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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate the National Wild Turkey
4Federation, Inc. on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of
5its founding; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The National Wild Turkey Federation was
7incorporated on March 28, 1973 in Fredericksburg, Virginia and
8moved its headquarters to Edgefield, South Carolina that same
9year; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Over the course of 50 years, the National Wild
11Turkey Federation and millions of its members and chapters
12across the nation have worked with state, federal, and
13non-governmental partners to promote the conservation of the
14wild turkey and the preservation of our hunting heritage,
15participating in one of the greatest conservation success
16stories in American history, which is the return of the wild
17turkey from the brink of extinction; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The National Wild Turkey Federation, its members,
19and its chapters have been at the vanguard of reversing
20declining hunting participation through nationwide investment
21in hunter recruitment, retention and reactivation efforts, and
22partnering with states to develop opportunities to engage

 

 

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1people from all walks of life in the outdoors tradition; since
22012, it has recruited and reactivated more than 1.5 million
3hunters; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The National Wild Turkey Federation, its members,
5and its chapters have invested more than half a billion
6dollars to conserve or enhance more than 22 million acres of
7critical wildlife habitat, forests, and grasslands across
8public and private lands since 1985; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The National Wild Turkey Federation, its members,
10and its chapters have invested more than $8.5 million in
11research throughout North America to ensure healthy wild
12turkey populations into the future; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The National Wild Turkey Federation is the
14largest and longest-serving non-governmental stewardship
15partner of the USDA Forest Service, conserving habitat on
16National Forest System Lands for more than 40 years, and is
17heavily engaged in the development and implementation of the
18USDA's Wildfire Crisis Strategy; therefore, be it
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
20HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
21we congratulate the National Wild Turkey Federation, Inc. on
22the 50th anniversary of its founding and salute the

 

 

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1organization, its chapters, and its members from across the
2United States for their tremendous efforts to further
3scientific, state-led wildlife management and the conservation
4of America's wild turkey and its habitat; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6presented to the National Wild Turkey Federation as a symbol
7of our respect and esteem.