New 714-Acre Land Acquisition Adds Access and Acres to Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area

A dedication ceremony for the second largest land acquisition project completed by Pheasants Forever in Wisconsin—the new H&L Farms Wildlife Management Area in Rock County. The H&L Farms project adds 714-acres to the Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area creating a contiguous 3,549-acre complex of permanently conserved upland and wetland habitat benefiting a variety of wildlife.

In addition to adding acreage to the Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area—a designated Important Bird Area of Wisconsin and part of the Wisconsin’s Wildlife Action Plan—the H&L Farms Wildlife Management Area has significant road frontage and will provide access to areas of Avon Bottoms that were not readily accessible prior. Enhanced public access to the now 3,549-acre complex benefits thousands of Wisconsin outdoor enthusiasts, as the wildlife area is less than an hour from Madison and two hours from Milwaukee.

The new, 714-acre H&L Farms Wildlife Management Area was made possible, in part, by a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Knowles Nelson Stewardship grant, a North American Wetland Conservation Act grant, Pheasants Forever’s Build a Wildlife Area fund, and contributions from more than 30 partners and donors. The area will be managed by Pheasants Forever and open to public hunting and outdoor recreation.

WHO: Representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Pheasants Forever, Rock River Valley Pheasants Forever Chapter

WHEN: Friday, September 26, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: From east, take State Highway 81 west from Beloit for 10 miles, then west on Beloit-Newark Rd. for 3 miles. From north, go south on County Highway T, 6 miles from State Highway 11 at Brodhead, turning east on Beloit-Newark Road. Go 1 mile on Beloit-Newark Rd., turn south on Hopkins Rd. and the property’s driveway is on the right.

Contact

Emy Marier, Public Relations, Pheasants Forever, (651) 209-4973

Pheasants Forever

Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the last 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail. There are five major factors leading to the losses of quail habitat; intensified farming and forestry practices, succession of grassland ecosystems to forests, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife, and urban sprawl.