Quail Forever in Washington State!
Jon Murphy, President of the Chapter sent me a really great email to share some wonderful news so I stole this press release off of his website!
Go Check Them out right now and show your support for this group.
www.quailforeverwa.com
Quail Enthusiasts Pioneer First QF Chapter in Western United States
Becomes First Quail Forever Chapter to Focus on California and Mountain Quail
Richland, Wash. - March 20th -
Nearly 40 quail enthusiasts from Washington, Idaho and Oregon have formed the first Quail Forever (QF) chapter in the western United States. The chapter, based out of Richland, Wash., will be known as the Columbia Basin Chapter of QF and will focus its efforts on habitat projects in southeast Washington and along the mountainous Washington-Idaho and Washington-Oregon borders in the region. The chapter will be the first QF chapter to spearhead habitat efforts for the California Quail and Mountain Quail.
The chapter's first president, Jon Murphy, comes from a family truly devoted to quail hunting, and when he set out to find like-minded people, he found interest was high. "We have a special passion for quail hunting," Murphy said of the new chapter members, "Quail Forever is a great way for us to get together and work on habitat and education projects which affect something we all love – quail."
Although the area is home to a healthy population of California Quail, Murphy felt enough wasn't being done to maintain and strengthen their population to ensure quail hunting opportunities for future generations. Already, the chapter is raising funds for the purpose of putting 20 quail "condos" on the ground before July 1 of this year. Made of rolled wire, quail "condos" allow grasses to grow up through the structures, giving the birds a safe haven for roosting, feeding and night protection. "Quail 'condos' restore habitat in a way that specializes specifically to quail," Murphy said.
According to Gabe McMasters, QF's Regional Wildlife Biologist, the chapter should also find some project opportunities to aid a declining population of Mountain Quail. Over the past 50 years, there has been a great decline in the Mountain Quail population in the United States, and the greatest threat facing Mountain Quail appears to be habitat destruction. Translocation efforts have occurred in Oregon, but the resurrection of the Mountain Quail population hinges on habitat restoration and creation. "The future of quail in the northwest United States hinges on the habitat work that the Columbia Basin chapter and future Quail Forever chapters in the region are able to accomplish," McMasters said, "The Columbia Basin chapter has an opportunity to play an instrumental role in developing quail efforts in Washington state and beyond."
In addition to Jon Murphy, the Columbia Basin chapter has elected Sean Murphy of Walla Walla,Wash., as vice president, Matt West of Kennewick, Wash., as treasurer, Mark Haggart of Kennewick, Wash., as habitat chair, Kathy Berg of Burbank, Wash., as banquet chair and Chad Berg of Umatilla, Ore., as recruitment chair. The chapter will hold its next meeting at 7 PM on March 22 at the Cathedral of Joy in Richland. The media and the public are encouraged to attend. To learn more about the new chapter, please contact Jon Murphy at (206)276-1030 or via e-mail at quailforeverwa@yahoo.com. To learn more about starting a QF chapter in Washington, contact Gabe McMasters at (208)285-1014 or via e-mail at gabem@pheasantsforever.org.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. QF chapters promote local, state, and federal conservation programs that help landowners protect environmentally sensitive acres for quail and other wildlife. They also employ the organization's unique model of empowering local chapters with 100 percent control of the chapters' locally-raised funds to complete habitat and youth education projects in the chapters' own communities. Since the organization's inception, more than 80 QF chapters have formed in 25 different states. The QF mission is accomplished through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, education, and conservation advocacy.
Quail Forever is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of quail, pheasants and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. Such efforts benefit landowners and wildlife alike.
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