L&C Pheasants, Quail Forever recognized by state organizations

KEARNEY — The Hartington area Lewis and Clark Pheasants and Quail Forever Chapter took home a major achievement award earlier this month at the annual Nebraska State Habitat Conference held each year in Kearney.

The Hartington area chapter was recognized with a Conservation Excellence Award for achieving the major milestone of raising and contributing $250,000 toward local habitat and conservation project over the last thirty years that the Lewis and Clark Chapter has been in existence.

The conference is hosted by Pheasants and Quail Forever, Nebraska Game and Parks and the Nebraska Environment Trust, and its focus is to bring together all the Pheasants and Quail Forever chapters from around the state, as well as anyone who has interest in conservation of the land and protecting and improving habitat that benefits all wildlife.

“This award is a fitting tribute to all the work and energy that the Hartington area members of Pheasants and Quail Forever have devoted to improving habitat and focusing on conservation through the past thirty years,” said Jerry McDonald, Nebraska Senior Regional Representative for Pheasants and Quail Forever, who presented the award.

In addition to the efforts put forth each year to improve habitat, the Pheasant and Quail Chapters nationally sponsor local mentor hunts for the youth, participate in hunting safety courses and work with landowners who are interested in conservation and how to improve their land in a way that can best support wildlife in general.

The effort is supported in a very big way through the Conservation Reserve Program that many landowners participate in by taking some of their land and setting it aside for the purpose of conservation and the planting of grasses, legumes and forbs which benefit the environment and all wildlife especially pheasant, quail, deer, turkey and also the bees and butterflies.

“We could not do what we do to support conservation and habitat development for wildlife without the money we raise at our annual Pheasants and Quail Forever Banquet we host each January each year,” said Dan Kathol, Lewis and Clark Pheasants and Quail Forever Chapter member. “We are grateful for all the individuals and businesses who support the banquet with donations of money and prizes and for the wonderful attendance by tarea adults and kids.”