National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic in Des Moines to focus on water quality, wildlife habitat

A special session on agriculture's critical relationship with water quality and wildlife habitat will highlight the National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic this weekend at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

Experts will discuss voluntary conservation practices that promote soil health, financial benefits, clean water and increased wildlife habitat.

'In Iowa we can have our cake and eat it too. In the world's most productive agricultural region, we can, with best management practices, conserve our soil, enjoy clean water and grow a lot of pheasants,” said Jared Wiklund, a spokesman for the sponsoring organization.

Speakers at the Saturday afternoon session include Roger Wolf of the Iowa Soybean Association, Ben Gleason of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey and Sean McMahon of the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance. They will discuss water quality programs and best-management practices designed to help Iowa meet goals outlined in the state's Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

For most of this century, Pheasants Forever has been fighting a rear-guard action against declining pheasant numbers in Iowa.

Despite the group's heavy investment in wildlife habitat, changing farming practices and a succession of bitter winters and wet springs drove Iowa pheasant numbers to record lows in 2013. They rebounded last year and may do so again this year, based on what so far has been a moderate winter, Wiklund said.

'It's not the good old days yet, but it's getting better,” he said.

Since 1985, Iowa's 100 Pheasants Forever and three Quail Forever chapters have raised and spent more than $48 million on the organization's wildlife habitat mission.

Chapters have planted 565,000 acres of nesting cover, 284,000 acres of food plots, nearly 11 million shrubs and trees for winter cover and improved 156,000 Conservation Reserve Program acres. They have also restored 18,884 acres of wetlands and contributed to 733 public land acquisitions that permanently protect 85,649 acres of wildlife habitat.

Wiklund said the organization is proud that more than 90 cents of every dollar raised goes directly into wildlife habitat.

Two Eastern Iowa conservationists, Matt McQuillen of Anamosa and Dick Sloan of Brandon, will be among seven Iowans honored at the fest as 'Conservation Faces of Iowa.”

More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the annual event, which began in 2005 and was hosted by Iowa in 2007 and 2010.

Hours are 1 to 8:30 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For details, visit pheasantsforever.org

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