Happy 5th Anniversary Quail Forever–Good progress is being made

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

South Florida Flatwoods Chapter President Nigel Morris preps steaks for the coals during a quail hunt. This and QF's other 123 chapters have made QF a great success on this, the organization's 5th Anniversary Year! (photo by Mark Herwig)

As I write this, it’s August 2010 – five years ago to the month that we started Quail Forever. Our mission was and remains to restore dwindling quail populations through habitat conservation.

In five years, dedicated quail conservationists have helped us organize 124 chapters with 7,544 members in 21 states. What a great achievement! You and our professional field staff are to be congratulated. You have helped plant hundreds of habitat projects and introduced thousands of youngsters to our outdoor traditions. We have begun to improve the future for quail.

Yet, we have much to do to reverse the decline of quail habitat and populations – and to maintain our great quail hunting tradition.

I have traveled the country and hunted with many of you in Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and North Carolina. I have seen the work you are doing. I have felt your love and enthusiasm for this bird, its habitat and for our quail hunting tradition, steeped as it is in American culture, history and our hearts. (This winter, I’ll be meeting and hunting with QF chapters in Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Nebraska and Alabama. Read all about it in next year’s Journal.)

As you have read in the Quail Forever Journal, we are working hard with landowners across this nation to help quail. At this moment, we are pounding the halls of Congress to secure funds to improve public and private quail habitat through the Farm Bill. We are constantly reaching out to local, county and state agencies, as well as corporate partners to join the effort to help the quail. In just five short years, we have made great progress and will continue to do so.

So, many thanks for helping make QF and its quail habitat conservation mission a success these past five years. As we move ahead, remember to invite a friend to join QF, attend a banquet and help your local chapter with its habitat projects (www.QuailForever.org).