NWTF Alabama Allocates $431,256 for Conservation, Access, Research and More

"NWTF staff and our conservation partners are thankful for the talented volunteers who generate these funds to continue our mission in Alabama," said Ricky Lackey, NWTF district biologist. "The projects that are funded for 2027 will greatly impact the wild turkey and also provide more public hunting opportunities for outdoorsmen and women throughout the state."

The Super Fund is a funding model through which NWTF volunteers raise money at banquets and other fundraisers, allocating a significant portion of those funds back into meaningful conservation and outreach projects in their respective states and beyond.

NWTF funding will be matched with $878,446 in partner or grant funds for the approved projects for the 2027 fiscal year, representing a more than $1.3 million total investment for the year.

Between prescribed burning, invasive species removal and other habitat management efforts supported by equipment purchases, the NWTF and its partners in Alabama are conservatively expecting to impact over 250,000 acres of habitat within the state in 2027.

The NWTF's $88,000 contribution for access is being used to help the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources purchase two large tracts of land, about 8,229 acres total, which will become part of the agency's wildlife management area and special opportunity area system.

The state chapter is also helping fund two wild turkey research projects through its 2027 funding allocations, one at Auburn and one at the University of Alabama. The former is examining the effects of baiting on wild turkey ecology and if there are any subsequent predator implications. The UA study is being conducted on the Oakmulgee Ranger District of Talladega National Forest. The project seeks to better understand how prescribed fire influences wild turkey use in the forest. These data will also support the long-term goal of combining high-resolution LiDAR measurements of forest conditions with GPS tracking data from wild turkeys to better understand how turkey behavior relates to habitat structure and composition.

In addition, the Alabama NWTF State Chapter also earmarked $95,000 to be used for conservation projects across the Southeast, as part of the NWTF’s Habitat for the Hatch Initiative, an effort designed to create essential nesting habitat in close proximity to quality brood range. This initiative seeks to create 1 million acres that fit these specific criteria by 2033.

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 $2.7 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $25 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 create 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.