The Alabama state chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently approved $122,000 for statewide 2022 conservation initiatives. The contribution will be leveraged with partner donations to exceed $600,000 in support of projects spanning nearly 100,000 acres of wild turkey habitat.
These Alabama chapter funds will aid the conservation collaborative of NWTF, the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, the USDA Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy and the Longleaf Alliance. The monies will further enhance wild turkey research and NWTF Hunting Heritage events.
More than $60,000 will assist conservation projects of the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, primarily at statewide wildlife management areas. Purchasing and maintaining the equipment necessary for multiple-year conservation delivery is a priority, said Derek Alkire, NWTF district biologist for Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee. “Thanks to our tremendous volunteers, partners and supporters, our mission to conserve the wild turkey and preserve our hunting heritage is alive and well in Alabama,” he said.
NWTF conservation projects in Alabama are of regional and landscape scale. Its efforts with the Longleaf Alliance Ecosystem Support Team is part of a larger Longleaf Restoration Initiative within the 1.3 million-acre Gulf Coast Plain Ecosystem Partnership. The Longleaf Support Team assists with habitat restoration on public and private land.
Mossy Oak and the NWTF enjoy one of the most effective, long-term corporate partnerships in the history of wild turkey conservation. With Mossy Oak in attendance, the 46th Annual NWTF Convention and Sport Show, considered one of the greatest hunting and conservation atmospheres in the nation, will be held February 16-20, 2022 in Nashville, TN.
For information about state chapters, NWTF national and the show, visit nwtf.org.
