Organization News
USDA signs MOU with Pheasants Forever to enhance conservation efforts
By Agri-Pulse Staff © Copyright Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.
Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 27 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Saturday
that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency
(FSA) have entered into an agreement with Pheasants Forever to identify and create more
opportunities to conserve plant and animal species and their habitats. Vilsack made the
announcement in keynote remarks at the National Pheasant Fest 2010.
“USDA is excited to expand its partnership with Pheasants Forever to establish
conservation measures that will benefit our wildlife habitat, our environment, and our
communities,” Vilsack said. “Partnerships like these are critical to conserving America’s
private working lands, enhancing our water resources, and improving economies and
quality of life across Rural America.”
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) establishes a framework of cooperation
among NRCS, FSA and Pheasants Forever to maintain and enhance the productivity of
pheasant, quail, and other wildlife habitats on private and public lands. These activities
include, but are not limited to, pheasant, quail and other upland bird habitat conservation
projects, habitat restoration, technical assistance, delivery of information and educational
materials, collaboration on habitat and wildlife research, and development of habitat
restoration and enhancement techniques.
The agreement will be in effect for five years. Among other deliverables agreed to in the
MOU:
• Increase assistance and training of USDA and Pheasants Forever personnel
regarding pheasant, quail and associated wildlife conservation, management and
habitat restoration;
• Enhance public information efforts about pheasants, quail and associated wildlife
habitat conservation practices and programs including when appropriate,
distribution of technical and financial assistance information;
• Increase coordination implementing USDA Farm Bill programs, collaborative
conservation programs;
• Cooperatively share information on conservation programs and technical
guidance regarding the improvement of conservation techniques and practices;
and
• Enable more strategically focused and effective conservation efforts for wildlife
habitat and species especially pheasant and quail.
To learn more about conservation measures to preserve wildlife habitat, visit the USDA
and agency Web sites, including www.usda.gov, www.fsa.usda.gov, and
www.nrcs.usda.gov and the Pheasants Forever site at: http://pheasantsforever.org.
For more on Pheasants Forever, go to: www.agri-pulse.com/uploaded/Feb2510H1.html.
For other Agri-Pulse news stories, go to: www.agri-pulse.com.
Muskegon County Habitat Projects
On Arbor Day, April 30, 2010 Muskegon Pheasants Forever planted 750 shrubs and trees at the Muskegon County Wastewater site with the help of 26 students from Oakridge and Muskegon Community Education Center. Click here to view the article printed in the Muskegon Chronicle. This is the second year of a yearly activity to provide a small game shelter belt between the native prairie grass lands currently being planted at the site. Last year in early May 113 acres of native prairie grasses, switch grass and 20 species of wildflowers were planted. In early July, 2010, 147 more acres of prairie grasses were planted at the Muskegon County Wastewater site. Plans for planting another 80 acres for 2011 are in the works.
January 12, 2010 For Immediate Release
Anthony Hauck (651) 209-4972 AHauck@pheasantsforever.org
Half Million Acres of Habitat Work for "The Habitat Organization" in '09
Pheasants Forever also opens over 8,300 acres for public hunting in last year
Saint Paul, Minn. – January 12, 2010 – The 621 Pheasants Forever chapters, 103 Quail Forever chapters and 125,000 members of "The Habitat Organization" nationwide completed over 22,000 wildlife habitat projects in 2009, benefitting over 500,000 acres for pheasants, quail and other wildlife. This includes over 8,300 acres of land acquired and then opened to public hunting and recreation as state-managed wildlife areas or federal Waterfowl Production Areas.
Pheasants Forever spent over $34.7 million on program expenses last year, including $4.9 on land acquisitions. In fact, since Pheasants Forever formed in 1982, the organization has spent $50 million on land acquisitions, opening 144,000 acres to public hunting and outdoor recreation. And in 2009, 9,942 youngsters took part in local Pheasants Forever mentored youth hunts that introduce them to hunting and wildlife habitat conservation.
"The past year was another testament to the ability of Pheasants Forever's local approach to wildlife habitat conservation," said Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever National President and CEO. Pheasants Forever and its quail division, Quail Forever, empower county and local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent - the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. "A half million acres is great, but we know with our model, we have the ability to do even more habitat projects on more acres and accomplish more for our favorite upland birds."
Pheasants Forever's 2009 Nationwide Wildlife Habitat Work
Project Type 2009 Projects 2009 Acres Historical Project Total Acres Benefitted
Total (Since 1982) (Since 1982)
Nesting Cover 5,757 93,492 120,775 2,219,038
Land Acquisition 64 8,376 1,193 144,973
Wetland Restoration 140 1,385 3,158 63,093
Winter Cover 3,042 1,403 45,242 112,244
Food & Cover Plots 11,646 71,348 204,603 1,336,239
Habitat Maintenance 1,807 332,315 34,888 1,989,495
TOTALS 22,456 508,319 409,860 5,865,083
Since 1982, Pheasants Forever has raised and spent over $365 million, which has helped benefit wildlife on over 5.8 million acres and provided for 68,000 youth to take part in youth mentored hunting and youth conservation education events.
To Feed or Not to Feed? Pheasants Forever Has Answers
Feeding ringnecks can have negative consequences, not long-term solution to winter survival
Saint Paul, Minn. – January 7, 2010 – From the Dakotas and Minnesota to Iowa and Illinois, much of the core pheasant range is experiencing winter's first real test due to recent heavy snowstorms and extreme cold. Naturally, many hunters and conservationists have found cause for concern regarding ring-necked pheasants' ability to survive, and ask "Should we be feeding pheasants?" Pheasants Forever has some careful considerations.
