OUTDOORS

The 25-year-old conservation organization, Pheasants Forever, will have a greater impact in the area as the Kankakee River Chapter was officially formed on Jan. 24 by members of Lake and Porter counties.

"I've been a member of Pheasants Forever for many years, but we didn't have a local chapter, only a regional representative (Ben Grossman)," Ben Martin, the new chapter's president said. "A number of people had contacted Ben about a local chapter over time. He put together a meeting and told us what to do to get it started and we took it from there."

Pheasants Forever and its new division, Quail Forever, are nonprofit organizations dedicated to the protection and development of pheasant, quail and other wildlife in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness and education. There are about 750 chapters with more than 122,000 members throughout the United States. Indiana has 19 chapters totaling more than 3,000 members.

"What makes our organization somewhat unique is our local structure," said Anthony Hauck, a public relations specialist for the organization. "What each chapter raises is used right there, 100 percent of the funds stay local.

"It is always huge for us and good news that people are caring about conservation and want to do things in their local communities. We are member-centric, they are the ones that drive us. The organization can't do our work without members that care."

The 180 or so members who formed the Kankakee River Chapter are looking to make a difference.

"The pheasant population has been on the decline in our area over the last 10 years," Martin said. "Before it gets any worse, we want to step up and make some changes, not just for hunting, but to keep pheasants populated in the area.

"With all of the development in Northwest Indiana farms are being consumed and natural habitats for the bird and other wildlife is being lost. We are working to help set aside some wildlife areas."

Although the chapter is in its infancy stages, there is a path that it is setting out on. Along with some conservation projects, the organization wants to get youth in the mix.

"We will provide hunter education and get them involved in conservation programs," Martin said. "That's where it starts for us, to have the younger people aware of the situation. As they grow up they have conservation on their minds. They are our future."