NWTF and USDA Forest Service Awards Recognize Conservation Achievements

Partnership Achievement Award, Group Category: Boise National Forest, Deer Point Project

Forest Service Representatives Tim Leishman, Mary Keeler, Jaclyn Mitchell, Jefferson Clark and Rick Stone were recognized.

The Partnership Achievement Program Award recognizes accomplishments in strengthening and expanding the partnership between the Forest Service and the NWTF.

The Deer Point Timber Project in Idaho’s Boise National Forest is aimed at reducing wildfire risk and improving forest health. One of the biggest problems in this part of Idaho is overcrowded forests filled with dead or diseased trees. The tighter the trees are packed together, the easier it is for fire to spread. By carefully thinning designated areas, Forest Service staff are able to make the forest more fire resilient. These efforts are also improving habitat for a wide range of forest wildlife, including wild turkeys.

Since the project’s launch in 2024, operations have moved steadily forward thanks to a strong collaborative partnership and persistent effort from on-the-ground crews and supporters. As of mid-July 2025, several units of the national forest have been thinned out. The Deer Point Forest Stewardship Project is expected to wrap up by Nov. 30, 2028, with more ongoing until then.

“It is an honor to receive the 2026 NWTF Making Tracks Partnership Achievement Award,” said Jaclyn Mitchell, Forest Service Timber Program specialist and Deer Point Project lead. “The Boise National Forest has a great team of dedicated employees who have collaborated for years to get this landscape treated but were faced with many challenges due to the unique nature of the project location. In working with the NWTF, we have successfully started treating a high-risk area of the forest that has helped to reduce the wildfire risk and bolster forest health and safety. This is the first partnership with the NWTF on the Boise National Forest, and we are eager to use this project as a steppingstone to grow our partnership! This recognition is something to be proud of as it is a leading example of the incredible results partnerships like this can achieve when traditional methods do not fit. We are grateful for all the great work we have accomplished on the Deer Point Project in such a short time. The Boise National Forest remains committed to working with the NWTF to continue the impactful work we have yet to accomplish on the Deer Point Project as well as future landscapes across the forest.”

Partnership Achievement Award, Group Category: Eldorado National Forest

Forest Service representatives Michelle Wolfgang, Don Errington, Ryan Waggoner and Dionne Uzes were recognized.

The Partnership Achievement Program Award recognizes accomplishments in strengthening and expanding the partnership between the Forest Service and the NWTF.

The NWTF has worked in partnership with the El Dorado National Forest since 2017 to improve forest health and conserve vital wildlife habitat through the Cleveland Icehouse Restoration Project. Over the last eight years, the project has transformed overgrown, fire-prone forests into thriving wildlife habitat — protecting clean water, bolstering biodiversity and ensuring these wild places remain open and accessible for generations to come.

This multi-phase stewardship project has already completed several phases, including Cleveland Icehouse Project (665 acres), View 88 Project (removing 5,000 tons of woody debris along Highway 88), Tobacco Gulch Project (910 acres), Trestle Project (740 acres), Twofer Project (184 acres) and the first phase of the Threefer Mastication Project (362 acres). The work continues with the Threefer Stewardship Project, focusing on road reconstruction, thinning, mastication (or mulching) and biomass removal.

The partnership between the NWTF and El Dorado National Forest has also included a collaboration with the local NWTF River City Roost Chapter. Volunteers joined forces with USDA Forest Service staff for the cleanup of an illegal dumping site and abandoned homeless camp on El Dorado National Forest.

The Forest Service team also welcomed NWTF’s National Board of Directors to the El Dorado National Forest for an informative and engaging field tour, providing a firsthand look at the challenges and successes of current conservation efforts in the region. During the field tour, the board explored the Cleveland-Icehouse Project. Board members also witnessed the burn scar from the 2021 Caldor Fire, which scorched over 200,000 acres of El Dorado National Forest and the surrounding area.

“This award reflects the strength of partnerships and the dedication of our team to improving forest health and wildlife habitat," said Dionne Uzes, district ranger for the Eldorado National Forest. “The work being done on the Eldorado National Forest is a great example of how collaboration and urgency can deliver real results on the ground. We’re proud to work alongside NWTF and other partners to make a lasting impact for the forest and the communities that depend on it.”

Habitat Management Program Award, Group Category: Mark Twain National Forest

Forest Service Representatives Nathan Patterson and Mike Norris were recognized.

In Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest, important work is being completed through the Old Hickory Supplemental Project Agreement, a partnership between the NWTF Missouri State Chapter and the Forest Service.

This project targets several habitat features with the goal of addressing declining red oaks with salvage harvest, removal of invasive species and an increase in nesting and brooding cover. So far, this project has completed nearly 200 acres of brush mastication, which enhanced the Spring Walk-In Turkey Hunting Areas (SWITHAs) and created additional walk-in opportunities beyond what was currently available. Over 300 acres of forested habitat were enhanced through a timber harvest, and 11 gates will be installed to limit vehicle use.

Once mastication wraps up, the Forest Service will use prescribed fire to maintain these areas and keep them from being overtaken by hardwood encroachment.

