NWTF Chapters Receive National Conservation Awards

Representatives from the Alabama and Utah state chapters accepted their awards during the NWTF’s 49^th annual Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.

The accomplishments of this year’s winners include:

The NWTF gives this award to the state chapter that accomplishes the greatest number of conserved or enhanced acres through direct financial contributions from Super Fund and other funding sources in the previous year.

In 2024, the NWTF Alabama Chapter conserved or enhanced 165,029 acres.

The Utah State Chapter enhanced or conserved an impressive 56,032 acres through the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI), through an investment of $181,000 across 26 projects, the Utah State Chapter made a profound impact on habitat restoration and wildlife management. A standout achievement is the ongoing success of the Upper Provo Watershed Restoration Phase 8, which is also an NWTF Challenge Cost Share Agreement with the USDA Forest Service, Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. In 2024, over 2,700 acres of forest thinning, hazard tree removal and wetland restoration was completed.  

In addition to acres, the Utah NWTF State Chapter impacted wildlife conservation in a variety of other ways, including helping fund two turkey trapper positions and supporting a regional upland game biologist position for the Utah Division of Natural Resources. They also launched an exciting new turkey research project, providing critical insights on turkey behavior, movement and habitat use, driving future conservation and management strategies.

In partnership with Texas, the state welcomed its first shipment of Rio Grande wild turkeys in January. A substantial portion of the translocated birds will be outfitted with advanced GPS transmitters thanks to the $28,545 funding investment from the Utah NWTF State Chapter. These achievements stand as a testament to the chapter’s leadership and innovation, deserving recognition for its outstanding contributions to conservation. 

“We are proud to honor our chapters for bolstering the synergy between conservation partners and conserving vital habitat,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “The Alabama and Utah NWTF state chapters continue to impact our natural resources for the better. Their indelible impact on their state landscapes have won them these awards.”

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 24 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.