NWTF Indiana Pledges $103,500 to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. in 2014

National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) chapters in Indiana budgeted more than $103,500 to further the Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative within the state in 2014.

The NWTF’s Indiana State Chapter board of directors reviewed and allocated funding. Valuable partners will provide $2,347,750 in match funding.

“The Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is supported by our state boards and chapter members,” said Becky Humphries, executive vice president of conservation. “Hunting Heritage Super Fund money is critical to implementing the initiative, and investing in focal landscapes and hunter recruitment.”

The NWTF’s Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to give the NWTF more energy and purpose than ever. Through this national initiative, NWTF has committed to raising $1.2 billion to conserve and enhance more than 4 million acres of essential upland wildlife habitat, create at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting, shooting and outdoor enjoyment. Without hunters, there will be no wildlife or habitat. The NWTF is determined to Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt.

The board of directors dedicated nearly $41,000 to proposed hunting heritage projects focused on saving habitat, which will save 1,818 acres of wildlife habitat in Indiana. Representative projects include:

• wildlife opening maintenance to create and enhance brood cover,
• mechanical treatment of mid-story vegetation to create young forest,
• treatment of woody invasive species that prevent forest regeneration,
• native grasslands restoration to provide brood cover and
• the purchase of prescribed burning equipment for long-term habitat maintenance.

NWTF Indiana pledged $46,750 to purchase more than 696 acres of public land for wildlife habitat and hunting access in partnership with Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana Heritage Trust, Indiana Natural Resources Foundation and Indiana Bicentennial Nature Trust.

The NWTF Indiana state board also contributed $15,800 towards creating a mentored hunting program to train new hunters to be safe, ethical and successful sportsmen.

Proceeds from Hunting Heritage Banquets and the Indiana NWTF license plate program help fund NWTF projects in Indiana.

National Wild Turkey Federation

The National Wild Turkey Federation is the leader in upland wildlife habitat conservation in North America. The NWTF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.

Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its members have helped restore wild turkey populations throughout North America, spending more than $331 million to conserve nearly 16 million acres of habitat. Wild turkeys and hundreds of other species of upland wildlife, including quail, deer, grouse, pheasant and songbirds, benefit from this improved habitat.

The NWTF also brings new conservationists and hunters into the fold through outdoor education events and its Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin' Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES youth outreach programs. Our dedicated NWTF volunteers introduce about 100,000 people to the outdoors through these programs every year.

Founded in 1973, the NWTF is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C., and has local chapters in every state and Canada. According to many state and federal agencies, the restoration of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America's wildlife history.