Quail Forever is the New Big Man on Campus at Ohio's Hocking College
1st college Quail Forever chapter in country, 3rd Quail Forever chapter in Ohio
Nelsonville, Ohio - April 27, 2010 - Undergraduate students from Ohio's Hocking College have formed the first collegiate Quail Forever chapter in the nation. Known as the Hocking Valley Quail Forever chapter, the group will provide future land stewards with conservation experience through planning, fundraising and hands-on wildlife habitat project work.
"People should know that Hocking Valley Quail Forever is not your typical Quail Forever chapter," said Samantha Bachelder, Hocking College student and president of the newly formed group. "Our chapter consists of purely college students, most seeking a career in natural resources. Everyone is excited about the idea of being a part of a group that is nationally known, but operates locally. We are able to do our own habitat management and outreach to the public. This will give us valuable experience in our future work fields, as well as a sense of gratification knowing we are conserving for future generations."
A nationally recognized name in wildlife habitat conservation, Quail Forever builds a connection in local areas because of its grassroots approach. Like only its Pheasants Forever counterpart, Quail Forever provides local Quail Forever chapters the ability to decide how 100 percent of their fundraised dollars are spent. This local control gives chapters – including Hocking Valley Quail Forever - and members the ability to make things happen for wildlife in their communities, while belonging to a national organization advocating for wildlife and conservation in policy discussions in Washington, D.C.
The Hocking Valley chapter is unique in that the college has property already established for bobwhite quail management projects. "Hocking Valley Quail Forever will work to preserve and restore quail populations through land management projects and by educating private landowners outside of college property about quail, and assist them in the potential management of their land," said Doug Bensman, Quail Forever regional wildlife biologist in Ohio. Hocking Valley Quail Forever joins the Iowa State (University) Pheasants Forever chapter and the Oskaloosa (Iowa) Pioneering Ringnecks high school group as the only student-based Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever chapters in the country.
"Hocking College is a leading school in natural resources, known for their hands on approach to teaching," added Bachelder. "The way the school works, the community and this chapter fit together in a wonderful way. We are young and have bold expectations for ourselves in this chapter. I am simply excited to see what the next year has to bring."
Hocking Valley Quail Forever
- Hocking Valley Quail Forever chapter leaders include James Anderson, treasurer, from Richwood; Dave Swanson, youth/education chair, from Glouster; and Lynn Holtzman, habitat chair, from Athens.
- Fundraising events will be held in the fall of 2010, contact the chapter for more details.
- For more information about Hocking Valley Quail Forever, contact chapter president Samantha Bachelder at (419) 631-0460 or habitat chair Lynn Holtzman at (740) 753-6274.
For more information on Quail Forever in Ohio, contact Doug Bensman, Quail Forever regional wildlife biologist, at (937) 597-3737 and/or dbensman@pheasantsforever.org.
