| Arkansas NWTF to Improve Wildlife Habitat
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation's Arkansas chapters have budgeted $23,750 from the state Hunting Heritage Super Fund to invest in habitat enhancements within Arkansas in 2010.
The NWTF Super Fund is administered jointly by the NWTF, its state and provincial chapters and wildlife agencies.
 NWTF volunteers in Arkansas have raised and spent more than $2.1 million on wildlife habitat enhancements, wild turkey restoration, education, outreach and more within the state.
"The Arkansas State Chapter is dedicated to improving wildlife habitat, and is backing up their commitment with the funds to make needed changes," said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., the NWTF's chief conservation officer. "By directing dollars to wildlife habitat improvements the Arkansas State Chapter is helping enhance habitat for all kinds of wildlife while making a better outdoor experience, not just for hunters – but for everyone."
The NWTF's Arkansas State Board of Directors dedicated $19,750 from the Hunting Heritage Super Fund to improve wildlife habitat, which will benefit Arkansas's resident and non-resident sportsmen and wildlife. These projects include:
• completing water development projects, creating and maintaining wildlife openings, conducting prescribed fires and more
• bush hogging, discing, planting and fertilizing established food plots
• controlling noxious weeds
• installing gates and reward signs
• maintaining clover food plots, planting and monitoring chufa, establishing fire lanes and conducting prescribed burns
• creating wildlife openings adjacent to ponds, clearing around existing ponds and creating new ponds with wildlife openings nearby
• restoring old agricultural fields to native prairies
The Arkansas State Board of Directors allocated an additional $4,000 to wild turkey research, which will examine wild turkey survival and population parameters and help determine the effects of growing season burns on nesting turkeys in upland habitats.
"NWTF chapters, members and our partners in Arkansas are committed to improving wildlife habitat within our great state," said Dennis Daniel, NWTF director of conservation operations for the midsouth region. "Thanks to our partner organizations, nearly $1.1 million in matching funds will be invested in Arkansas this year."
NWTF chapters in Arkansas regularly invest Super Fund dollars in outreach and education programs within the state. The chapters spent $62,912 through the Arkansas State Super Fund in 2009.
The NWTF is a nonprofit conservation organization that works daily to further its mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.
The NWTF was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C. According to many state and federal agencies, the restoration of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America's wildlife history. To learn more, visit www.nwtf.org or call (800) THE-NWTF.
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