A little boy carefully molds the dirt around the base of a small crabapple tree as his father assembles the tree shelter that will protect the seedling through its first critical years. As they finish the job, the two step back and look at the row of seedlings that will one day produce winter food for wild turkeys and other wildlife in the area. This scene has been shared by families across Michigan as part of the National Wild Turkey Federation's efforts to improve vital winter habitat for wildlife.

It is all part of the NWTF's Operation SOS, a program that benefits wildlife in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario. As many as 192 NWTF chapters have participated in Operation SOS planting a total of 105,000 seedlings. And while this program has provided excellent benefits for wildlife across Michigan, Wolverine state NWTF volunteers have taken the efforts a step further with another initiative, the Northern Michigan Winter Habitat Enhancement Project. This project combines the planting of not only fruit and mast bearing trees, but also the planting of corn crops, a great source of winter food for wildlife. 

The project, which is entering its second year, aims to improve wild turkey survival by enhancing overall habitat. Traditionally, those concerned with helping wildlife during the winter months turned to feeding. But because of recent changes in winter feeding laws due to a bovine tuberculosis outbreak, a more proactive habitat-based program was needed to help wild turkeys survive the winter months.  

In the spring of 2001, approximately 400 acres of corn food plots were planted by cooperating landowners in Presque Isle, Montmorency, Alpena, Oscoda and Alcona counties. This was in addition to corn planted by Federation volunteers from central and northern Michigan through the NWTF's Conservation Seed Program. Corn, which is left standing in the winter to provide food when snow begins to accumulate, provides an immediate solution to the issue of winter feeding. 

To provide long-term benefits that will take awhile to be realized, several thousand Sargent crabapple seedlings were planted near the cornfields. It will be a number of years until the seedlings grow into trees that are producing fruit.

The habitat enhancement project was funded through NWTF's national projects fund with the support of sponsors such as The Outdoor Life Foundation/Ford, Monsanto, BASF, Mead, Weyerhaeuser, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Nettie Bay Lodge and the northeastern Michigan local NWTF chapters.

Other sponsors of the NWTF's regional programs such as Operation SOS were American Electric Power, American Forests, Asplundh, Central Vermont Public Service, Cinergy, International Paper, and Mead.  

For more information about the National Wild Turkey Federation's 
Operation SOS, contact Bobby Maddrey at (803) 637-3106.

For information on the National Wild Turkey Federation, 
call (803) 637-3106; check out our website at www.nwtf.org or e-mail questions to nwtf@nwtf.net.

About the NWTF: In 1973 when the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded, there were an estimated 1.3 million wild turkeys and 1.5 million turkey hunters. Thanks to the work of state wildlife agencies and the NWTF's many volunteers and partners, today there are an estimated 5.4 million wild turkeys and approximately 2.6 million turkey hunters. Since 1985, more than
$135 million NWTF and cooperator dollars have been spent on over 15,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America.

The NWTF is a 390,000-member grassroots, nonprofit organization with members in 50 states, Canada and 11 foreign countries. It supports scientific wildlife management on public, private and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport.