Pheasants Forever Employees in Iowa Transition to New Roles for Organization
Pheasants Forever 09.11.14
Pheasants Forever(PF) and Quail Forever (QF) recently named Eric Sytsma of Oskaloosa, Iowa, as the organization’s new regional representative for southern Iowa. Sytsma will be replacing former regional representative, Jared Wiklund, who will transition into his new role as public relations specialist at team headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Sytsma, a former Pheasants Forever Farm Bill biologist in Iowa, looks to continue the growth of Pheasants Forever’s presence in the state, which is currently home to 102 Pheasants Forever chapters, three Quail Forever chapters and more than 19,000 PF/QF members. His main role in Iowa will be supporting the extensive network of local chapters which fuel conservation initiatives across the state, and represent chapters as a liaison to local, state and federal natural resource agencies.
Working for Pheasants Forever since 2010 as a Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist, Sytsma has been instrumental in providing wildlife habitat conservation measures to farmers and landowners in southern Iowa. He is a lifelong Iowa resident and earned a bachelor of science degree in animal ecology from Iowa State University. Sytsma resides in Oskaloosa, Iowa with his wife, Jenna, one daughter and two dogs.
Starting in his new role as public relations specialist, Wiklund’s primary responsibilities include writing press releases, articles for the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever websites, and fostering relationships with outdoor media outlets and journalists. He will also serve as a spokesperson and assist in the promotion of the organization’s National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic, which will be held in Des Moines on February 20, 21 and 22, 2015.
Transferring from his position of Iowa regional representative since 2010, Wiklund brings four years of valuable field experience to team headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota. He currently resides in Hugo, Minnesota with his wife, Kari, one daughter and black Lab.
“Eric Sytsma and Jared Wiklund have both added passion and professionalism to the organization, and I am certain they will continue to provide outstanding customer service to chapters, agencies and media in their new roles,” commented Tom Fuller, Pheasants Forever’s north region director.
For information about Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever in Iowa or to learn about a local chapter, Eric Sytsma can be contacted at Esytsma@pheasantsforever.org or (515) 423-4747. For all other inquiries, please contact Jared Wiklund, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever public relations specialist at (651) 209-4953 or Jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org.
Contact:
Bob St. Pierre (651) 209-4931
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.
