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Pheasants Forever chapter volunteers remove old wire fencing on a Wildlife Management Area during a Hands-On Habitat event in Lyon County. Hands-On Habitat events are organized by local volunteers and include a wide range of habitat improvement activities
Lyon County Pheasants Forever chapter volunteers take habitat improvement efforts to new heights
For release August 4, 2026, MARSHALL — Pheasants Forever chapter volunteers in Lyon County have stepped up their efforts in the organization’s Hands-On Habitat program, participating in seven successful projects so far this year with a goal of nine total in 2026.
Hands-On Habitat projects are organized and completed by local volunteers. The projects benefit public land and can include fence removal, invasive species management, trash and debris removal, habitat restoration and other tasks to improve the landscape. Volunteers work with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) managers to identify projects. Many chapters, including Lyon County, also participate in the DNR’s Adopt-A-Wildlife-Area program. The chapter has adopted every WMA in the county.
The Lyon County chapter has been involved in Hands on Habitat for several years. Led by committee secretary John Blowers, known to all as Johnny B, volunteers have organized four projects within Lyon County and have assisted the Nobles County, Buffalo Ridge and East Medicine chapters with Hands-On Habitat work.
Volunteers with the Pheasants Forever East Medicine and Lyon County chapters remove some old steel fencing on the Siyo Waste Wildlife Management Area Wednesday, April 15, 2026, near Clarkfield, Minnesota. (Photo by Dave Schwarz/Pheasants Forever)
“I sit at a desk most of the day for a living. This is something that I can get out and do and see where we made a difference,” Blowers said. “It gets me outside in the spring and summer and it’s just gratifying to see everybody working together to make things better.”
So far in 2026, Lyon County volunteers have removed more than six miles of old fencing and about 5,480 pounds of metal. Barbed wire and steel fenceposts that degrade over time and are partially hidden by grass are particularly dangerous to dogs. With the help of an engineer friend, Blowers has invented and built an ATV-mounted device to remove fence posts.
“Just about everybody who hunts with dogs has experienced a bad injury or vet visit from an old fence. If we can stop one dog from getting seriously injured then it’s worth it, and I believe we have. It just lets people enjoy the outdoors more with less safety hazards,” Blowers said.
Lyon County Pheasants Forever volunteer John Blowers is pictured with the custom fence post puller he designed and built for his ATV. Blowers joined other volunteers to improve a Wildlife Management Area during a Hands-On Habitat event in Lyon County. (Ph
In addition to debris removal, volunteers also complete projects that improve prairie habitat. For example, at the Siyo Waste Wildlife Management Area, volunteers from the East Medicine and Lyon County chapters prepared a strip of land for pollinator habitat. A few weeks later, Yellow Medicine East high school students toured the site where they learned about healthy prairie and were able to plant pollinator-focused seeds and plugs.
“Hands-On Habitat is a great program because it goes right back to our roots – volunteers taking the initiative and creating tangible improvements out on their local landscapes. These are projects that need to be done but possibly wouldn’t happen unless people stepped up. It goes to the very heart of what we do,” Pheasants Forever Senior Regional Representative Chance Steward said.
Blowers said he plans to continue the increased Hands-On Habitat efforts into the future. “We get a lot of support from our members and from surrounding counties and we have a great partnership from the DNR. This is something we can do without a whole lot of fuss. It benefits everyone all around,” Blowers said.
Pheasants Forever was founded in Minnesota in 1982 and along with Quail Forever makes up the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 500,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. Since its creation, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 585,000 habitat projects benefiting 31 million acres.
Volunteers water newly planted violet plugs during an event at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center.
Prairie and blue violet plugs are ready to be planted on a restoration project underway at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center near Willmar, Minnesota.
Prairie restoration showcased at Minnesota environmental learning center
More than 40 volunteers gathered in central Minnesota on a blustery October afternoon, gently placing more than 1,000 prairie and blue violet plugs into the soil.
The planting was just one aspect of work underway on a 44-acre Pheasants Forever restoration project at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center (PWELC). The site was prepared in the summer and following the plug planting event a diverse seed mix containing more than 75 species was planned broadcast in January.
Located in Kandiyohi County, PWELC is near the towns of Spicer and Willmar. The center includes 560 acres of diverse terrain, serving as a hub for environmental education and discovery. Founded in 1992, the center provides resources and programs for learning by all ages and serves 20,000 people per year.
The prairie restoration will cover the gently rolling hillsides on both sides of the main road into the facility. It will be laced with trails and interpretive displays. The project is something every visitor will see.
“This restoration is one part of our long-term effort to bring native habitat back to life. Our goal is to connect people to conservation and healthy habitats. This will be a living example of how restoration, learning and community can all come together,” PWELC Executive Director Jennifer Swenson said. “During the violet planting event you saw grandparents working alongside grandchildren. You could literally see the next generation learning what it means to care for the land.”
