Quail Forever’s investment in its habitat mission in the state of Texas got much bigger recently when representatives from Quail Forever chapters in the state presented a donation of $25,000 in generated non-federal funds to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department during the TPW Commission meeting in Austin.That $25,000 donation will now be matched at a 3:1 ratio with Pittman-Robertson funds, providing a total of $100,000 for upland game bird habitat projects on TPWD wildlife management areas.
TPWD is excited to partner with Quail Forever to enhance upland game bird habitat on its wildlife management areas, and for its part “The Habitat Organization” is pleased to advance its upland habitat mission in the state of Texas, home to some of the finest wild quail hunting in the nation.
“This is a great day for quail, habitat and public access land in Texas! Our $25,000 donation to TPWD was a collaboration of both Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever chapters here in the Lone Star State,” said Quail Forever Texas Regional Representative Dustin McNabb. “Texas Parks and Wildlife does tremendous work for the public on the many Wildlife Management Areas across the state, and we are proud to partner with them on this $100,000 endeavor.”
However, Mcnabb said ultimately the donation was about much more than a check.
“Texas Parks & Wildlife and Quail Forever know that R3 is an extremely important initiative which will also benefit from this work. By providing the habitat that upland birds and other wildlife need to return to healthy, huntable populations, we set the table to be able to grab someone who may never have the chance to go hunting and take them,” said McNabb. “The restoration of quail is important not only for the bird, but for the continuance of our tradition, our heritage and our legacy. If we don't take the opportunity to take someone hunting, there will be no one left to carry on the mission that these funds provide. We hope that this donation and the matching funds will protect those wild places and wild things, as well as our hunting heritage.”
Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever currently has 17 chapters across the state of Texas, with four private lands biologists and one in the process of being hired. Quail Forever’s goal is to promote the conservation of quail, pheasants and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education, and land management policies and programs. If there is not a chapter in your area or you want to know how to get involved with one, please contact our Texas Regional Field Rep, Dustin McNabb at DMcNabb@QuailForever.org
Quail Forever is a leading organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation efforts for the United States’ native quail species. Since its creation in 2005, Quail Forever has conducted more than 15,000 habitat projects across the nation benefitting quail and other wildlife on almost 1 million acres. Along with its affiliate organization Pheasants Forever, it has committed more than $867 million to improve more than 18+ million acres of wildlife habitat. Quail Forever has more than 17,000 members and 180 local chapters across the country.