“I am honored to accept this award on behalf of the Mark Twain National Forest,” said Nathan Patterson, Forest Service fish and wildlife biologist. “I would like to share recognition with both Mike Norris and Will Rechkemmer, who were instrumental in the success of the project. The Old Hickory SPA project has invested over $300,000 towards improving turkey nesting and brood rearing habitat on over 500 acres of land through commercial timber harvest, timber stand improvement and open land restoration. This project overlaps with large contiguous areas of Forest Service ownership that are actively managed with prescribed fire and timber harvest. Additionally, this project will also offer improved SWITHAs in designated areas across the Salem and Potosi/Fredericktown Districts of the Mark Twain National Forest. This shared stewardship project has been rewarding to implement, and we are excited to watch turkeys and public land hunters benefit from this work in the coming years. We look forward to seeking new partnership opportunities between the NWTF and the Mark Twain National Forest.”

Conservation Education, Group: Shawnee National Forest Wheelin’ Sportsmen Hunt

Forest Service representatives Dennis Wilson and Justin Dodson and NWTF volunteer Michael Howie were recognized.

The Conservation Education award recognizes excellence for substantial involvement in the planning and execution of conservation education programs over multiple years that highlight wild turkey restoration, management and conservation.

Years of work, collaboration and thousands of acres of habitat management on the Shawnee led to the inaugural disabled veteran turkey hunt. NWTF staff and volunteers guided four disabled veterans, and three had successful harvests. The hunts occurred in areas of Shawnee National Forest where the NWTF had performed habitat enhancement projects.

Not only was it an area where the NWTF had helped conserve the national forest, but it was an opportunity to invite veterans to experience a sense of camaraderie and friendship on a spring turkey hunt.

The hunt was made possible thanks to a partnership between the Illinois NWTF State Chapter, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Forest Service and the Illinois Chapter of The Fallen Outdoors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering veterans by connecting them to the therapeutic benefits of the great outdoors.

“Seeing the work the NWTF did to build the turkey population back up was awesome,” said Michael Howie, NWTF Illinois state Wheelin’ Sportsmen coordinator. “We’re very humbled to win this award. “I’m amazed and very honored.”

Advancing Shared Stewardship Award, Individual: Cecily Mui

Mui is being recognized for her outstanding contributions to the Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative (RMRI) and her exemplary commitment to advancing the initiative's four shared stewardship principles — restore forests and wildlife habitat, prepare communities for wildfire, provide sustainable, accessible recreation and tourism, and ensure clean and secure water — across multiple landscapes in Colorado.

RMRI is a co-convened collaboration between the NWTF and the USDA Forest Service that mobilizes over 40 partners across Colorado to deliver cross-boundary solutions across all lands in the Rocky Mountains.

Mui is the third Forest Service point of contact to support this effort and has held the role for nearly two years. She continues to work with the NWTF to strategize how partners can continue to amplify the initiative and to get support for it. RMRI’s main focus has been on wildfire mitigation, which has multiple benefits to the forest ecosystems throughout Colorado.

“We couldn’t do this without the NWTF, with staff members who are so dedicated to healthy forests, wildlife habitat, conservation and management,” Mui said. “I am incredibly honored to receive the award on behalf of the whole RMRI and the partners,” Mui said. “This really speaks volumes; to be recognized nationally for RMRI’s collaborative efforts in moving the needle in shared stewardship. It is through shared priorities that we are able to make significant advancements. I’m sharing this award with everyone who exemplifies shared stewardship and contributes to the amazing work in Colorado.”

Dena Holmes Collaboration Award, Individual: Kelle Reynolds

The Dena Holmes Collaboration award recognizes accomplishments in strengthening and expanding the partnership between the Forest Service and the NWTF. This prestigious award acknowledges excellence in partnership building and collaboration.

Reynolds is a key partner with the NWTF, bringing her unmatched knowledge that spans every Forest Service program. As the NWTF’s Making Tracks Liaison, she has transformed how the NWTF engages with the Forest Service, leveraging the NWTF’s strengths in implementation, innovation and bringing people together to benefit our nation’s forests.

The NWTF currently holds numerous agreements with the Forest Service, and most of them have passed through Reynold’s hands. She was pivotal in the NWTF’s proposal that resulted in the first-ever Forest Service master stewardship agreement with a partner organization — an agreement that served as a model for other conservation organizations to engage.

She has helped with the Timber Transportation Pilot, the Hazardous Fuels Transportation Grants Program and more. She is a member of the Wildfire Risk Reduction Solutions Team and the Active Forest Management Team, where she has helped create pratical solutions.

In an era of virtual and remote collaborations, Reynolds has emphasized how important it is to have Forest Service staff present during conservation meetings, including in Nashville for NWTF's annual Convention and Sports show.

“The talented staff who are receiving Making Tracks Awards this year demonstrates the breadth of our collaboration with the Forest Service,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “From Boise National Forest in Idaho — my home state — to the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, we are making our forests more resilient and better for wildlife and everywhere in between; we are proud to honor our Forest Service partners for critical work in our nation’s national forests and grasslands.”

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 continues to unite a nation through the life-changing power of the outdoors.