Statements

Mission

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation (TWRF) was established as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization to support our Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). We support the Agency by promoting habitat conservation, responsible land stewardship and Tennessee's hunting & fishing heritage. We also assist with TWRA youth education programs and strategic land acquisitions to provide opportunities for habitat conservation/restoration and public hunting. Bottom line: Through our fundraising efforts and support, we provide a synergy to help the TWRA realize its goals which ultimately are the goals of our state's fishing and hunting users. Our Heritage Club members can participate in any of the exclusive events we host throughout the year; the Tennessee Governor's One-Shot Turkey Hunt and the TWRF Regional Invitational Dove Hunts.

Background

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation, Inc. (TWRF) was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1999 to support the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and to promote habitat conservation, responsible land stewardship, and the preservation of Tennessee's hunting and fishing heritage. TWRF assists TWRA with youth education programs as well as strategic land acquisition to provide opportunities for habitat conservation/restoration and public hunting. Through our fundraising efforts and support, we provide a synergy to help the TWRA realize its goals. Since its inception, TWRF has supported a core number of programs that introduce youth to the outdoors by giving them a positive hands-on experience.

Impact

The cornerstone of the TWRF's mission is to support the programs and initiatives of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). The TWRA is tasked with managing Tennessee's wildlife and fisheries and their habitat. As a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, the TWRF creates a synergy to help TWRA realize its goals, and our involvement benefits not only wildlife and fisheries resources, but all Tennesseans. The conservation programs of the TWRF implement enhancement, restoration and preservation projects to conserve streams, wetlands and other threatened wildlife habitats. Through education and outreach, the TWRF's stewardship initiatives provide landowners with the knowledge and tools necessary to become responsible stewards of the land and our natural resources. The TWRF also supports research and propagation of endangered mussel species that clean natural water sources. The TWRF's outdoor heritage programs focus on increasing the recruitment of youth and women to the outdoors and wildlife-related recreation. As the state advisor for the Tennessee Scholastic Pistol Program, TWRF realizes the potential of youth shooting sports and the great bond it creates among young people and their families. By providing opportunities for individuals to experience and explore the outdoors, the TWRF helps to provide an education, understanding and appreciation for our natural resources to ensure that Tennessee's rich natural heritage will be preserved for future generations.

Needs

Tennessee is known for its natural beauty. Tennessee is home to more than 60,000 miles of streams and rivers, including some of the most bio-diverse freshwater ecosystems in the world. The state's complex geology also provides for a unique blend of wildlife habitat. The rich, natural heritage of our state influenced the very development of our culture. The abundance and quality of our natural resources makes it easy to take them for granted. 

 The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is funded almost entirely by revenue generated through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. As dedicated sportsmen and women, the TWRF staff and Board of Directors work to ensure that Tennessee's rich natural heritage is protected for future generations. Programs we support such as TOYS (Tennessee Outdoor Youth Summit) in partnership with TWRA, is for students in high schools across Tennessee. At this weeklong event they are introduced to various aspects of the outdoors in a controlled environment. Students will be introduced to many different outdoor activities including boating, hunting, trapping, archery, photography, marksmanship, plant identification, forestry, camping, water quality, trap shooting, skeet shooting, wildlife identification, and several classes with wildlife and fisheries biology as the topic. If you're concerned about Tennessee's wildlife and its future, it's time to get involved. The TWRF needs your support to continue the programs that are so vital to our natural resources, so donate and/or volunteer today!

CEO Statement

A beam of sunlight through the leaves of a springtime oak, a proud gobbler off strutting at the edge of a lush green field, a raccoon preening at a spring-fed creek, an attentive doe watching her playful fawn, the haunting hoot of a Great Horned Owl at dusk. This is part of the wealth of Tennessee.....and we are rich. As a hunter, angler and appreciator of wildlife, it is a blessing to live in a state that offers such diverse opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. I often ponder the future of our sporting heritage and the ability to sustain it. The outdoors was so much a part of my early childhood development that I can't imagine how different my life would have been without it. Yet, because of society's constant push towards instant gratification and technology, my outdoor world seems to be vanishing; land is no longer preserved for hunting and every child does not get introduced to the outdoors almost as soon as they can crawl. This is not to paint a negative picture of our situation but to encourage you to a call to action. One of my favorite quotes is by Theodore Roosevelt, 'The wildlife and its habitat cannot speak. So we must and we will!' I'm very proud of the men and women who serve and volunteer with our Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. I have been involved with many agencies across our nation and none compare to our staff. That is why I am proud to be the Executive Director of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation and its primary initiative of supporting our Agency and its mission to manage, protect and enhance our state's fish and wildlife and it's habitat for the benefit and enjoyment of not only the citizens of Tennessee, but also to those who choose to make it their outdoor playground. For more information on our Foundation or ways to take action in recruiting and retaining our wildlife heritage, go to twrf.net.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Environment  - Natural Resources Conservation & Protection
Secondary Category:	Youth Development  - Youth Development Programs
Tertiary Category:	Recreation & Sports  - Camps

Areas Served

TWRF serves the entire state of Tennessee and also the surrounding states by its influence and programs.

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