Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever launch 'Build a Wildlife Area' campaign in Illinois

Fifth state to initiate effort to create permanent public wildlife areas

[May 14, 2008]  SPRINGFIELD -- Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever recently announced the launch of an initial Illinois "Build a Wildlife Area" campaign. Through the campaign, PF/QF and its partners will raise funds to be used for the acquisition of public game production areas in Illinois. All funds raised through the campaign will be tripled by matching grants.

"Illinois is a state where 95 percent of land is in private ownership, so we're excited to be launching a Build a Wildlife Area campaign as a way to ensure we'll always have places to enjoy the great outdoors," said Aaron Kuehl, director of conservation for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in the state. "And what really makes the campaign unique it that it stretches one dollar into three; 100 dollars becomes 300. The Build a Wildlife Area campaign gives you the most conservation bang for your conservation buck."

The campaign is a wide-reaching effort to engage individual donors, corporations, nonprofit and government organizations to create permanent public wildlife areas. Once lands are acquired, they are turned over to the state for management and opened to the public for recreation, including hunting.

Illinois is the fifth state to launch a Build a Wildlife Area campaign, following Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and South Dakota. Minnesota's campaigns have helped create seven new wildlife areas covering over 2,500 acres, and Iowa's campaign has already helped acquire three new wildlife areas totaling over 400 acres.

The Montgomery County Chapter of Pheasants Forever was the first to contribute to the Illinois Build a Wildlife Area campaign, donating $500. And one Pheasants Forever member (who wishes to remain anonymous) has pledged $25,000 to the campaign! The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have both pledged their support of the Illinois Build a Wildlife Area campaign.

"The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has enjoyed a long partnership with Pheasants Forever in developing wildlife habitats," said John Buhnerkempe, division chief for IDNR Wildlife Resources. "This new program further strengthens this habitat partnership, which results in more quality wildlife habitat and additional hunting opportunity in Illinois."

Gwen Kolb of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program added: "We know this program works as far wildlife habitat being placed on the ground, and that's what we're all about. This program completely complements our mission, and we thank Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever for initiating this program in the state of Illinois."

To learn more or to make a donation to the Build a Wildlife Area campaign in Illinois, contact Aaron Kuehl at 217-635-5207 or [e-mail]; or contact Pheasants Forever toll-free at 877-773-2070 or online at http://www.pheasantsforever.org/events/bawa/.

Illinois' 45 Pheasants Forever chapters account for over 8,000 members statewide. Those chapters have spent more than $9.3 million to complete over 27,900 habitat projects since the first Illinois chapter was formed in 1985. Those projects have benefited more than 261,000 acres for wildlife. There are also 16 Quail Forever chapters in Illinois.

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are nonprofit 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. The two organizations combined have more than 127,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.

[Text from file received from Pheasants Forever]