October 15, 2015.  The Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire announces 2015 grant awards of $17,390 to the NH Fish and Game Department.   While the winning bids from the annual Moose Permit Auction were the highest ever, the reduction in the number of permits awarded to the Foundation limited the funds available for grants that meet the Foundation’s mission of preserving NH’s outdoor heritage for future generations.

Foundation Chair Steve White states that as long as issues remain about the health of the NH moose population, private as well as corporate donations are essential to the Foundation’s continued support of the many critical Fish and Game programs that affect the  legacy of NH’s wildlife and wilderness.

The Foundation will sponsor the 2016 Discover Wild NH Day, an eagerly anticipated annual Spring event by NH Fish and Game. The event introduces families to the excitement of the NH outdoors through education and hands-on demonstrations, and last year’s attendance topped 6,000 for the one-day event.  A grant of $8,000 to cover costs of the event was awarded.

The Foundation continued its long time support of education for children in awarding $3,790 in funding for the publication of Wild Times for Kids.  Wild Times is a nature theme-based publication provided free to public schools. It targets students in third to sixth grade classrooms with information and activities exploring fish, wildlife, conservation and the natural world.   Wild Times for Kids earned a first place award in 2012 and again in 2015 from the national Association for Conservation Information.

Again this year, the Board awarded the Becoming an Outdoor Woman program (B.O.W.) with 2 scholarships for women to attend the Fall 2016 weekend workshop. This educational event introduces women to new outdoor skills, with classes offered comprising 1/3 fishing skills, 1/3 shooting and hunting skills, and 1/3 non-consumptive skills (wilderness survival, camping, map & compass, etc.).

The Inland Fisheries Department was granted  $5,000 for a survey to gather current public input regarding NH fisheries.   With the last survey done 12 years ago, the updated information of the angling public’s preferences and attitudes will enable the Department to be more effective and responsive in their fisheries management program.

In addition to these grants, the Foundation also supports on-going program needs at the Department by managing restricted funds from individual and corporate donations on behalf of the Barry Conservation Camp Maintenance Program and the Law Enforcement Canine Program.

The Wildlife Heritage Foundation of NH is the official non-profit partner of the NH Fish and Game Department, and raises funds in support of the Department’s critical educational, conservation, wildlife and law enforcement programs important to preserving New Hampshire’s quality of outdoor life for generations to come.