Tennessee Crane Fund Guidelines

A restricted fund of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation

“Promoting viewing, research, and habitat management for
Whooping and Sandhill Cranes in Tennessee,
to ensure the future of these magnificent wildlife treasures.”

 

Tennessee Crane Fund Goals
In addition to handling the finances specific to the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, the Tennessee Crane Fund (TCF) will consider funding requests for the following types of activities:

  • Costs related to managing lands currently used by cranes as stopover or wintering habitat including: TWRA lands, leases on private lands for crops related to crane viewing, etc.
  • Reclaiming potential crane habitat along the Tennessee, Hiwassee, and other TVA controlled rivers
  • Research to identify lands with the potential to provide crane foraging or roosting habitat.
  • Research to reduce landowner-crane conflicts.
  • Research on crane distribution and habitat use, public attitudes, etc. in Tennessee
  • Lease of private land or contribute toward the purchase of land used by cranes or useful for crane viewing.
  • Enhance crane viewing experience (platforms, blinds, lectures, signage etc.)
  • Outreach to schools, civic groups etc. 

Tennessee Crane Fund Administrator
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) Ornithologist, will serve as the Tennessee Crane Fund Administrator, and appoint Advisory Committee members. Through a Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation (TWRF) Check Request Form the Administrator will submit receipts for festival costs to be reimbursed to the contact or paid directly to the vendor. All other requests for funds will be directed to the Advisory Committee. TWRF will provide a quarterly report of the fund’s activities via email to the TCF Administrator, all members of the Advisory Committee, and interested parties.

Tennessee Crane Fund Advisory Committee
A 5-member committee will oversee the distribution of funds and approve efforts to grow the TCF. Members should be people who can add value to those two endeavors but should not include representatives from organizations that might receive grant funding (to avoid any conflict of interest or appearance thereof). Members of the committee will have backgrounds and/or experience in crane biology, wildlife biology, ornithology, and/or research and conservation. There are no term limits for committee members.

Contributions
Checks can be made payable to:
Tennessee Crane Fund
c/o TN Wildlife Resources Foundation
5000 Linbar Drive, Suite 265
Nashville, TN 37211

Contacts
Fund Administrator:
Scott Somershoe, TWRA Ornithologist, <Scott.Somershoe@tn.gov> 615-781-6653

Tennessee Wildlife Resource Foundation:
Joey Woodard, Executive Director 615-831-9311 x111
BJ Haas, Office Manager <bhaas@twrf.net> 615-831-9311 x115

Advisory Committee Members 2011-2012

  • Gary Myers, Advisory Committee Chair, former TWRA Director
  • Michael Collins, Ornithologist, Department of Biology, Rhodes College, Memphis
  • Bob Ford, USFWS; former TN Wildlife Federation biologist
  • Chris Sloan, Attorney; Regional Editor, N. American Birds; former TN Ornithological Society President
  • The fifth member of the committee has yet to be named.
© 2012 The Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival