For Immediate Release

Quail Forever Leads the Way for CRP & Bobwhites in Washington, D.C.

Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Georgia DNR, Tall Timbers & Covey Rise Joining QF

Saint Paul, Minn. - June 01 -

Quail Forever plans to hold a series of meetings with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and elected officials in Washington, D.C. during the week of June 14th. The catalyst for the visit is to strengthen the implementation of thinning and burning practices as landowners attempt to manage their Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands for quail habitat. Joining Quail Forever for the visit will be representatives of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Tall Timbers, and Covey Rise.

"The 2008 Farm Bill set the stage for improved quail habitat management on CRP lands with language providing incentives for thinning and burning of CRP tree plantings. Unfortunately, getting that language into on-the-ground practice has proven to be a challenge," reported Dave Nomsen, Quail Forever's Vice President of Government Affairs. "We are focused on finding a solution delivering these habitat management tools to landowners in the form of practices that are both financially attractive and beneficial to quail on a landscape scale."

Joining Quail Forever's Nomsen in Washington, D.C. will be:

• Jen Mock Schaeffer, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies Farm Bill Coordinator

• Reggie Thackston, Georgia DNR's Bobwhite Quail Initiative Coordinator

• Bill Palmer, Tall Timbers' Gamebird Program Director

• Kim Price, Publisher of Covey Rise and Member of Quail Forever's National Board of Directors

"Unfortunately, we still have not taken full advantage of the conservation opportunities available to improve habitat on CRP lands for quail and landowners," explained Mock Schaeffer. "We hope to bring some ideas and solutions to this issue that will help expedite implementation of the new provisions across America's quail range. There is no doubt quail need the habitat help."

The U.S.'s bobwhite quail populations are in trouble. Bobwhite population losses over the past 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail.

Quail Forever was formed in 2005 by Pheasants Forever to address the nation's plummeting quail populations. Quail Forever applies the successful Pheasants Forever model of empowering local chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100 percent of their locally-raised funds will be spent. Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever are the only national conservation organizations that operate through this truly grassroots structure. This local control allows members to see the fruits of their chapter efforts in their own communities, while belonging to a national organization with a voice on federal conservation policy in Washington D.C. There are 123 chapters of Quail Forever representing 22 different states.