20-year veteran of The Habitat Organization takes on a new role for habitat and access
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are proud to announce the promotion of Eran Sandquist to Director of Midwest Conservation Delivery. In his new role, Sandquist will provide leadership and direction to the Midwestern Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever team to help implement programs that protect upland habitat, create public access, educate and recruit conservation hunters, and advocate for policies that benefit life. wild.
“Eran Sandquist has been managing partnerships, strengthening chapters and fulfilling priority missions in Minnesota for two decades,” said Rich Wissink, vice president of conservation programs for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “His passion for our mission and appreciation for our grassroots model will provide the Midwest region with inspiring leadership to continue to find innovative solutions to our greatest conservation needs.”
Sandquist was first hired by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in 2002 as a Habitat Specialist. In that role, he planted nesting cover, restored grasslands, and conducted prescribed burns to improve habitat on public and private lands. In 2003, he successfully became the organization’s regional representative for northern and western Minnesota, guiding Pheasants Forever chapters on how to raise and spend funds for the organization’s habitat mission. Since 2014, Sandquist has served as the Minnesota State Coordinator, where he led the organization’s partnerships in the state, including relationships with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Fund. He was also the organization’s point person for all Minnesota legislative activities.
Now acting as a leader to his Midwest colleagues, Sandquist will support staff in nine states to promote, protect and enhance upland bird habitat throughout the region. The position fosters a culture of internal collaboration and innovation to meet conservation needs throughout the Midwest. Additionally, Sandquist will help lead the development and management of partnerships that support the overall mission of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.
“I am grateful to have served the members and hunters of Minnesota during my 20-year career with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever,” said Sandquist. “At the same time, I am excited for the opportunity to share my conservation knowledge with a much larger team and region with the ultimate goal of creating habitat and accessing success stories throughout the Midwest.”
Throughout his career, Sandquist has been a vital part of the organization’s public access successes in Minnesota, an organizational pillar that was added to the Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever mission statement in 2021. By fostering unique partnerships in statewide creating new public lands, he has provided a significant boost to the organization’s national Call of the Uplands® campaign and hopes to use this first-hand experience to grow Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s legacy of public lands in a much larger region.
About pheasants forever
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters, and partners is dedicated to protecting our highlands through habitat improvement, public access, education, and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determines how 100 percent of its locally raised funds are spent – the only national conservation organization to operate through this grassroots structure. Since its inception in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 567,500 habitat projects benefiting 22 million acres.