November 2021 • Nebraskaland 27
T
he National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan
is a collaboration among 24 state wildlife
agencies and Pheasants Forever. Finalized in
2013, it provided a blueprint for restoring and
maintaining pheasant populations across the country
and addressed states' collective conservation goals
in today's agricultural landscapes.
The Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies asked Nebraska Game and Parks' Director
Jim Douglas to facilitate hiring the plan's coordinator
— a critical role in moving the plan forward — and
to provide the groundwork in creating interstate
partnerships across the pheasant range.
In Nebraska, Jim has been a champion for the
Berggren Plan, which has been aimed at growing
the state's pheasant population and increasing land
open to hunting.
The plan, named for the late Nebraska Game
and Parks Commissioner Lynn Berggren, continues
to grow since its 2016 inception with the goal
of making Nebraska one of the best upland bird
hunting locations in the country.
"There were a lot people who were
involved in putting all the pieces
together, but I think Jim was the
plan's champion. He was in a unique
position of being in Nebraska — a
state where pheasants are still
important — and he has great
relationships with other directors
across the country and Pheasants
Forever. All these things came
together through Jim."
– Dr. Scott Taylor
National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan
Coordinator, Pheasants Forever & MAFWA
