SPRINGFIELD, ILL. - Feburary 17, 2005 - Pheasants Forever will be recognized as the "Director's Organization of
the Year" at the 4th annual Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame banquet to be held on Saturday, February 19 at the
Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield. Those attending will also join in honoring the lifetime achievements of
conservationists Kenneth Fiske, W.D. Klimstra, Brent Manning and William Rutherford as they are inducted
as the newest members of the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame. 

"Illinois is a better place to live, work and recreate thanks to the contributions to our great outdoors made by the
individuals and organizations being honored at the Hall of Fame ceremony," said Joel Brunsvold, director of the
Illinois Department of Natural Resources and chairman of the board of directors of the Illinois Conservation
Foundation. "The Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet is a special event and we're delighted to be honoring
these special people."

Individual tickets for the banquet are $50 each, with sponsorship ticket packages also available. Proceeds will
benefit the Illinois Conservation Foundation grant and youth conservation scholarship programs. Last year, the
ICF grant program awarded $45,000 in grants to 30 organizations, groups and agencies for environmental, habitat
and natural resource projects. The first ten recipients of the ICF Youth Conservation Scholarships will be
recognized at the banquet.

Pheasants Forever is being honored for the organization's many years of support for programs of the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Conservation Foundation, including efforts to expand pheasant
habitat and pheasant hunting opportunities in the state.

The 2005 Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame inductees were selected from among dozens of individuals nominated by
citizens and organizations throughout the state.

* Kenneth V. Fiske, Woodstock - Ken Fiske has for more than 50 years provided private and professional efforts
on behalf of open land protection and conservation. Fiske was named Illinois Conservation Farmer of the Year in 
1952. Fiske was the founding executive director of the McHenry County Conservation District, retiring in 1985.
He has served as a board member of the Corporation for OpenLands, Illinois Nature Preserves Commission,
McHenry County Conservation Foundation, the Illinois Association of Conservation Districts and McHenry 
County Soil and Water Conservation District. Fiske and his wife were honored as 2004 Refuge Volunteers of the
Year by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for efforts on preserving and restoring bird habitat in Hawaii
and Florida. 

* Dr. W. D. Klimstra, Carbondale - The late Dr. Willard D. Klimstra was the founding director of the Cooperative
Wildlife Research Laboratory at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, serving from 1951 to 1988. As director,
Klimstra supervised the efforts of graduate students whose research and professional accomplishments continue to
provide benefits to wildlife and natural resources conservation nationwide. Klimstra was a pioneer in wildlife
ecology and mined land reclamation. He helped draft legislation on reclamation and conservation, the Illinois
Nature Preserves System Act, and the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Act, chaired of the Illinois Nature
Preserves Commission and was a member of the Endangered Species Protection Board.

* Brent Manning, Wheaton - Brent Manning served as Director of the Illinois Departments of Conservation and
Natural Resources from 1991-2003. During his tenure, the state acquired more than 85,000 acres for conservation
and outdoor recreation; developed the Illinois Conservation 2000 program, Illinois Conservation Congress and
state-federal Illinois River basin protection measures; led implementation of a state habitat stamp program, the
Illinois Environmental License Plate program and the Illinois Conservation Foundation; and, developed the 
ENTICE education program for school teachers. Manning now serves as executive director of the Forest Preserve
District of DuPage County.

* William L. Rutherford, Sr., Peoria - William Rutherford has been involved in environmental stewardship, open
space preservation and wildlife conservation for more than 65 years. Rutherford helped found the Forest Park
Foundation, which acquired and donated land for local and state parks and natural areas throughout central
 Illinois. He founded Wildlife Prairie Park, which was donated to the state in 2000. The state park is named in
honor of Rutherford and his wife Hazel, who passed away in 2000. Rutherford also worked toward acquisition and
establishment of the Rock Island State Trail in central Illinois. He served as director of the Illinois Department of
Conservation in 1969 and led the acquisition of Goose Lake Prairie and Silver Springs state parks in northeast
 Illinois. 

The Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame will also present Director's Awards to Great Plains Drywall as the Corporation
of the Year and Jeff Ketelsen as a Friend of the Foundation. 

The ten winners of the Illinois Conservation Foundation Youth Conservation Scholarships will also be introduced
at the banquet:

* Caitlin Allen, Homer (Heritage High School in Broadlands)

* Paras Bhayani, Homewood (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy)

* Wesley Bryan, Louisville (Clay City High School)

* Heather Busse, Farina (South Central High School)

* J.C. Capel, White Heath (Mahomet-Seymour High School)

* Nicole Evans, Hoffman Estates (Hoffman Estates High School)

* Sarah Gillespie, Newton (Newton Community High School)

* Drew Griffiths, Port Byron (Riverdale High School)

* Emily Mahan, Baldwin (Red Bud High School)

* Marcin Tomkowiak, Chicago (Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences)

For tickets and sponsorship information or for more details on the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame banquet, contact
 Tracy Shafer, Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702-1271, phone
 217/785-5091, or visit the Illinois Conservation Foundation web site at www.ilcf.org.

The Illinois Conservation Foundation, an IRS 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit corporation established in 1995, has raised
more than $20 million to support the programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Contributions are
tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more information on the ICF, contact Executive Director
Jess Hansen at 217/785-2003.

Pheasants Forever is a non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enhancement of
 pheasant and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management,
 public awareness, and education. Such efforts benefit landowners and wildlife alike. There are more than
 108,000 PF members in over 600 local chapters across the United States and Canada. 

© 2004 - Pheasants Forever. All Rights Reserved