Michaux State Forest Forester Michael Wright Receives National Recognition For Wildlife Work

Michaux State Forest Management Forester Michael Wright was named recipient of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Joe Kurz Wildlife Manager of the Year Award for his work managing wildlife habitat.

He was honored last month at the federation’s Pennsylvania State Chapter’s awards banquet in State College, Pa.

Wright works closely with staff biologists to apply scientific management principles to land management strategies. He has developed and maintained more than 40 wildlife openings mostly with native seed mixes, hand-cuts areas to create early successional habitat, and creates soft-edges on wildlife openings.

Wright also has monitored for turkey and woodcock on his own time to determine if the projects were successful.

The Joe Kurz Wildlife Manager of the Year Award is named in honor of the former Georgia Department of Natural Resources wildlife chief for his leadership and the vital role he played in improving wildlife management. Kurz also was a principal figure in wild turkey trap-and-transfer programs across North America.
DCNR’s Michaux State Forest is located in Adams, Cumberland and Franklin counties.
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(Reprinted from the February 7 DCNR Resource newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy.)