Energy for Wildlife

The National Wild Turkey Federation Partners with South Central Indiana REMC
January 14, 2003

The National Wild Turkey Federation has formed an electrifying partnership with South Central Indiana Rural Electric Membership Corporation of Martinsville, Ind., to become part of the NWTF's Energy for Wildlife conservation program.

Energy for Wildlife is a membership-based certification program for all energy companies with the primary goal of enhancing wildlife habitat on company managed, owned or influenced lands, including power line and gas rights-of-ways, plant sites, forestlands or other properties.

Energy for Wildlife was created by the NWTF in response to the utility industry's need for assistance in managing the millions of acres of rights-of-way and other land that could potentially provide ideal habitat for a number of wildlife species.

Managing openings can provide beneficial habitat for many plant and wildlife species, including wild turkeys. Several species that are currently at risk due to loss of open habitat could also benefit from the program.

"The partnership with South Central Indiana REMC is a stepping stone for partnerships with other energy companies," said Jay Jordan, NWTF's Energy for Wildlife Coordinator. "This shows the commitment that South Central Indiana REMC has made to benefit wildlife, while providing safe, reliable and affordable energy to its customers."

NWTF's Energy for Wildlife program staff will work directly with energy companies to integrate wildlife management activities into their land management programs. When participating companies have implemented the wildlife component of their management plans, they will become a certified member of the program.

Any company that is involved in the production, transmission, or distribution of energy is eligible to become a member of the Energy for Wildlife program.

For more information about the NWTF's Energy for Wildlife program or other NWTF programs call 1-800-THE-NWTF or e-mail Jay Jordan.

About the NWTF: In 1973 when the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded, there were an estimated 1.3 million wild turkeys and 1.5 million turkey hunters. Thanks to the work of wildlife agencies and the NWTF's many volunteers and partners, today there are an estimated 5.6 million wild turkeys and approximately 2.6 million turkey hunters. Since 1985, more than $168 million NWTF and cooperator dollars have been spent on over 22,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America.

The NWTF is a 450,000-member grassroots, nonprofit organization with members in 50 states, Canada and 11 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.

For more information on the National Wild Turkey Federation, call (803) 637-3106, check out our web site at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.