Pheasants Forever and its partners are pleased to announce staff additions to the organization’s Farm Bill Biologist Partnership in South Dakota. The biologists – Dan DeBoer and Cody Rolfes – will assist landowners in designing, developing, and funding habitat improvements on private lands in “The Pheasant Capital” through a unique partnership with state and federal agencies.
Created in 2004, the
Farm Bill Biologist Partnership has provided a valuable benefit to landowners throughout the country who are interested in voluntary conservation program enrollment. Commonly referred to as the “One Stop Shop” for anything conservation or wildlife-related on private lands, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever biologists possess the knowledge of federal, state, and local programs to assist landowners in finding the right program to meet their personal habitat and land use goals. In the past thirteen years, Pheasants Forever’s Farm Bill Biologist Partnership has impacted 1,030,260 acres for wildlife habitat conservation efforts in South Dakota, including technical assistance for 12,589 farmers, ranchers, and landowners.
“With the continued interest in voluntary conservation programs available to landowners and producers in South Dakota, Pheasants Forever is answering the call for increased technical assistance throughout the state,” stated Matt Morlock, acting director for Pheasants Forever in South Dakota. “I’d like to thank our partners at USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish
& Parks, and our local chapters of Pheasants Forever who have made this partnership possible. South Dakota Farm Bill biologists set the standard for habitat conservation assistance nationwide, and we couldn’t be more pleased to see the program continue to expand.”
Farm Bill Biologist Partnership Hires:
Dan DeBoer - Working for Pheasants Forever in Davison, Hanson, Hutchinson, and Aurora counties, DeBoer will be responsible for land management and conservation assistance to landowners throughout his region. DeBoer received a B.S. in Conservation Biology from the University of South Dakota in 2016 prior to joining “The Habitat Organization.” Rounding out his previous experience in wildlife conservation, DeBoer joined his grandfather as a pheasant hunting outfitter in Brown County, South Dakota and has helped manage a section of land specifically for the benefit of pheasants and other wildlife. As an avid outdoorsman and South Dakota native, DeBoer looks to make an immediate impact in his home state. DeBoer can be contacted at
ddeboer@pheasantsforever.org or (605) 380-3298.
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Cody Rolfes – Working for Pheasants Forever in Brookings, Moody, Minnehaha, and Lincoln counties, Rolfes will be responsible for land management and conservation assistance to landowners throughout his region. Rolfes grew up in northwest Iowa as an avid hunter/fisherman before attending South Dakota State University and receiving a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries. Prior to joining Pheasants Forever, Rolfes gained relevant natural resources management experience as a biological field technician for Western Ecosystems Technology and as a habitat technician with South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks. Rolfes can be contacted at
crolfes@pheasantsforever.org or (712) 260-8653.
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 149,000 members and 720 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 $708 million on 517,000 habitat projects benefiting 15.8 million acres nationwide.
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651) 209-4953
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org