Ag & Range

Photo by Kamryn Kozisek A pair of turkeys call as they walk down the side of Bourdeaux road Sept. 3, 2022. The National Wild Turkey Federation is working on habitat development and protection for wildlife species.

NWTF and USDA Forest Service sign $50 million agreement

u By Kamryn Kozisek

Ag & Range Editor

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) signed a 20 year, $50 million agreement with the Biden-Harris Administration Forest Service.

The goal of this master stewardship agreement is to address the wildlife crisis in the West and to promote healthy forests and wildlife habitat.

Prescribed fires and other forms of vegetation management will be done by the NWTF to improve wildlife habitats. On the other side the NWTF will be benefiting the Forest Service by promoting the use of forest products.

A USDA press release stated that this agreement is one-of-akind, partnership promoting stewardship of the land. It is also the largest agreement in the history of NWTF.

“Our partnership with the Forest Service is central to our mission,” said Kurt Dyroff, co-chief executive officer of the National Wild Turkey Federation, in a USDA press release. “Wild turkeys, as well as other wildlife, rely on healthy habitats and healthy forests for their long-term sustainability. Likewise, hunters rely on the same for a quality and successful hunting experience. Our work focuses on the shared values of water, forests/ wildlife habitat, recreation, and resilient communities. This partnership enables us to make greater investments at a greater scale to keep forests healthy, water clean and stop critical habitat loss.”

This agreement follows the new Forest Service wildlife crisis strategy that was released by Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary in January.

The $50 million will be a part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other sources, including agency contributions.

This agreement is one of the first between the Forest Service and outside conservation based agencies.

“This agreement reflects our strong, long-standing relationship with the National Wild Turkey Federation and its four decades of forest restoration work on national forests and grasslands,” USDA Forest Service Chief Randy Moore stated in a USDA press release. “Larger wildfires, more frequent natural disasters, and other disturbances that continue to threaten the health of the nation’s forests and grasslands, and the wildlife habitat they provide, means the work we do together is even more vital.”

The NWTF, has been working with wildlife habitat on over 22 million acres and providing over half a billion to these habitat areas.

“This long-term master stewardship agreement builds on a 40-year history of successful regional conservation partnerships between the NWTF and the Forest Service that have delivered on our organization’s mission of conserving habitat for wild turkey and preserving our nation’s hunting heritage,” said co-CEO Becky Humphries of the National Wild Turkey Federation in a USDA press release. “NWTF is proud to work with the Forest Service to enhance habitat and make America’s forests healthier and safer, and to accelerate the pace and scope of this vital work.”

KENT HALl BASEMENT OF TERROR

Story by Aubrie Lawrence, Editor-in-Chief

A fake blood bag that was used as a prop in the Kent Hall haunted house, in the basement, during the practice run thorugh, Oct. 27.

Students returned for another year of frights at the “Return to the Basement” haunted house located in the Kent Hall basement Friday and Saturday nights. Christian Miller, associate director of Kent Hall, said that 314 students signed into the haunted house with a total of 361 students going through, includes those that went more than once. After going through the haunted house, students were able to review the event. Overall, it got a 4.92 star rating out of five stars. “My favorite feedback I heard was that they didn’t expect it to be very scary but then after going through it they had to call their friends and tell them to come down and do it with them because they wanted to see their friends get scared because it was so good,” he said. This year’s haunted house included a corn maze, a doll room, the doctor’s room, an asylum and the grave room. Along with plenty of creepy hallways and even a dead end room. All the rooms were equipped with resident advisors in costumes, as the actors. “I think the students want big events like this on campus that are well put together and that really provide a way for them to get out of their room and hang out with friends and what can make this even better,” Miller said. “Seeing your friends get scared to death!” The Kent Hall haunted house was started a few years ago by previous associate director, Kris Boardman. Miller said that he promised him he “would not let this tradition die” and would continue to every year that he can and constantly make it better. “What I would like to see improve it would just have to be getting the layout figured out and really getting more props and costumes so that we can provide a more terrifying haunted house in the future,” Miller said. “But each year we are buying more and more supplies which is helping us in the future years as the props and many of the Photo by Aubrie Lawrence costumes can be reused or modified in some way.”

Photo by Kayden Singpiel From left: Madyson Schliep, 21 senior of Grand Island, David Johnson, senior of Chadron and Vernon Plenty Bull of Allen, South Dakota preform in the doctor’s room during the CSC haunted house practice, in the Kent Hall basement, Oct. 27.

Photo by Kayden Singpiel

LEFT: Rachel Bell, junior of Miles City, Montana and J’Lyssa Martinez, sophomore of Denver, Colorado run towards a camera in the doll room,during practice for the haunted house, Oct. 27.

RIGHT: Wrapped in a straight jacket Asia Graham, sophomore of Newcastle, Wyoming, mumbles to herself in the asylum room of the haunted house in the Kent Hall basement during practice, Oct. 27.

Photo by Aubrie Lawrence

Photo by Aubrie Lawrence

Vernon Plenty Bull of Allen, South Dakota acting as a doctor holds up a fake bone saw towards visitors at the CSC haunted house during the practice run through, in the Kent Hall basement, Oct. 27.

LEFT: Markus Ramsey, sophomore of Minden, lays on the floor next to a coffin in the graveyard room during practice of the haunted house, in the Kent Hall basement, Oct. 27.

RIGHT: Peyton Johansen of Untica and Kamryn Kozisek, senior of Kaycee, Wyoming, acting as tour guides, run through the haunted house in the Kent Hall basement, during the practice run, Oct. 27.

10 Nov. 3, 2022 | The Eagle | csceagle.com Comics

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