Pheasants Forever Conservation
To some, conservation is a word. To Pheasants Forever, it's a way of life - anything short of a holistic approach to conservation would be unacceptable. That's why Pheasants Forever provides the most efficient conservation model of any organization. PF's unique model empowers local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally-raised conservation funds will be spent. Whether it's through improving habitat, informing the public about land management or educating future generations of hunting enthusiasts, conservation is the underlying principle in all we do at the grassroots level of our chapters all the way to Washington DC when we fight for strong conservation policy.
Pheasants Forever is honored to carry along America's rich tradition of conservation. Deeply engrained in Pheasants Forever's conservation approach are the teachings, philosophies and lessons of Aldo Leopold, one of the country's most renowned and well-respected conservationists. Pheasants Forever holds Leopold's work in such high regard that the organization's education arm is the Leopold Education Project (LEP), a curriculum based on Leopold's writings. Pheasants Forever's mission is tied to the theory that "knowledge is power," taking the works and writings of Leopold and applying them to the fields and forests of today. Leopold wrote of building a connection with the land, and Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters make that connection today through all the work they do at the grassroots level.
Although we're extremely proud of the work we at Pheasants Forever have accomplished in our first 24 years, we realize that when your work is conservation, the work is never-ending. We invite you to join Pheasants Forever in our quest to ensure a country rich in natural resources and long on people willing to work to preserve them. After all, natural resources - pheasants, quail and other wildlife and the land, air and water on which they live - are our greatest resources.
Grasslands for Pheasants
In the current issue of Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, Tom Conroy writes about the hard work that Pheasants Forever, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and others have put in over the years to make sure pheasants have access to the healthy grassland habitat they need to thrive. Read all about it at the Minnesota DNR website.
Growing Conservation in the Farm Bill
If you ask most folks to list the country's important laws for fish and wildlife, they probably would not mention the Farm Bill. Similarly, they might not immediately think of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), whcih administers Farm Bill programs, as a powerhouse of conservation.
The past three Farm Bills, however, have shaped more conservation programs for a longer period of time - and put more funding behind those programs - than any other suite of legislation. The more than $5 billion the USDA spends on conservation each year is two-and-a-half times larger than the entire U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service budget. And the USDA is proving everyday that it can balance the goals of maintaining a stable food and fiber supply while sustaining fish and wildlife populations...
This Farm Bill Booklet will give you some background on what the Farm Bill has done for conservation and the different programs included in the Farm Bill.
National Conservation Leadership with Local Habitat Results
This 10 minute video gives a sneak peak to Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever's work in Washington D.C.. It also explains how those efforts create the tools local chapters need to create wildlife habitat in their own communities.
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| High 24.5 MB |
Medium 11.1 MB |
Low 3.1 MB |
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| *WARNING: this is a 10 minute video and may take some time to download. Copies of this DVD are available in a limited supply. Please send a request for a DVD copy to stpete@pheasantsforever.org |
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Pheasants Forever (PF) was invited to offer its perspective at a national discussion on cellulosic energy production and the 2007 Farm Bill.
Jul-01-2008 - Dave Nomsen, Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) Vice President of Government Affairs, has been reappointed to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council. Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, made the three-year appointment. Nomsen has served as a member on the Council since 1999. His new appointed term will run through March of 2011. The Council was established by the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) to review and recommend project proposals to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, which has the ultimate authority to approve funding for projects under NAWCA. Created on December 13, 1989, NAWCA is an international agreement that provides a strategy and funding for the long-term protection of wetlands and associated upland habitats needed by waterfowl and other migratory birds in North America. ...more
Pheasants Forever Asks USDA for 500,000 Additional SAFE AcresJun-27-2008 - During a contract signing ceremony today at brothers Jeff , Steve, Mike, and Brad Hemmer's farm, Pheasants Forever (PF), USDA, South Dakota Game Fish & Parks Department and elected officials celebrated the immediate success of a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) practice; State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE). As part of the event, PF requested an additional 500,000 acres nationwide for the program based on strong interest and demand for SAFE in multiple states. "There is no question the agricultural climate has been changing before our eyes these last twelve months. It's important for conservation to be a major part of the mix going forward. This SAFE practice is clearly the new wave of conservation for America’s farmer, rancher, and hunter," explained Dave Nomsen, PF's Vice President of Government Affairs. ...more
Illinois SAFE Program Aims to Protect 24,600 Acres of Critical HabitatJun-24-2008 - Eligible Illinois landowners now have the opportunity to conserve valuable wildlife habitat by enrolling their property into the Illinois State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program. As part of the continuous enrollment portion of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the SAFE program seeks to enroll 24,600 acres of wildlife habitat in Illinois. ...more
First SAFE Contract in Nation to be Signed in South Dakota's Moody CountyJun-20-2008 - Pheasants Forever (PF), agencies, politicians and conservationists will celebrate the instant success of South Dakota’s State Acres For wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program and witness the formal signing of the first SAFE contract in the country. SAFE represents an important change to the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). As part of the continuous enrollment portion of CRP, South Dakota's SAFE practice specifically targets smaller critical portions of farms and is focused on pheasant production. Nearly 33,000 acres have been offered for enrollment in the state's program in just the last few months. ...more
Study: Wildlife Refuges Make Up Tax CostsJun-16-2008 - National wildlife refuges more than make up for their cost to taxpayers by returning about $4 in economic activity for every $1 the government spends, according to a federal study released Tuesday. Overall, the refuges drew some 35 million hunters, anglers, birders and other visitors in 2006, supporting about 27,000 jobs, the study found. ...more
