Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever Forms to Revive State Bird in Tennessee

Tennessee residents are making a positive impact for wildlife habitat conservation with the formation of the state’s newest Quail Forever chapter. Officially known as the Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever, the group is committed to restoring the pastime of quail hunting in Tennessee through habitat improvements.
 
“Our goal is to rehabilitate the bobwhite quail so our children and grandchildren can see this amazing bird,” said Clinton Kennedy, elected president for the Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever. “The tradition of quail hunting has a special place in Tennessee’s heritage. By working with partners in the state, our chapter wants to ensure a bright future for bobwhites and other wildlife.”
 
The formation of the Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever comes at a crucial time for quail conservation efforts in the state. The state recently completed the Tennessee Northern Bobwhite Quail Restoration Plan, and the chapter has already contacted staff of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) to offer assistance with quail habitat projects on several of the state’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA’s). Public hunting properties that are being considered for future management by the Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever include Pea Ridge WMA, Bridgestone/Firestone WMA, Cordell Hull WMA, and Jackson Swamp WMA.
 
In addition to public land conservation efforts being provided by the new chapter, Quail Forever and its state partners are also focusing on private lands restoration in the region with the recent hiring of David Peters, Farm Bill wildlife biologist. Peters’ main role will include working with farmers and landowners to deliver conservation planning on a landscape level to improve wildlife habitat throughout his assigned area in Tennessee. “I am excited about the opportunity to work with the Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever,” said Peters. “By working together on both public and private lands, we have an opportunity to make a tremendous impact for wildlife.”
 
“This is an incredible example of conservation groups and state agencies working in tandem to protect natural resources and renew a long-standing tradition in Tennessee,” said Andy Edwards, Quail Forever’s regional representative in Tennessee. “The new Quail Plan put forth by the TWRA has residents excited about the future opportunities to restore bobwhite numbers. Our volunteers are making a huge difference for upland conservation, and I look forward to assisting with the efforts of our new chapter.”
 
Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever
 
  • The Upper Cumberland Chapter of Quail Forever has elected Clinton Kennedy of Cookeville as president and Lindsey Silvey of Bloomington Springs as treasurer.
  • For more information about the chapter or to become involved, please contact chapter president, Clinton Kennedy, at (931) 303-2776 / email.
Quail Forever in Tennessee
 
Tennessee’s 10 Quail Forever chapters account for 1,122 members statewide. Those chapters have spent over $100,000 to complete 341 habitat projects since the first Tennessee chapter formed in 2007. Those projects have improved nearly 2,000 acres for wildlife. For more information regarding Quail Forever in the state or to start a local chapter, contact Andy Edwards, regional representative in Tennessee at (931) 638-9478 / email.
 
About Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever
 
Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division, Quail Forever, is the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 140,000 members and 700 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Chapters are empowered to determine how 100 percent of their locally raised conservation funds are spent, the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent $508 million on 475,000 habitat projects benefiting 10 million acres nationwide.
 
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651) 209-4953