NWTF Honors Cecilia “CC” Richmond with Land Stewardship Award
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cecilia “CC” Richmond, a private lands biologist for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, was presented with the NWTF’s Land Stewardship Award for her work promoting wildlife habitat management in Louisiana. Richmond accepted the award at the NWTF’s 49th annual Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by Mossy Oak.
“I am blessed with a career that allows me to assist landowners in achieving their natural resource goals,” Richmond said. “Working with great partners like NWTF enhances this opportunity. Thank you NWTF for being a great partner and for honoring me with this award.”
This award honors individuals or projects supported by companies and/or government agencies that promote wildlife habitat management.
Richmond has been a tremendous partner of the NWTF for many years, working with longleaf pine-related habitat in Louisiana. Richmond is stationed in the private lands’ wildlife biologist-forester position funded through multiple National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Program grants.
Richmond has been incredibly gracious in training four NWTF staff members who have worked on the grant over the years. When the position was vacant, she was helpful in connecting with landowners that are under agreement to complete prescribed burning or planting work through the NWTF’s grant.
Without Richmond’s efforts, the NWTF would not have been nearly as successful with the work being done to improve wild turkey habitat in west-central Louisiana. This work meets the criteria for the NWTF’s Habitat for the Hatch initiative, and Richmond’s willingness to be a strong partner with the NWTF ensures the organization’s active management work on private and public lands in Louisiana has positive benefits for wild turkeys, hunters and other wildlife species that benefit from well-maintained longleaf pine habitat.
“Our nation’s longleaf-pine ecosystems are so vital, and we are proud to have partners like CC at the helm to collaborate, innovate and make a greater impact on the landscape,” NWTF co-CEO Kurt Dyroff said. “Her efforts have had a lasting effect on a critical ecosystem, and we are proud to recognize her efforts with the Land Stewardship Award.”
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.