Burr Oak Lake Waterfowl Production Area near Willmar, Minn., adds 197 acres

Supporters gathered under bright blue skies and a gentle breeze to dedicate a new public wildlife area on Saturday, August 8 in Minnesota’s Kandiyohi County.

The addition of the 197-acre Bruce Behm Tract to the Burr Oak Lake Waterfowl Production Area expands an important wildlife complex. Just a few miles northeast of Willmar, the parcel connects the existing 330-acre Burr Oak Lake WPA and the 125-acre Kandi Wildlife Management Area. There is also a 150-acre wildlife easement nearby.

Bruce Behm led the Northwest Suburban Pheasants Forever chapter for many years. He had a passion for introducing young people to the outdoors. After he passed, chapter volunteers decided to honor him by donating $100,000 to this project. The property was previously enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program and features established native grasses and forbs and multiple restored wetlands.

The tract will be conveyed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service as a WPA and will be open to public use. Due to its location the area offers easy access for Willmar-area residents.

“Bruce’s legacy lives on through the now young adults he introduced the outdoors, the relationships built in growing Northwest Suburban PF, and the properties the chapter helped acquire through the years. It’s fitting there will be a place for anyone affected by his generosity to visit and enjoy, forever,” Pheasants Forever Senior Regional Representative Will Clayton said.

Primary funding for the Build A Wildlife Area project was provided through Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund and the North American Wetland Conservation Act. In addition to the Northwest Suburban chapter, the Kandiyohi County and Pelican River Pheasants Forever chapters contributed to the acquisition.

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“This is an incredible opportunity to link two existing public land parcels to create a dynamic wildlife complex,” Minnesota Pheasants Forever Coordinator Sabin Adams said. “Research shows that the more room we can give pheasants and other wildlife to spread out, the better the outcomes all around. This property adds one more piece to the evolving wildlife habitat in Kandiyohi County, thanks to local volunteers and supporters.”

Pheasants Forever was founded in Minnesota in 1982 and along with Quail Forever makes up the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 500,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. Since its creation, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 585,000 habitat projects benefiting 31 million acres.

By permanently protecting high-quality habitat, Pheasants Forever’s acquisition strategy provides solutions for the nation’s most complex sustainability issues including improved biodiversity, soil health, water stewardship, and rural economic development – while simultaneously prioritizing maximum impact for pheasants, quail, and associated wildlife.