State Wildlife Conservation Takes Top National Honors

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) has received one of the highest honors awarded to membership organizations dedicated to wildlife and conservation: Designation as the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Affiliate of the Year.  Singled out among all state affiliates, NCWF was lauded for programs that span the range of conservation work—from grassroots activism to organizational re-structuring to volunteerism that led directly to conservation initiatives with international impacts.

”The North Carolina Wildlife Federation has demonstrated an impressive commitment to growing its influence and capabilities to protect wildlife and habitat,” says National Wildlife Federation board member David Hargett. “NCWF has been a close partner of the National Wildlife Federation for many decades, and it continues to re-invent itself as a powerful organization sustaining hunting and angling traditions, and functioning as an able and focused advocate for environmental stewardship.”

Specifically, NCWF was singled out for a half-dozen conservation successes:

● Establishing a Wildlife Habitat Joint Certification Program through which interested North Carolina property owners may become certified by both organizations, giving citizens the opportunity to create habitat and enjoy wildlife in action. NCWF is the only affiliate participating in joint certification for wildlife habitat, and also has its own habitat enhancement certification programs for workplaces (Wildlife and Industry Together), places of worship (Fellowship Actions Impacting the Habitat), islands (Island Habitat Program), and a newly introduced program designed as a smart growth initiative to work with developers called Wildlife-Friendly Development.

● Spearheading climate change education by partnering with NWF to educate members, the public at large, fellow conservation organizations, and the state’s Congressional delegation on the need to address climate change and the consequences of not acting on climate change. This partnership worked closely with more than a dozen other North Carolina environmental groups to drive forward a common agenda.

●  Helping secure property tax relief for wildlife conservation by working successfully to enact legislation that gives a property tax break to landowners who use these lands for conservation and wildlife habitats.

● Representing conservation interests in hydroelectric relicensing by a months-long commitment to input through Duke Energy’s request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to obtain a new license to operate its 13 hydroelectric stations and 11 reservoirs on the Catawba River. The project spans over 225 river miles, has a total drainage area of three million acres, and encompasses approximately 1,900 miles of reservoir and island shoreline.

● Working successfully to halt the U.S.  Navy’s Outlying Landing Field (OLF) in a major migratory corridor. This massive project would have destroyed tens of thousands of acres of critical habitat in eastern North Carolina.

● Building a 21st-century conservation membership through effective and innovative high-technology networking tools.

● Uniting sportsmen through a true coalition of hunters and anglers. Called the N.C. Camouflage Coalition, this Internet-based platform enables members to stay in touch with legislative and regulatory initiatives related to hunting and fishing, and instantly contact elected and appointed officials to express their perspectives. Through the Camo Coalition, says Tim Gestwicki, NCWF’s executive director, “sportsmen working together will have a powerful impact on how we manage our natural resources now and for the future. Science-based wildlife and habitat management principles will guide the Coalition to achieve its goals.”

“We are thrilled that our work for North Carolina conservation has attracted the attention of leading national conservation leaders,” says Gestwicki. “As exciting as it is to have our efforts recognized, however, this kind of spotlight only strengthens our resolve to speak for, work for, and protect the wildlife and wildlife habitats of North Carolina.”

Gestwicki accepted the award at a special reception in Houston, Texas, during NWF’s annual convention in April.