Pheasants Forever Minnesota Habitat Restoration Specialist Jeff Potts is leading the restoration project. “When this was initially planted it wasn’t a very diverse seed mix. This project allows us to bring the plant diversity back that pollinators, birds and other wildlife depend on,” Potts said.
The project is being funded primarily through a Minnesota Conservation Partners Legacy grant. The grants are funded through the Outdoors Heritage Fund, part of Minnesota’s Land and Legacy Amendment passed by voters in 2009.
By Dave Schwarz, Pheasants Forever Minnesota Outreach Coordinator
A portion of the recent Robin Hood Wildlife Production Area expansion is pictured in Western Minnesota. The expansion project adds more than 450 acres to existing public land parcels. (Photo by Emily Jonassen, Pheasants Forever)
Significant public lands addition expands important habitat complex in western Minnesota
St. Paul, Minnesota - Tuesday, April 14, 2025- Through a variety of partnerships and through Pheasants Forever’s Build a Wildlife Area® program, the organization was recently able to add more than 450 acres of publicly accessible habitat to an existing complex in Traverse County.
The additions consist of three parcels, expanding the existing 1,247-acre Robin Hood Waterfowl Production Area (WPA). The area also adjoins the 756-acre Mosquito Ranch WPA, creating an expansive public lands complex in western Minnesota and the largest in the county. This complex contains populations of pheasants, deer, waterfowl and has had numerous sightings of sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie chickens, two species that are rare in south-western Minnesota.
“If you go there and look west, you can see the Prairie Coteau landscape in South Dakota, a huge expanse of grassland habitat. If we’re going to develop new breeding populations of prairie chickens and sharp-tails in Western Minnesota, this is where it’s going to happen,” Minnesota Pheasants Forever Coordinator Sabin Adams said. “Building these complexes is how you attract these species and hopefully they will re-establish a population.”
The parcels are located north of Beardsley, Minnesota, about five miles east of the South Dakota border. The new parcels were conveyed in perpetuity to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs). WPAs in Minnesota are open to public hunting and are restored to maximize benefit to waterfowl, upland birds and other wildlife. Concentrated in the Midwest’s Prairie Pothole region, WPA wetland/grassland units currently conserve more than 3 million acres.
This project was made possible by chapters, partners and members who contribute to the organization’s Build a Wildlife Area® program. Build a Wildlife Area® is Pheasants Forever’s permanent habitat protection program delivering strategic, fee-title acquisitions to conserve habitat and increase public hunting access. The program strives to create functional landscapes supporting wild, sustainable populations of upland birds and other wildlife, while providing ancillary benefits to natural resources and communities. Since 1982, the program has permanently protected more than 241,000 acres of publicly accessible habitat in 17 states.
By permanently protecting high-quality habitat, Pheasants Forever’s acquisition strategy provides solutions for the nation’s most complex sustainability issues including improved biodiversity, soil health, water stewardship, and rural economic development— while simultaneously prioritizing maximum impact for pheasants, quail, and associated wildlife.
—Media contact is Dave Schwarz, Minnesota Outreach Coordinator
Alex Gerhardson of the Isanti County chapter is presented with the Volunteer of the Year award by Western Minnesota Senior Regional Representative Will Clayton, right, during the Pheasants Forever state convention Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis.
Minnesota Pheasants Forever volunteers, supporters honored during national event in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minn., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026 — Volunteers and supporters celebrated another year of success in Minnesota during the national Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic event at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Pheasants Forever Vice President of Chapters and Volunteer Services Tom Fuller and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers CEO Ryan Callaghan spoke to about 225 volunteers during the morning event.
Nobles County volunteers received the national Access Award, presented during a chapter luncheon Friday. The chapter has created more than 3,300 acres of permanently protected upland habitat in Nobles County since 1986. Carver County volunteers were also honored Friday with the Membership Award for leveraging the organization’s technology to streamline event planning and reach more of their community through a variety of annual events. Pheasants Forever currently has more than 750 chapters nationwide.
The support shown by chapter volunteers in Minnesota is unrivaled and inspires all of us to give maximum effort to our mission throughout the year, Minnesota Coordinator Sabin Adams said. The fact that these volunteers can consistently create such a lasting impact on the landscape in this state drives all of us.
Chicago County Pheasants Forever chapter volunteers are pictured after receiving the Chapter of the Year award during the Pheasants Forever Minnesota Convention Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis.
Presenters cited steady, consistent achievement at a high level when presenting Chisago County volunteers with the Minnesota Chapter of the Year award. “When I’m asked what a great chapter looks like, I picture our 2025 Chapter of the Year. The very best chapters invest selflessly in the mission and have fun doing it. And nobody does that better than Chisago County Pheasants Forever,” Senior Regional Representative Will Clayton said.
