Hunters and anglers from across the country will advocate for the Mississippi River Delta
The Vanishing Paradise coalition is taking a huge step forward by announcing the makeup of its 30-member volunteer promotional staff.
Land Tawney, who manages Vanishing Paradise on behalf of the National Wildlife Federation, says the new group of volunteer leaders will be a vital part of the coalition’s efforts to educate hunters and anglers about the importance of the disappearing Mississippi River Delta.
“Almost every outdoors business in America has its own pro staff,” Tawney said. “But this is the first time a conservation group has used this same idea to create a team of advocates for hunting and fishing habitat. Our pro staff members are going to be on the ground, on the airways and on the Internet fighting for the delta.”
The wetlands of the Mississippi River Delta are eroding into the Gulf of Mexico at an average rate of a football field every hour. Vanishing Paradise is a coalition led by the National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited, and the Louisiana Wildlife Federation that aims to restore the Mississippi River Delta by strategically reintroducing water and sediment from the Mississippi River into the rapidly-eroding wetlands.
These coastal wetlands provide habitat for as much as 70 percent of the waterfowl in the Mississippi and Central Flyways and are important for both inshore and deepwater saltwater fish. The Mississippi River Delta is also a nationally recognized bass fishery.
The members of Vanishing Paradise’s new pro staff are:
- Burton Angelle, Louisiana
- Colin Anthony, Missouri
- Curtis Arnold, Texas
- Chad Bell, Louisiana
- Karen Brigman, Nevada
- Joey Buttram, Indiana
- Joule Charney, California
- Kyle Doherty, Missouri
- Charles Faircloth, Alabama
- Mike Frenette, Louisiana
- Jeff Giffin, Missouri
- Joseph Gignac, Arkansas
- Joseph Hoffmann, Minnesota
- Michael Kaufmann, Illinois
- Joel Lucks, New York
- Howard Malpass, Louisiana
- Luke McNally, Washington
- Mike McNett, Illinois
- Wade Middleton, Texas
- Matthew Miller, Wisconsin
- Robert Montgomery, Missouri
- Philip Nelson, Florida
- John Pollmann, South Dakota
- Taylor Schaltenbrand, Illinois
- Sonny Schindler, Mississippi
- Paul Strnad, Wisconsin
- Sean Turner, Louisiana
- Kirby Verret, Louisiana
- Travis Weige, Texas
- Garrett Wishon, North Carolina
To find out more about Vanishing Paradise, please visit their website, find them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.
(OWAA individual members and supporting groups are indicated in bold text.)