Success Stories By MajorProgram FY2025Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025
Backyard Biology
Author: Colby Dye
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
According to a Housing Needs Assessment from the City of Bowling Green, Warren County is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state. Increased development in rural areas has created a need for more urban agriculture education. Environmental and wildlife education helps citizens understand nature, promote positive wildlife-human interaction, and engage in conservational problem-solving for the betterment of our society.The summer intern in Warren County created, filmed, and promote
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Deer Management and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Describe the Issue or Situation.In our region, approximately 85% of farmland is dedicated to crop production. In 2022, hunters utilized 225,343 acres for hunting, resulting in the harvest of 1,194 deer in the Purchase area. To enhance deer management and address Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman Counties organized a wildlife management meeting.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).The meeting aimed to equip landowners and f
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Deer Managment and CWD Meeting 2024
Author: Benjamin Rudy
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Describe the Issue or Situation.In our region, approximately 85% of farmland is dedicated to crop production. In 2022, hunters utilized 225,343 acres for hunting, resulting in the harvest of 1,194 deer in the Purchase area. To enhance deer management and address Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman Counties organized a wildlife management meeting.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).The meeting aimed to equip landowners and f
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Bate Middle School Wildlife in the Classroom Days
Author: Joseph Ray
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
During the summer of 2024, the Boyle County Cooperative Extension Office, including the Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Agent, embarked on an impactful partnership with local Family Resource and Youth Service Center Coordinators from both the Boyle County Public School System and the Danville Independent School System. This collaboration arose from a shared commitment to addressing educational needs and enriching the learning experiences of students in the community.The partnership facil
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Wildlife Management
Author: Nick Roy
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
The Adair County Agriculture Advisory Council identified wildlife crop damage as a priority issue for extension programming to address in 2024. Through multiple collaborations, the Adair County Cooperative Extension Office led a comprehensive efforts to provide education on wildlife depredation options while also encouraging greater participation during legal hunting seasons. The first effort was the inclusion of the local KDFWR wildlife biologist during the Adair County Grain Crops
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2024 Managing Deer Damage in Crops and CWD Update
Author: John Tucker
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Crop production accounts for 85% of the land use in the river counties of far Western Kentucky. Additionally, more than 11,000 acres of Wildlife Management Areas are located in Carlisle, Hickman, and Fulton Counties (Public Land Search, KDFWR website). Recognizing the need to balance wildlife conservation with minimizing crop damage, Extension Agents in Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman Counties organized a wildlife management meeting to address deer management challenges and a Chronic Wasting Disea
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KY Master Naturalist Travels Overseas!
Author: Lacey Kessell
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
In 2023, the Boone County Extension launched its first in-person Kentucky Master Naturalist Cohort in collaboration with the state-wide Kentucky Master Naturalist Initiative, in response to growing community demand for the program. Stakeholders recognized that the program addressed the need for greater awareness of environmental issues, green space preservation, and implementation.The program included 17 participants, of whom 15 graduated in 2024, contributing over 600 hours of volunteer service
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Birding Builds Environmental Awareness and Mindfulness in Bullitt County Youth
Author: Nathan Rider
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
In Bullitt County, there is a growing need to connect youth with the natural environment and promote mindfulness and environmental stewardship. According to local educators and community feedback, many children have limited opportunities for outdoor exploration and lack awareness of local wildlife and habitats. Birding offers a unique, accessible way to engage youth in nature while supporting mental wellbeing and environmental education.To address this need, the Bullitt County Agriculture and Na
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Birding Basics
Author: Lacey Kessell
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Nearly half the birds across the globe are experiencing population declines. Seventy-seven species of birds in the US are threatened or endangered. Due to the mobility of birds, they can be hard to track and multiple habitats can impact their survival. In addition to bird conservation status, people have an increasing disconnect with the natural world around them and the wildlife within it. Birding has been shown to reconnect people with nature, building community around
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Wildlife Education
Author: Matthew Futrell
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Hunting has been a time honored tradition since man first walked the earth. As of 2021, 15.2 Million Americans hold hunting license allowing them to follow this tradition. Even as more hunters are taking to the woods recreationally we have been seeing a decline in hunting related accidents. According to the International Hunter education Association, “Educational programs on firearm safety have had a significant role in bringing accidental fatalities down by 42% over the
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Wildlife Extension Helps State Wildlife Agency in Understanding the Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease
Author: Matthew Springer
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Describe the Issue or Situation.Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal prion disease similar to mad cow disease found in bovines that impacts several species of cervids like white-tailed deer and elk. Deer and elk are a vital component to the hunting recreation industry as well as tourism within the state of Kentucky and are a major component of the $6 Billion annual recreation and tourism economy in the state. CWD was found in western Kentucky two years ago and the state wildlife agency is ma
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Kentucky Forest Leadership Program Continues Engagement with Youth in Natural Resource Management
Author: Matthew Springer
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Describe the Issue or Situation.Youth are highly interested in natural resources and understanding how the world around them functions. There is a paucity in programs targeting high school students who have specific interests relating to this topic to help expose them to careers and educational pathways in this field. Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).The Kentucky Forest Leadership Program was created to expose high school students to advanc
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Youth Fishing in Clark County
Author: Levi Berg
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
According to the 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation of Kentucky Survey, there are 347,000 hunters in the state of Kentucky, and unfortunately, that is a decrease of 7% of hunters in from 2011 to 2001. Due to this decrease, the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife started working with the University of Kentucky Extension Agents to help in the recruiting process of new anglers. In 2022, the Clark County Extension wanted to help increase youth participation in fishing
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