EDGEFIELD, S.C. — With almost three years under its belt, the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Habitat for the Hatch Initiative has made substantial progress in creating quality brood-rearing habitat in conjunction with nearby nesting habitat in the Southeast. Now, building upon more than 300 projects already contributing to the initiative, the Habitat for the Hatch Initiative will provide $271,005 to six new landscape-scale projects designed to enhance more than 130,000 acres of nesting and brood-rearing habitat across the Southeast.
“What makes this investment especially impactful is that it represents NWTF state chapters across the Southeast coming together to complement the habitat work already happening in their own states with a broader regional approach,” said Derek Alkire, NWTF director of conservation operations in the Southeast. “With this new investment, we were looking for projects that not only create nesting and brood-rearing habitat for wild turkeys, but have the ability to impact wild turkeys beyond just the property level.”
With Habitat for the Hatch already accomplishing hundreds of projects across the Southeast through annual NWTF state chapter and conservation grants funding, volunteer leaders from across the region, in conjunction with NWTF conservation staff, also united to create a dedicated pool of regional funding aimed at tackling habitat needs at a broader landscape scale. This collaborative approach allows state chapters to continue supporting local conservation delivery at a state level while also investing together in landscape-scale projects.
Projects awarded funding in 2026 include:
- Alabama: Enhancing Habitat for Wild Turkeys, Pollinators, and Federally Listed Species on Private Lands in Alabama. Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife.
- Arkansas: Pine Tree WDA Reclamation and WMA Brood Area Improvement. Partners: Quail Forever, University of Arkansas Department of Agriculture and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
- Arkansas: Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain Open Pine Project. Partners: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, The Nature Conservancy and the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.
- Georgia: Armuchee Ridges Wildlife Stand Improvement. Partners: USDA Forest Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
- Louisiana: Longleaf Management West Central Louisiana. Partners: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Department of Defense, International Forestry Company and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
- Mississippi and Georgia: Georgia and Mississippi Grassland Landscapes on Working Lands. Partners: National Bobwhite and Grassland Initiative Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks.
The NWTF launched the Habitat for the Hatch Initiative in August 2023, with the goal of positively impacting 1 million acres of critical nesting and brood-rearing habitat across public and private lands by 2033. As of last fall, the initiative has directly enhanced 150,895 acres and influenced more than 300,000 acres via burn teams and equipment support. Figures for 2025-26 will be formally tallied at the end of August this year.
Realtree serves as the presenting sponsor of the Habitat for the Hatch Initiative, providing significant support. In addition, Jack Link’s and CZ Firearms serve as supporters of the initiative.
“Without the support of our volunteers, members, donors and field staff, we wouldn’t be able to have the impact that we have today,” said Tyler Briggs, NWTF director of field operations. “We look forward to conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage in the region for today, tomorrow and the future.”
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to deliver healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues to unite a nation through the life-changing power of the outdoors.
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