MN Quail
Forever Chapter Holds Inaugural Banquet
Funds raised will improve quail habitat in southeast Minnesota
Caledonia, Minn. - April 10, 2007
- The Southeast Minnesota Bobwhite Chapter of Quail Forever (QF),
Minnesota's only quail conservation group, held its inaugural
banquet on March 24th in Caledonia, with over 150 attending the
fundraising event. The chapter, which formed in July of 2006,
plans to use the funds raised on local quail habitat projects on
the northern border of the bobwhite quail range in southeastern
Minnesota.
Like much of the nation,
Minnesota's quail population has diminished over the past 25
years, mainly due to losses in suitable quail habitat. In fact,
Minnesota hasn't had a huntable quail population since 1958. But
through its efforts, the Southeast Minnesota Bobwhite chapter
hopes to reverse the trend.
"Through this fundraiser, we've
surpassed our membership goals and generated new CP-33 land
enrollments," said Andy Ellingson, the chapter's banquet chair.
Commonly referred to as Bobwhite Buffers, CP-33 is a conservation
practice targeted at improving bobwhite quail habitat through the
creation of habitat buffers along row crops. These transitional,
or edge, areas provide important habitat for quail, grassland
birds and other wildlife. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has
allocated money for enrolling 500 acres of CP-33 in Minnesota, and
so far about 200 acres have been enrolled. "We have a long way to
go and a lot of work ahead of us, but with the interest we've
generated in habitat restoration for the bobwhite, we hope to hit
our CP-33 enrollment goals by the end of this year," Ellingson
said.
"In it's first year, the
Southeast Minnesota Bobwhite chapter has taken the necessary first
steps - through habitat work and conservation education - toward
revitalizing the quail population in Minnesota," said Howard
Vincent, QF's national president and chief executive officer, "The
chapter is not only helping local quail populations, but is
building a community of land stewards and conservationists in the
process."
To get involved with the
Southeast Minnesota Bobwhite Chapter of QF, contact chapter
president Thurman Tucker at (612)588-2007 or via e-mail at
wtcn.nature@att.net. For more information on QF and/or to start a
new QF chapter in Minnesota, contact Aaron Kuehl, QF Regional
Wildlife Biologist, at (507)639-7345 or via e-mail at akuehl@quailforever.org.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail
Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of
habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population
decline. QF chapters promote local, state, and federal
conservation programs that help landowners protect environmentally
sensitive acres for quail and other wildlife. They also employ the
organization's unique model of empowering local chapters with 100
percent control of the chapters' locally-raised funds to complete
habitat and youth education projects in the chapters' own
communities. Since the organization's inception, more than 80 QF
chapters have formed in 25 different states. The QF mission is
accomplished through habitat improvement, land management, public
awareness, education, and conservation advocacy.
For additional information about
Quail Forever, please visit
