03/05/2009
South Dakota Conservation Group Earns National Award
 Photo credit: Robyn Schweitzer Pictured L-R: Steve Robinson, president of the National Association of Conservation Districts, Garrett Schweitzer of the Perkins County (S.D.) Conservation District, James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., NWTF chief conservation officer, and Gary Burger, NWTF forester. Click image for print quality version |
EDGEFIELD, S.C. —The Northwest Area Conservation Districts of South Dakota were recently honored for their outstanding work to raise public awareness of conservation and wildlife management issues, improve wildlife habitat and increase hunting opportunities.
The National Wild Turkey Federation recently presented the group with the 2009 Conservation District Partner of the Year Award during the National Association of Conservation Districts' annual meeting in New Orleans. Garrett Schweitzer from the Perkins County (S.D.) Conservation District accepted the award on the group's behlf.
"I'm impressed by the Northwest Area Conservation Districts of South Dakota members' dedication to improving the riparian areas in their counties," said James Earl Kennamer, Ph.D., NWTF chief conservation officer, who presented the award with Gary Burger, NWTF forester. "Partnerships such as these are critical to the health of these areas and also are vital for furthering the NWTF's mission of conserving wildlife and preserving hunting traditions."
Northwest Area Conservation Districts of South Dakota group members include the U.S. Forest Service, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks, Tatanka Resource Conservation and Development Council, the NWTF, and representatives from Perkins, Harding, Dewey, Corson, Ziebach and Tri-County conservation districts.
The group has helped secure grants and other funding for projects to improve riparian areas, or areas around streams and rivers, in northwestern South Dakota. Riparian areas are prime habitat for both game and non-game species including bald eagles, wild turkeys and many types of waterfowl and mammals, and also are important to the economics of rural communities and the livelihood of livestock producers and other land managers.
Projects completed to restore riparian habitat include planting cottonwood trees and native shrubs, fencing off critical riparian habitats, and supporting research by South Dakota State University to determine the most tractable and financially prudent riparian restoration methods and techniques.
The group helped secure two grants to fund some of the first projects in the NWTF's Northern Plains Riparian Restoration Initiative, which enhances flowing waterway habitat in the Northern Great Plains states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
"The Northwest Area Conservation Districts of South Dakota understand how important riparian areas are for wildlife, and the members have worked hard within their counties to make riparian improvements," said Jared McJunkin, NWTF regional biologist for South Dakota. "Their continued support will be critical to the success of the Northern Plains Riparian Restoration Initiative in South Dakota. This partnership is an excellent example of the great things we can do when we work together."
The NWTF is a national nonprofit conservation organization that was founded in 1973 and has worked with wildlife agencies to restore wild turkey populations from 1.3 million wild turkeys in 1973 to nearly 7 million today. Now, NWTF volunteers raise funds and work daily to improve critical wildlife habitat, increase access to public hunting land and introduce new people to the outdoors and hunting.
