Vermeer Charitable Foundation behind Pheasants Forever’s “Reload Iowa”
More “Reload Iowa” at Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest 2010 in Des Moines.
Des Moines, Iowa –-(AmmoLand.com)- Pheasants Forever is proud to announce a generous donation of $20,000 to the organization’s “Reload Iowa” campaign by the Vermeer Charitable Foundation. The donation – the first major gift to “Reload Iowa – will help the campaign goal of improving 1 million acres of wildlife habitat, increasing the number of upland hunters and increasing hunting-related revenue to local communities in Iowa.
The goal of Pheasants Forever’s “Reload Iowa” is to raise $11.5 million to establish and improve 1 million acres of wildlife habitat on private and public land in the state. The Vermeer Charitable Foundation is the charitable function of Vermeer Corporation, a leading agricultural, construction, environmental and industrial equipment manufacturing company based in Pella, Iowa. Vermeer Corp was originally founded by the conservation-minded Gary Vermeer, and the Vermeer Charitable Foundation’s gift to Pheasants Forever reflects his values.
“The ‘Reload Iowa’ campaign appealed because it will improve water quality – which affects every person in the state – and it will prevent soil erosion,” said Dan Vermeer, grandson of Gary Vermeer and a past board member of the Vermeer Charitable Foundation. “Iowa’s outdoor legacy must also be protected, and Pheasants Forever has that in mind. The pheasant hunting opener used to be a holiday, but with habitat loss and a subsequent decline in bird numbers, that’s no longer the case. We’d hate to see that be a continuing reality in a state with such a rich upland tradition.”
One way “Reload Iowa” intends to make that happen is by establishing 50 wildlife Farm Bill biologist positions across the state to complement the efforts of the Iowa Department of Natural Resource’s 10 existing private land biologists. Through “Reload Iowa,” Pheasants Forever recently placed the first four such positions on the ground, which covers nine counties.
“The key to creating habitat is having biologists who understand land-use and conservation programs as easily accessible resources for landowners. Conservation is not lost on Iowa; we simply need to expand our ability to deliver conservation programs, and we’ll do this with support such as that of the Vermeer Charitable Foundation,” said Tom Fuller, Pheasants Forever Regional Field Representative for Eastern Iowa.
You can become involved with or learn more about Pheasants Forever’s “Reload Iowa” campaign at Pheasants Forever’s National Pheasant Fest, coming to the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines February 26, 27 & 28 in 2010. Pheasant Fest is the nation’s largest event for upland hunters, landowners, sport dog owners and wildlife habitat conservationists. For more information and updates on National Pheasant Fest 2010, log onto www.PheasantFest.org.
To get involved or learn more about Pheasants Forever’s “Reload Iowa,” please visit www.IowaPF.org.
For additional information please visit www.PheasantsForever.org and www.QuailForever.org