Alex Gerhardson of the Isanti County chapter received the Volunteer of the Year award. The award recognizes the individual that has made the biggest impact for habitat through their volunteer efforts as a PF member and exhibits strong commitment to the Pheasants Forever habitat mission. A chapter leader since 2022, Gerhardson was credited for leading the chapter by creating steady growth in programming and fundraising.
Chapters throughout Minnesota were recognized for their total cumulative contributions with the Conservation Excellence award. The awards were as follows: Chisago and Todd counties for $1 million. Freeborn County for $3 million. Martin and Sibley counties for $6 million. Otter Tail and Douglas counties for $7 million. Big Stone County for $8 million. Meeker County for $9 million. Wright County for $11 million. Kandiyohi County for $12 million. Clay County for $13 million. Nobles County for $18 million.
Longtime Stearns County volunteer Joe Opitz is presented with the Mark Smith Making a Difference award by Western Minnesota Senior Regional Representative Chance Steward during the Pheasants Forever Minnesota Convention Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.
Joe Opitz received the Mark Smith Making a Difference Award, given to those that go above and beyond the call of duty to further the Pheasants Forever mission. Opitz has served on the Stearns County chapter volunteer committee for 43 years. He is credited with leading the chapter, the ninth chartered in the organization’s history, through decades of successful fundraising and programming and for guiding the next generation of leadership. Chapter peers who nominated Opitz mentioned his steadiness, leadership, mentorship and unwavering commitment.
The Glacial Ridge chapter was honored with the Mission Maker award, presented to the chapter that tries new things and doesn’t let boundaries get in the way of delivering mission. “This chapter may be one of the least celebrated on the western side of the state. Not because they haven’t earned it, but because their growth didn’t come from one big flashy “ah-ha” moment. It came from steady pressure. Year after year after year. No fireworks. Just work. They don’t just support the mission. They push it forward,” Senior Regional Representative Chance Steward said.
The Next Generation of Forever award was given to the Buffalo Ridge chapter. The award recognizes the trailblazers shaping what comes next. It honors the chapter that inspires progress, empowers changemakers and ensures that the organizations mission continues forever.
The Tri-County Chapter received the Focus on Forever Award. The chapter was lauded for their commitment to tomorrow’s hunters and conservationists through working above and beyond to involve the next generation outdoors, holding nine events annually in the Rochester area. “Each year, Tri‑County Pheasants Forever puts on a masterclass in relevancy. And because their community can clearly see the benefit the chapter provides, the community supports them more and more as the years go by,” Clayton said while presenting the award.
Western Minnesota Regional Representative Chance Steward presents Pelican River chapter volunteer Sheri Meester with a Long Spur Award.
Volunteers nominated by their local chapters were presented with Dedication Awards. The awards were given to:
Rachel Cunningham – Brown County
Jake Juve – Chisago County
Ed Michels – Dakota Ringnecks
Jesse Holm – Douglas County
Kevin and Carrie Hofstad – East Central Spurs
Tom Schmidt – East Medicine
Karen Bartels – Glacial Ridge
Andrea Lindell – Isanti County
Aaron Wilson – Kandiyohi County
Arlyn DeBruyckere – Lyon County
Doug Breitkreitz – McLeod County
Paul Niebur – Mississippi Longtails
Tim Jones – Morrison County
Kevin Rolf – Metro Area
Brian Mayo - Nicollet County
Tyler Scott – Pelican River
Dan Jambor – Ramsey County
Juli Kjorness – Renville County
Rick Peterson – Rock County
Jeff Pulls – Scott County
Ron Wiehoff – Stearns County
Aaron Eldred – Waseca County
Barry Rhineberger – Wright County
Bill Anseeuw- Yellow Medicine
The Long Spur Society is made up of individuals who have demonstrated a continued commitment to Pheasants Forever. They are past Dedication Award recipients and have played an integral role in their chapter for many years. The Long Spur Society recipients this year were:
Jerod Ochsendorf – Kandiyohi County
Leo Chmil – Isanti County
Kristi Backer Palmer – Metro Area
Kayla Blocker – McLeod county
Brayden Anderson – East Medicine
Jake Tralle – Chisago County
Jason Seelen – Morrison County
Ben Cunningham – Brown County
Russell Olson – Swift County
Matt Aker – Douglas County
Barry Bartels – Glacial Ridge
Bill Anseeuw- Yellow Medicine
Matt Sorenson – Rock County
Andrea Neville – Scott County
Dan Jambor – Ramsey County
Mike Theisen – Stearns County
Sheri Meester – Pelican River
Saturday’s Minnesota convention was held in conjunction with the annual Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic event in Minneapolis. The event drew more than 28,000 visitors over three days.
