women,” said J.D. Strong, director of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “This award embodies the strong and productive partnership we have forged over the years with NWTF, which has enabled us to do so much more to improve habitat and grow hunting than we could ever do on our own. Thank you to the thousands of NWTF donors, volunteers and staff that give so selflessly to help us do what we do in Oklahoma.”
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation embodies the NWTF mission. Through a statewide network of 30 wildlife biologists and 30 technicians, the ODWC provides technical assistance to private landowners. Five designated private lands biologists provide technical assistance to private landowners on a full-time basis as part of the ODWC’s Oklahoma Lands Access Program. The programs seeks to allow access to quality lands for public use.
The Oklahoma Department of Conservation has entered into secured agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oklahoma Prescribed Burn Association to facilitate conservation and habitat improvement across the state.
“The NWTF would like to take this time to recognize the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for their outstanding work,” NWTF CEO Becky Humphries said. “Opening private lands for public access, improving wildlife habitat and creating strong partnerships—these are intrinsic components to the NWTF mission, and it is great seeing a state agency pushing a similar mission.”
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.
