NWTF, Partners Invest More Than $5.5 Million for Water-Related Conservation Projects in 2026
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — For the fifth year, the National Wild Turkey Federation and its partners have rallied to conserve vital waterways across the central United States. Through its Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, the NWTF and more than two dozen conservation partners have allocated $5,521,327 to 15 shovel-ready projects across eight states for 2026. The collective effort is set to directly impact 67.9 stream miles and 3,894 acres of adjacent riparian wildlife habitat this year.
The Waterways for Wildlife Initiative's $221,750 contribution this year marks the fifth consecutive year the NWTF initiative has funded key water-related conservation projects. Now halfway through Waterways for Wildlife's 10-year timeframe, the initiative has in total allocated $961,500 to boots-on-the-ground conservation efforts. With partner support, that contribution has resulted in nearly $33 million invested in water-related conservation projects, representing a more than 30:1 return on NWTF funds, and the dividends are paying off.
To date, the Waterways for Wildlife Initiative has directly enhanced 279.6 stream miles and 49,979 acres of riparian habitat, critical for wild turkeys and overall ecosystem health.
However, each year, the initiative receives more quality, shovel-ready projects than it can fund, leaving important conservation efforts unfunded. Without increased investment, projects that could conserve and enhance hundreds of additional stream miles and thousands of acres of critical wildlife habitat remain untapped, despite proven efficiency already in place through the Waterways for Wildlife Initiative.
"The model that our team has created for Waterways for Wildlife is working, and it has set the stage for what can be done for these vital waterways,” said Jared McJunkin, NWTF director of conservation operations. “The limiting factor for water conservation in the region is not a lack of projects or willing partners, but rather it is finite funding. We are continually bringing in new partners with a shared vision for the conservation of these vital ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them.”
With additional funding, the initiative could expand its reach and accelerate restoration efforts of vital riparian areas. The initiative has been praised by previous recipients as a vehicle to bolster the health of essential riparian habitats at a landscape scale.
“Funding from the National Wild Turkey Federation through its Waterways for Wildlife initiative has played a critical role in advancing riparian restoration efforts across Oklahoma,” said Marcus Thibodeau, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation Rio Grande wild turkey coordinator. “These projects have improved overall ecosystem function while directly benefiting wild turkey populations across the state.”
In Wyoming, similar projects under the initiative’s umbrella are delivering on-the-ground conservation benefits, reinforcing the value of the Waterways for Wildlife cross-boundary framework.
“NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative has provided support for the Casper Region of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to improve riparian health many times over the years,” said Willow Bish, WGFD biologist. “These partnered projects have worked to address noxious weeds, plant diverse deciduous native trees and shrubs and construct beaver dam analogues. The efforts have resulted in healthier, more diverse and functional habitats for turkeys, as well as other wildlife species, such as mule deer, a variety of amphibians, and nongame birds and mammals. While projects have occurred across many landownership types in order to create connected benefits across ownership boundaries, the majority of this work has occurred on publicly accessible land, thereby supporting outdoor recreational opportunities for the public. Given the scale of need across the landscape for habitat work, the value of supporting partnerships and project funding, such as W4W, is immeasurable, as it truly takes a village to accomplish our habitat goals.”
Similarly, new recipients awarded funding for their projects this year have expressed enthusiasm and appreciation for the Waterways for Wildlife Initiative. For instance, the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, in partnership with the Friends of Bosque del Apache NWR, will be using funding from the Waterways for Wildlife Initiative to improve water conveyance and management for wintering waterbirds and listed species, as well as other migratory birds and wildlife that rely on the refuge, including wild turkeys, bobcats and deer.
“We have had this project in mind for a while now, so we’re very excited to be awarded the Waterways for Wildlife grant with NWTF,” said Claire Revekant, senior wildlife biologist at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. “When we think about the drought conditions that the Southwest is facing, we as the refuge want to play a role in water conservation and step up to meet that need. If we can replace our corroded water control structures and improve the delivery of water into our moist-soil units and other areas on the refuge, then we’re not only aiding in water conservation, but we’re also improving our management capabilities for the wildlife that we manage here on the refuge. Bosque del Apache is a really special place, one of the few desert wetlands here in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. We are a pearl in a string of pearls for migratory birds, serving as an important wintering, breeding and stopover site throughout the year.”
With continued partnership and increased investment, Waterways for Wildlife is poised to be one of the most effective riparian conservation efforts in the Great Plains and beyond.
The Waterways for Wildlife Initiative set its ambitious 10-year goals in 2022: enhance 1,500 stream miles of critical waterways and improve 75,000 acres of riparian-related habitat within 10 states.
Waterways for Wildlife projects vary in their benefits to water conservation and wildlife. Projects include a variety of management practices, such as removing invasive species, reestablishing native vegetation, streambank restoration and reconnecting floodplains, among others. This work improves the health and strength of streambanks, enhances water quality and availability, provides essential habitat to wildlife, and overall has a multi-ecosystem-level impact. Riparian areas are a natural magnet for wild turkeys and hundreds of other species of wildlife, and these efforts are helping the array of wildlife that depend on these critical areas.
In addition to the NWTF state chapters within the initiative’s 10-state region and the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, partners for the initiative’s 2026 projects include: American Foundation for Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, Chaves Soil and Water Conservation District, Converse County Shooting Fishing and Wildlife, Freemont County Weed and Pest, Friends of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Globetrotter Foundation, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Mule Deer Foundation, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Park Service, National Wildlife Federation, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, North Dakota Game and Fish, North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, Pheasants Forever, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, private landowners, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyoming Governors Big Game License Coalition, Wyoming Natural Resource Trust Fund, and Wyoming State Forestry.
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.