Habitat is the Effective Long-Term Solution
The key to carrying pheasants through the winter is quality thermal habitat. While this may provide no consolation this winter, consider that resources spent on establishing high quality winter cover will yield far greater results and the best winter survival rates down the road. The lesson to be learned from a tough winter is the need to plant more high quality thermal cover this spring. Start your habitat planning now!
"More than anything, feeding is reactionary to the winter, when the best thing we can do is be proactive about improving quality habitat," said Rick Young, Pheasants Forever's Vice President of Field Operations. "Unfortunately, many well-intentioned people who provide corn and other grains as food sources actually harm pheasants more than they help them."
Why NOT to Feed Pheasants
The biggest reason to shy away from feeding pheasants is that feeders attract predators and expose pheasants to death by predation. Feeders give predators a focus point similar to a bait pile.
In fact, it is rare for a pheasant to starve, but death by freezing can be common. Poorly-placed feeders may draw the pheasants out and away from their protective winter cover and cause birds to congregate and expend energy competing for food. Instead of saving birds, this actually adds to freezing deaths.
Pheasant habitat project takes wing
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
By Steve Gunn - sgunn@muskegonchronicle.com
A plan to lure pheasants back to the Muskegon County wastewater treatment site has the official blessing of county officials.
The Muskegon County Board of Public Works has voted to allow the Muskegon branch of Pheasants Forever to use 425 acres of wastewater property for habitat restoration. That will include planting prairie grass, sorghum, wildflowers and other vegetation necessary to attract pheasants.
The birds were common on the site in the '70s, '80s and '90s, before natural predators and declining natural habitat took their toll.
No pheasants will be transplanted on the wastewater property. The addition of conducive habitat should be enough to convince the birds to return on their own, officials said.
With approval of the public works board, the Pheasants Forever local branch now plans to raise roughly $100,000 in the next few years to pay for its project, said David Farhat, a former state representative who serves as president of the group.
The fundraising will be done over several years, even as habitat restoration is under way, Farhat said. The group will focus on several types of fundraisers while also seeking grants, Farhat said.
Weed control efforts will probably begin this spring while the actual planting will probably start in 2009, Farhat said.
The project would be the largest restoration of pheasant habitat on public land in the state, according to Farhat. Hunting the birds on the property will remain illegal, according to Dave Kendrick, the county's director of public works.
"The beauty of that site, especially as a contiguous project, is that it's going to be like a preserve, with no hunting," Farhat said.
The 10-year agreement with the county identifies three sites where habitat will be upgraded.
The first will be 80 acres on the north side of Apple Avenue near Sullivan Road, Farhat said.
"That's the spot we're going to call our 'living billboard,' where people can drive by and see the difference in the habitat," Farhat said.
At the same time, the group will plant on 130 acres on the south side of Laketon Avenue near the Swanson Road intersection.
The second and third phases, totaling about 290 acres, will be contiguous to the Swanson Road site, to the south and east, Farhat said. The group would ideally like to develop about 100 acres per year, he said.
All the habitat development will be separate from the 5,100 acres reserved for corn, alfalfa and soybean farming on the property. Those crops are raised as part of the natural wastewater cleansing process at the wastewater treatment facility.
The county will reserve the right to reuse the pheasant habitat property for its own purposes at any time.
Press Release
For Immediate Release Anthony Hauck (651)209-4972
Charity Navigator Awards Pheasants Forever Highest Rating for Fourth Consecutive Year
Only 5% of charities achieve such distinction
Saint Paul, Minn. - January 2, 2008 - For the fourth consecutive year, Pheasants Forever (PF) received the highest possible rating from Charity Navigator, the nation's largest charity evaluator. PF earned a 4-star rating on Charity Navigator's 0-4 rating scale. Only 5% of the charities rated by Charity Navigator have received at least four consecutive 4-star evaluations.
Through Charity Navigator's evaluation system, non-profit organizations are judged upon their ability to efficiently manage and grow its finances. The watchdog organization evaluates over 5,000 non-profits nationwide, more than any other organization. On four straight 4-star ratings, Charity Navigator said in a statement, "This 'exceptional' designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Pheasants Forever from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust."
"In today's non-profit world, people expect to see their donations being put to the best possible use," said Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever President and CEO, "This evaluation once again proves that we are good to our word at turning dollars into conservation advocacy, conservation education, and most importantly, putting dollars directly back into the ground for the betterment of wildlife habitat."
Charity Navigator noted PF's ability to turn nearly 90 cents of every budgeted dollar into the organization's mission of wildlife habitat and conservation education. PF is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary, and in that time the organization has spent nearly $230 million on its mission. Those funds have translated into 300,000 habitat projects, benefiting nearly 4.5 million acres across North America.
"This 4-star rating from Charity Navigator is a direct reflection of how well our unique local model works," Vincent added. PF and its quail division, Quail Forever (QF), empower local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally-raised conservation funds will be spent. PF and QF are the only national conservation organizations that operate through this truly grassroots structure. This local control allows members to see the fruits of their chapter efforts in their own communities, while belonging to a national organization with a voice on federal conservation policy in Washington D.C.
Charity Navigator, America's premiere independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities. To view Charity Navigator's evaluation of PF, log onto: www.charitynavigator.com and search Pheasants Forever.
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 115,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.
For additional information about Pheasants Forever, please visit www.pheasantsforever.org