Grand Junction, Colorado – May 13, 2008 – Conservationists and hunters in Colorado’s Mesa County have formed the state’s newest Pheasants Forever (PF) chapter, the Western Slope Chapter of PF. The group plans to focus its efforts on wildlife habitat improvement and youth hunter recruitment.
The Western Slope of Colorado – the region in the state west of the Continental Divide – is home to pheasants and the new chapter hopes to improve pheasant habitat and consequently, pheasant numbers. “We will work with area farmers and landowners and the Colorado Division of Fish and Wildlife to help enhance and restore upland habitat any way we can,” said Cody Powell, the chapter’s newly-elected president and a Grand Junction resident.
Youth involvement will also be a chapter focal point. “Today’s youth are the next generation of land stewards,” Powell said, “Youth mentor hunting and other such events are great ways in which our chapter can connect area youth with the outdoors.” The chapter will help build Pheasants Forever’s No Child Left Indoors™ initiative, a new initiative that’s part of a national movement aimed at getting youth unplugged from electronics and turned on to the outdoors, nature and wildlife. The Western Slope chapter will join PF chapters and volunteers across the country in carrying out the No Child Left Indoors™ initiative through youth habitat projects, youth and family community events and youth outdoor education programs.
“There is excellent opportunity to enhance wildlife habitat across Colorado’s Western Slope,” said Bob Hix, PF Regional Representative for Colorado, “The chapter has a strong nucleus of leaders that is excited about what can be accomplished with Pheasants Forever’s local model.” PF empowers county chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100% of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent – the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. As a result, chapter volunteers are able to see the fruits of their efforts locally, while belonging to a larger national organization with a voice on federal and state conservation policy.
The Western Slope Chapter of PF has also elected Vicki Gullion of Clifton as treasurer, Mark Youngwirth of Delta as habitat chair and Jerry Allen of Delta as youth/education chair. The chapter will hold its next meeting on Thursday, May 15th at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Grand Junction. Meeting time is 7 PM and the public and media are invited to attend. For more information on the chapter and the meeting, contact Cody Powell at (970)261-4106 or via email at cody@intermountainprecast.com.
The first Colorado chapter of PF formed in 1988, and today the state is home to 20 PF chapters and 2,400 PF members. Those chapters have spent over $9.5 million to complete 7,033 habitat projects benefiting over 61,458 Colorado acres for wildlife. If you are interested in starting a PF chapter or joining one of Colorado’s existing chapters, contact Bob Hix at (303)743-8957 or via email at BHix@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 127,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.
For additional information about Pheasants Forever, please visit www.PheasantsForever.org .
