Arkansas NWTF State Chapter Steps Up for Research, Habitat and More for 2025
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — Volunteers of the Arkansas NWTF State Chapter recently gathered to review Hunting Heritage Super Fund project proposals for the 2025 fiscal year. After the reviewing and ranking process, proposals were approved by the Arkansas NWTF State Chapter Board of Directors. The board budgeted $189,547 for NWTF mission impact projects in the state, $88,000 for national NWTF wild turkey research programs and $22,000 for the NWTF’s Habitat for the Hatch Initiative.
“Because of our membership and strong support in the state of Arkansas, we have a unique opportunity to continue to cover our commitments to conservation of the wild turkey in the state, as well as make an impact on national initiatives and the future of turkey research," said Pablo Bacon, Arkansas NWTF State Chapter president. “We are proud to move the mission needle forward for the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage.”
The Super Fund is a funding model where NWTF volunteers raise money at banquets and other types of fundraisers and then allocate a significant portion of those funds back into meaningful conservation and outreach projects in their respective states and beyond. For instance, for 2025, the Arkansas NWTF State Chapter is allocating $44k to the NWTF’s National Research Request for Proposals Program, $44k to help grow the new NWTF distinguished professor position at the University of Georgia and $22k to create and enhance nesting and brood-rearing habitat for turkeys across the Southeast through the NWTF’s 17-state Habitat for the Hatch Initiative.
In addition to the Arkansas NWTF State Chapter’s $110k contribution to wild turkey research and landscape-scale habitat conservation, the volunteers in the Natural State also allocated $189,547 to vital conservation projects across the state, thanks to their successful partnership with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the state chapter’s Tag Fund, a program where NWTF-themed Arkansas State license plates raise critical funds for conservation.
These projects will help conserve or enhance over 2000 acres in Arkansas through various habitat management practices, including woodland stand improvements, prescribed fire, invasive species removal and more.
“Thanks to our energized volunteers and our great partnership with the AGFC, the NWTF continues to impact public and private lands across Arkansas, working for the wild turkey while also improving overall ecosystem health,” said Kacie Bauman, NWTF district biologist for Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. “We look forward to another successful year of meaningful conservation projects in the Natural State.”
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 23 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.