Will Horsley, Clay County PF and Conservation Board partner for upland habitat and outdoor heritage in northwestern Iowa
In an exciting annual program recognizing conservationists nationwide who champion upland habitat work in their local community, the winning team for this year’s Polaris Habitat Stewardship Award hails from Clay County, Iowa.
Congratulations to Will Horsley, Director of the Clay County Conservation Board and dedicated partner to Clay County Pheasants Forever Chapter #42, for winning this year’s Polaris Habitat Stewardship Award. Indian Motorcycle of Okoboji is the local Polaris dealer.
The nomination for Horsley reads like a “what’s what” of right things to do in the upland conservation world. Horsley is recognized for:
HABITAT WORK
- Partnering with Clay County PF to acquire and improve habitat on 168 acres of land. A 133-acre area had 50 acres of upland habitat development with native grasses and wildflowers, and an 8-acre food plot.
- Assisting chapter efforts in acquiring a 35-acre addition to the Rivertown Wildlife Area, growing it to 196 acres total (this included seeding native prairie and preparing food plots on the new acreage).
CHAPTER SUPPORT
- Providing support for the Clay County PF Burn Crew.
- Coordinating a location for the chapter to construct a building to house Clay County PF’s burn equipment and other supplies.
OUTDOOR HERITAGE
- Working to improve and expand youth outdoor education by facilitating the move and design development of a donated building to create the Oneota Environmental Learning Center (OELC).
- Lining up funding sources for completion of the OELC.
CONSERVATION COMMUNITY
- Networks with a wide variety of organizations, not just PF, to highlight habitat and outdoor recreation in the rural gem that is Clay County in northwestern Iowa.
And a big congratulations to all the Quail Forever chapters who were nominated in this year’s awards:
- Sandy Ridge Quail Forever Chapter (AR)
- Louisa County PF & QF (IA)
- Lake Country Quail Forever Chapter(VA)
- Marion County QF Chapter (KS)
- Licking River Quail Forever Chapter(KY)
- Valley of the Sun Quail Forever (AZ)
- Silver Creek Quail Forever Chapter (IL)
- Whistling Bobs QF Chapter (MS)
Will Horsley at work.
How the Polaris Habitat Stewardship Award Program Works
Each year, PF and QF chapters across the country are asked to identify a person who has championed habitat work in the local community. This could be a landowner, chapter volunteer, local sponsor or partner, you name it. This person is then honored (ideally at the chapter’s banquet) for their work. Chapters nationwide get a chance to show appreciation for upland habitat where things really happen: locally. From all local winners, one national award winner is chosen. The winning chapter receives a Polaris Sportsman ATV to continue their local habitat work. Look for 2023’s Polaris Habitat Stewardship Award program entry information for your chapter this spring.
This story originally appeared in the 2023 Winter Issue of the Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a Quail Forever member today!