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Through a variety of projects and programs, including schoolyard
habitat projects, the effort will connect local Pheasants Forever
chapters and members to their local FFA chapters and student
members, benefiting school systems and communities. Schoolyard
habitats are designed to establish working outdoor classrooms for
students, which create environments that allow students to learn a
variety of subjects through the outdoors. "Both organizations
realize that the youngsters our programs reach today will be future
leaders in agriculture and conservation tomorrow," said Rich Wissink,
youth program specialist for Pheasants Forever. "This new
collaboration with the FFA gives young adults in high school the
opportunity to satisfy their interest in conservation and wildlife
management."
"This collaborative educational effort makes total sense for both
organizations. It will connect PF members to local agricultural
science education programs and local agriculture educators," said
Lynn Campbell, senior regional director with the National FFA
Foundation. "As we continue to expand the understanding of
agriculture and diversify the number and focus of programs for all
our members -- in areas such as natural resources, habitat, land
stewardship and activities beyond production farming -- combining
efforts with Pheasants Forever seems like a natural fit."
The national collaboration is built upon innovative ideas that
Pheasants Forever chapters and FFA chapters have already initiated,
including Pheasants Forever chapters providing financial support for
the National FFA Wildlife Management Proficiency awards and
providing gift subscriptions to the Pheasants Forever Journal of
Upland Conservation to national FFA chapters. "At the local level,
Pheasants Forever and FFA have been working together for a number of
years, so this national collaboration is based on those local
interests and successes," Wissink said.
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 One such project is a wildlife habitat project in Lincoln, Neb.
The Cornhusker chapter of Pheasants Forever joined the Norris High
School FFA chapter to plant and manage an educational prairie on
school property. The 65-acre prairie, planted in April, will serve
as a natural classroom where students can learn about agriculture,
natural history and a conservation ethic. "The partnership makes
sense for Pheasants Forever because many FFA members belong to farm
families and they're the future owners of rural land," said Ken
Hesser, a board member with the Cornhusker chapter. "The seed
planted in their minds is far more important than the seeds we
planted in the ground," he said.
For more information on the collaborative educational effort
between Pheasants Forever and the National FFA Organization, contact
Rich Wissink at 715-722-0286 or via e-mail to
rwissink@pheasantsforever.org.
The National FFA Organization, which is dedicated to making a
positive difference in the lives of students through agricultural
education, began in 1928 as the Future Farmers of America, changing
its name in 1988 to reflect the ever-broadening field of
agriculture. Today, there are more than 7,242 FFA chapters with
495,046 members in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands. For additional information, visit
www.ffa.org.
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. Together, the two organizations have more than 115,000
members in 700 local chapters across the continent. For additional
information about Pheasants Forever, visit
www.pheasantsforever.org.
[Text from news release received from
Pheasants Forever] |
