EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The Florida State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation recently met in Ocala to review Hunting Heritage Super Fund project proposals for 2026 funding awards. Following the review and ranking process, proposals were approved by the Florida Board of Directors.
The board budgeted $127,750 for conservation projects, $63,000 for wild turkey research, $25,000 for the NWTF’s Habitat for the Hatch Initiative and $28,100 for hunting heritage projects, including education and outreach events, chapter scholarships and more. NWTF conservation project award funding will be matched by $1,912,714 in partner or grant funds for the approved projects.
“NWTF staff and our conservation partners are thankful for the talented volunteers who generate these funds year after year to continue our mission in Florida,” said Ricky Lackey, NWTF district biologist. “The projects funded for fiscal year 2026 will greatly impact wild turkeys on public lands throughout the state.”
The projected impact of these investments totals approximately 70,000 acres statewide, with about 40 percent qualifying under the NWTF’s Habitat for the Hatch Initiative.
The NWTF’s Super Fund is a funding model through which volunteers raise money at banquets and other fundraisers and allocate a significant portion of those proceeds into impactful conservation, research and outreach projects at the state level and beyond.
Across Florida, approved conservation efforts will center on the Florida Wild Turkey Cost-share Program, which includes 26 projects on public lands using prescribed fire, herbicide applications, mechanical treatments, invasive and exotic species control and longleaf pine restoration to enhance and restore priority habitats statewide. Additional funding will support ongoing wild turkey research critical to advancing management and conservation outcomes.
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 24 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. The NWTF has also invested over $10 million into wild turkey research to guide the management of the wild turkey population and to ensure sustainable populations into perpetuity. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale through its Four Shared Values: clean and abundant water, healthy forests and wildlife habitat, resilient communities, and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF continues its work to provide Healthy Habitats. and Healthy Harvests. for future generations.
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