NWTF makes substantial donation for wildlife management in Alabama
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Pictured from left: Steven Mitchell, WFF supervising wildlife biologist; Fred Harders, acting WFF director; Scott Brandon, NWTF Chapter president; and Caleb Blake, WFF upland game bird coordinator.
Special to the News
The Alabama Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently allocated $389,018 in Hunting Heritage Super Funds and Tag Funds for wild turkey projects in Alabama.
Of that total, $80,214 was donated to the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) to fund projects including wildlife habitat management.
“We are proud to partner with NWTF on the conservation of wild turkey in Alabama and thank the State Chapter for this generous donation,” said Chris Blankenship, ADCNR commissioner. “Working together we can ensure this important natural resource is available to future generations of Alabamians.”
Of the total NWTF allocation, $308,804 was approved for other turkey projects statewide. That funding makes $1,462,361 in matching funds provided by other conservation partners available to positively impact 206,317 acres statewide through the enhancement of turkey habitat that fits nicely with the NWTF’s Habitat for the Hatch Initiative, with a total program value of $1,851,380.
The funding also supports efforts to increase access to hunting opportunities and investigate wild turkey declines.
“The Alabama State Chapter continues to serve as a national model for sustained partnerships with our state agencies,” said Scott Brandon, Alabama NWTF Chapter president. “Wild turkeys and other species are directly affected by the decisions we make each year. Ground-level projects, combined with strategic equipment investments, have driven significant improvements in wild turkey habitat. I look forward to further strengthening our agency partnerships and creating new opportunities to enhance and establish habitat across the state.”
Most of the funding donated to WFF will be used on Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and Special Opportunity Areas (SOA) throughout the state to support habitat management and other wild turkey programs. Some of the donation will also be used to purchase much-needed wildlife habitat management equipment.
“Federal matching dollars play a major role in how our division is funded, so contributions like this are extremely important to the conservation of wild turkey in Alabama,” said Fred Harders, acting WFF director. “More than $62,000 of this generous donation offers us access to federal matching dollars, making the donation go even further.”
WFF is primarily funded by money generated through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. That money is then matched on a nearly three-to-one ratio by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through funds allocated to Alabama from the Pittman-Robertson Act.
In addition to the monetary donation, the Alabama NWTF chapter provides financial support for prescribed burning projects that help manage for quality habitat on public hunting areas, costs associated with public hunting land acquisitions, the Adult Mentored Hunting Program and the Archery in the Schools State Championship.
