Saint Paul, Minn. – January 8, 2009 – Pheasants Forever’s (PF) 77 Minnesota chapters completed 748 habitat projects in 2008, which are benefiting 7,413 acres for wildlife. Minnesota PF will hold its annual State Convention at the Crowne Plaza in Brooklyn Center on January 9-11 to recognize these efforts and the volunteers that made the accomplishments possible. Members of the media are invited to attend.
Minnesota PF’s 2008 habitat projects included 84 nesting cover projects benefitting 1,532 acres, 70 habitat maintenance projects benefitting 1,953 acres, 553 food plots totaling 1,793 acres and 10 land acquisitions totaling 2,027 acres. All PF land acquisitions are accomplished in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and/or the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Land acquisitions are then opened to the public for hunting and other outdoor recreation activities.
Historically, PF – which formed in Saint Paul in 1982 – has raised more than $36 million for Minnesota’s wildlife habitat efforts. That’s translated into 22,367 total habitat projects which have benefited 191,886 acres. This includes 2,994 nesting cover projects which have benefitted 54,597 acres, 4,299 winter cover projects which have benefitted 10,206 acres, 349 habitat maintenance projects which have benefitted 15,713 acres, 14,051 food plots totaling 76,283 acres, 331 wetland restoration projects improving 5,325 acres and 343 land acquisitions totaling 29,762 acres. PF has grown to 77 chapters and over 25,000 members in Minnesota.
“After 26 years, PF members and volunteers continue to put in pheasant habitat one project at a time,” explains Eran Sandquist, PF’s regional wildlife biologist for northern MN. “This weekend we’ll celebrate the rich history of PF’s on-the-ground accomplishments in Minnesota, but also look ahead at the significant challenges and future threats to wildlife habitat.” PF will also use the meetings to roll out new programs, train volunteers, gather input on key state and federal habitat issues and recognize the volunteers and partners that key PF’s habitat mission.
For information about attending this year’s PF state meetings in Minnesota, please contact Eran Sandquist at (763) 242 1273 or via email at esandquist@pheasantsforever.org.
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 about Pheasants Forever, please visit www.MinnesotaPF.org or www.PheasantsForever.org
