Over 150 grassland acres slated for restoration and enhancement on five WMAs
Owatonna, Minn. – July 28 –
The Steele County Chapter of Pheasants Forever already has designs for funds they plan to generate at their first-ever banquet coming up this Friday, July 31st. In fact, the funds will be used to enhance nesting cover for pheasants and other grassland nesting birds on five Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in Steele County.
“We know that the quantity and quality of nesting cover is the primary limiting factor for pheasant populations, and we are proud to be able to assist the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in making a positive impact on local habitat,” said Kevin Seavey, President of Steele County Chapter of PF. “We hope that local conservationists and sportsmen will support our efforts by coming to our fundraising banquet this Friday.”
Seavey said that each of the five planned enhancement projects have been designed by local DNR officials to improve conditions for ground-nesting birds and by preparing sites for conversion to native grasses and wildflowers. The five projects encompass 157 acres and will be completed over an 18-month period. All five of the Steele County WMAs are open to public hunting and recreation. They include:
• Marsh Wren WMA – 17 acres of restoration • Pogones WMA – 20 acres of restoration • Swan WMA – 20 acres of restoration • Somerset WMA – 40 acres of restoration • Aurora WMA – 60 acres of restoration
“We are fortunate to have Pheasants Forever field staff that develops partnerships and finds grants to assist with local habitat projects,” Seavey said. “Their work enables us to turn a five dollar raffle ticket purchased at our banquet into twenty or thirty dollars for local habitat.”
The Steele County PF banquet will be held at the Eagles Club in Owatonna. Doors open at 5:30 PM with dinner at 7 PM. Advance tickets are required. They are $50 each and include a one-year membership to Pheasants Forever, complete with a year’s subscription to the “PF Journal” and a PF vehicle decal. Contact Brad Erickson at 507-446-0581.
“Our chapter’s focus is on improving habitat and developing youth programs in Steele County,” Seavey said. “We look forward to being part of many other projects in the months and years ahead.”
For more information on PF in southern Minnesota, to start a chapter or join one of the state’s already existing chapters, contact Scott Roemhildt, PF Regional Representative for southern Minnesota, at (507) 327-9785 or via email at sroehmhildt@pheasantsforever.org. You can also log on at www.MinnesotaPF.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 125,000 members in 750 local chapters across the continent.
