NDA seeking location suggestions for 2026.
Last year, the NDA sent out a survey to its national database looking for feedback about public land workdays, specifically looking for potential locations and volunteers to help plan and implement these events. The organization is currently seeking input from volunteers to help plan next year’s slate of Public Land Initiative events by completing the survey linked below. Information gathered in this survey helps staff understand what is important to NDA members.
Volunteers are a crucial piece of delivering the NDA’s mission to ensure the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting, and they proved it this past year by showing up at public land workdays all across the country, including in Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, and many other locations. The roots of these events go back several years, specifically to 2021, when the NDA launched the Public Lands Initiative. The program was designed to address landscape-level access and forest health issues nationally, with the goal to improve one million acres of public land by 2026. The program has surpassed expectations, sitting currently at 970,000 acres improved, and will achieve its goal in 2025.
One reason the program has succeeded is because of the volunteers that provided input, logistical support, and sweat equity. In the last year, the program found a home within NDA’s Grassroots Department, symbolizing a shift from national staff-led efforts to Branch and volunteer-led events. NDA’s grassroots efforts involve a network of volunteers that focus on wildlife conservation, education, habitat management, and community engagement to ensure the future of wild deer and deer hunting.
The information collected in the national survey was weighed heavily and used in planning this year’s events. Staff followed up on many of the suggested leads, eager to incorporate volunteers’ input, which in many cases, turned into true boots-on-the-ground workdays. Below are just a few examples:
In March, NDA partnered with the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission and a North Carolina Certified Burn Boss for a day of working with rakes, hoes, and leaf blowers to prepare timber blocks for the scheduled spring burn at DuPont State Game Lands.
In May, NDA collaborated with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and volunteers at Cheatham Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Tennessee to complete a 20-acre land improvement project.
In June, NDA joined Moultrie, members of the Cahaba Riverkeepers, Pelham High School Environmental Club and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for a day of environmental stewardship at the Cahaba River Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
In August, NDA worked with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and volunteers to cut undesirable growth from a thick stand to allow native oak saplings space to thrive, thus improving habitat for wild deer and other wildlife.
In September and for the third year in a row, NDA partnered with staff at Leaf River WMA in Mississippi and volunteers (pictured above) planted over 225 fruit trees, built and installed 10 duck boxes and three picnic tables.
If you are interested in attending an event, search NDA’s events calendar as there are always fun and engaging opportunities available. If you’re interested in planning a public land workday, please fill out the 2026 survey or contact the Regional Director in charge of the area you would like to work in:
Midwest – Nathan Martin nathan@deerassociation.com
Northeast – Megan Postol megan@deerassociation.com
Southeast – Matt Wilkins mwilkins@deerassociation.com