Fritze Earns National Conservation Award

“Winning the National Roger Latham Award is a testament to the incredible NWTF volunteers and staff I have had the privilege to work alongside over the past two decades,” Fritze said. “Joining the ranks of New Englanders who have received the Latham Award is truly humbling, as these are men I consider mentors and conservation legends.”

Fritze, now an NWTF Diamond Life Member, started out as a volunteer for his local chapter in central Massachusetts where he worked tirelessly at sportsmen shows, banquets and other events sharing the mission of the NWTF with the public. He was eager to get more involved and eventually became his chapter’s banquet chairperson and then chapter president.

As his work in the NWTF continued, he became an important addition to the Massachusetts NWTF State Board of Directors and took over as the state chapter president in 2011, a position he held for seven years.

As president, Fritze led the state through a significant period of growth and expansion. He encouraged the NWTF to work more closely with state wildlife agencies and conservation partners. He worked closely with MassWildlife and presented at the first ever Massachusetts R3 Partner Summit. Thanks to the relationships built during his presidency, the NWTF and MassWildlife have continued to work closely together on R3 efforts throughout the state.

As a longtime advocate for increased hunting opportunities, public access for outdoor recreation and habitat conservation, Fritze began looking for opportunities for the youth to get involved and eventually became a mentor for youth turkey hunts. He taught and provided input on the curriculum for MassWildlife’s Learn to Hunt programs when they were first developed in 2015. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued to teach the courses virtually.

At the same time, Fritze began helping to establish Women in the Outdoors events, spending seven years as an important co-coordinator and contributor to this great program, which has earned five national recognitions.

Most notably, Fritze is known for co-founding the New England Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame in 2015, which recognizes outstanding individuals and their contributions to wild turkey conservation and hunting heritage in New England.

He now dedicates his time toward establishing the Massachusetts NWTF wild turkey license plate project, which was approved by the state Registry of Motor Vehicles in 2023.

“We are proud to honor volunteers like Keith who are passionately dedicated to the NWTF’s vision: a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors,” NWTF co-CEO Jason Burckhalter said. “From building Learn to Hunt programs to co-founding the New England Turkey Hunting Hall of Fame and now launching a statewide license plate campaign, we jumbly recognize Keith for his accomplishments with the Roger M. Latham Sportsman Wild Turkey Service Award.”

About the National Wild Turkey Federation 

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.