Pheasants Forever tour highlights local habitat projects near Fergus Falls, Minn.

Fergus Falls, Minn. — For the past several years local conservation supporters have boarded a bus to tour the countryside once each summer to see the results of their work firsthand.

Pheasants Forever staff members and volunteers joined several community partners on the annual habitat tour Tuesday, Sept 1, 2026. This year the group of about 30 visited a recently acquired public land project and two habitat easement projects currently under restoration.

The group was able to view a recent prairie planting, wetland restoration work and the results of prescribed fire on the landscape. They also toured a project that will add 302 acres of public land to the Ridgeway Waterfowl Production Area just a few miles south and west of Fergus Falls.

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“We all spend a lot of time and effort raising funds and sharing our message, but sometimes we forget to go out and see what’s actually been accomplished,” Pheasants Forever Otter Tail County chapter president Jake Nelson said. “This provides a great reminder of why we put so much effort into our work. It’s a good chance for everybody to get together and see clearly the impact that’s being made in our area.”

In addition to Pheasants Forever, groups represented on the tour included the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Fergus Falls Fish and Game Club, the Minnesota DNR, the West Otter Tail Soil and Water Conservation District, the Pioneer Heritage Conservation Trust and the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society.

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.