Both research and habitat improvement projects involved
ALLEN — The National Wild Turkey Federation's (NWTF) Kansas chapters have budgeted $52,600 from the state Hunting Heritage Super Fund for outreach, education, conservation, increased public land access, and other Kansas projects in 2010. The NWTF Super Fund is administered jointly by the NWTF, its state and provincial chapters, and wildlife agencies. In addition, the NWTF will make a second annual contribution of $23,550 from national project funding, a different fund than the Hunting Heritage Super Fund, to ongoing Rio Grande wild turkey research in northcentral Kansas.

Approved projects include $25,000 to uphold outdoor traditions through the NWTF's JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship), Women in the Outdoors and Wheelin' Sportsmen outreach programs, educational programs, scholarship programs, and the National Archery in the Schools Program.

NWTF Kansas state board of directors dedicated an additional $27,600 to accomplish the following projects in 2010, which will benefit Kansas resident and non-resident hunters and wildlife:

• $7,425 to lease approximately 6,000 acres of land for spring wild turkey Walk-in Hunting Access Areas statewide;
• $6,000 to buy equipment for new and existing 4-H Shooting Sports programs statewide;
• $5,000 to improve timber stands by cutting down undesirable trees in favor of oaks and other beneficial tree species on the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge in Coffey County;
• $3,500 to construct fireguards, which are gaps in vegetation used to control prescribed burns, near Douglas State Fishing Lake and the surrounding 538-acre wildlife area in Douglas County;
• $2,500 to restore riparian areas on the Cimarron National Grasslands in Morton County by removing salt cedars and other invasive plants that compete with healthy growth of cottonwoods;
• $2,000 to provide archery equipment for the Liberal Parks and Recreation Department's youth shooting program;
• $1,500 to purchase spraying equipment that will help land management professionals conduct prescribed fires in the Bourbon County Conservation District;
• $1,050 to purchase native grass and forb seed that will be planted on Council Grove Wildlife Area in Morris County;
• $1,000 to restore native prairie areas by removing invasive eastern red cedar trees from Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake #1 Wildlife Area;
• $625 to purchase spraying rigs for prescribed fires in the Wilson County Conservation District; and
• $500 to help conduct a forestry and wildlife workshop in western Kansas.

Including funding for the Rio Grande wild turkey research project, total NWTF funds targeted for Kansas in 2010 is $76,150. Since 1985, NWTF chapters in Kansas have raised and spent more than $796,961 on wildlife projects. For more information on Kansas NTWF chapters and projects, go online to nwtf.org/in_your_state/lists.php?STATE=KS.
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