Pheasants Forever and its local chapters have been awarded four habitat grants during the initial funding phase of the recently established
South Dakota Conservation Fund (SDCF). Targeting more than 6,000 acres of habitat project enhancements for upland wildlife, $290,000 in SDCF grant monies will be used by Pheasants Forever to establish dense nesting cover and brood rearing habitat for ring-necked pheasants, pollinators, and other wildlife.
“The initial round of grants from the South Dakota Conservation Fund are doing exactly what they were meant for – providing high-quality wildlife habitat to help sustain the incredible natural resources of South Dakota,” stated Dave Nomsen, director for Pheasants Forever in South Dakota. “This is an encouraging development for pheasants and other wildlife, but we must remain diligent in our efforts to fully support the conservation fund for future grant cycles.”
SDCF Grant Awards
Saline Soils for Pheasants – East River: Awarded to Pheasants Forever, Inc., this $200,000 grant will enroll 1,025 acres of degraded agricultural land with high salt content into high quality nesting habitat for ring-necked pheasants. Throughout a 5-year contract which pays producers a one-time incentive of $150 per acre, cool season grasses and forbs will be planted to provide a variety of benefits for South Dakota producers. Each contract will allow haying or grazing of the enrolled acres after July 15 (end of primary nesting season), providing optimal conditions for pheasant nesting habitat, additional forage for livestock, and increasing the average yield of the farm for crop insurance. Producers and landowners consequently improve soil health and wildlife habitat while earning farm income for their efforts.
Deuel County CRP Enhancement: Awarded to the Coteau Prairie Chapter of Pheasants Forever, this $30,000 grant will provide free forb/legume seed to producers enrolling property into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Targeting approximately 1,000 acres in Deuel County, additional forb and legume seed will add more diversity to CRP plantings to create denser nesting cover and increased insect production for pheasant broods and native grassland birds.
Nesting/Rearing Habitat on Working Lands: Awarded to the Brookings County Pheasant Restoration Chapter of Pheasants Forever, this $30,000 grant will focus on the expansion of nesting and brood rearing habitat for pheasants on working lands. Project objectives include: (1) identifying willing landowners, 2) assessing options for habitat improvement on working lands while maintaining economic returns, 3) implementing habitat practices on specific landscapes, and 4) conducting project tours and developing an educational video to expand this grant to additional landowners in the Big Sioux River Watershed.
Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition: Awarded to the Northern South Dakota #77 Chapter of Pheasants Forever, this $30,000 grant will support efforts of the existing
Aberdeen Pheasant Coalition to enroll 4,000 acres of CRP contracts to increase dense nesting cover and brood rearing habitat for pheasants. In addition, these acres will also be enrolled as part of South Dakota’s Walk-in Access program for the length of the CRP contract – a minimum of 10 years up to a maximum of 15 years. Increased pheasant habitat and populations can provide an economic stimulus for individuals and businesses in Brown County, S.D., while also increasing the amount of public hunting acres.
For more information about Pheasants Forever in South Dakota or the recently announced South Dakota Conservation Fund grants awarded to Pheasants Forever, contact Matt Morlock, assistant director for Pheasants Forever in South Dakota at
mmorlock@pheasantsforever.org / 605-881-8258.
About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division,
Quail Forever, is the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 140,000 members and 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent, the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent $577 million on 489,000 habitat projects benefiting 12 million acres nationwide.
Photo Credit: Steven Earley
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651) 209-4953
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org