Program at Remington Arms Garners Arkansas Wildlife Federation Award.

AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING ON Aug. 26 in Little Rock, the Arkansas Wildlife Federation presented Remington Arms Co. with its Wildlife Conservationist of the Year Award.

Remington Arms is on the south side of Interstate 40 in Lonoke County, approximately seven miles west of the city of Lonoke. The plant is bordered on the west and south by Bayou Meto, on the north by I-40 and to the east by Highway 15 North.

The total area of the Remington plant is approximately 1,126 acres, of which approximately one third is dedicated to manufacturing operations with the remainder managed for wildlife. Another 15 acres are included in five ponds, two of which are actively managed for sport fishing.

Remington is nearly surrounded by cultivated agricultural lands and minnow ponds, and thus serves as a wooded oasis for a diverse wildlife population that includes a healthy deer herd, wild turkey, migratory waterfowl, resident Canada geese, resident and migratory songbirds, and an occasional bald eagle in winter.

A volunteer wildlife, committee oversees habitat enhancement projects at emington, as well, as hunting and fishing activities on the plant property. Over the years, the committee has built and installed wood duck boxes and bluebird boxes. Most recently, six permanent food plots were established in 1999 to assist deer, turkey, rabbits, and quail during late winter and late summer stress periods. The plots were planted with wheat, rye, peas, and clover.

In the 1980s, Remington cooperated with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in the re-establishment of wild turkeys in Lonoke County. A small number of turkeys were relocated to the Remington plant, and have since grown to a large flock of approximately 60 birds on-site, with even more birds expanding to suitable areas surrounding Remington in Lonoke County.

As a result, Lonoke County's first spring turkey season was opened on a limited basis in 1998. The AG&FC has also used the plant to film wildlife for future use in AG&FC and shows for the Arkansas Educational Television Network.

Remington also provides giant Canada geese goslings each spring to employees wanting to establish flocks on their own properties. Now geese can often be seen and heard in the countryside of Lonoke County year-round.

In addition to promoting conservation, of our natural resources, Remington also encourages the wise use of these resources through hunting and fishing. Remington believes that conservation, hunting and fishing go hand-in-hand with each other.

Each year in support of National Hunting and Fishing Day, Remington's wildlife committee sponsors a children's fishing derby for employees' children and grandchildren at the plant's wildlife pond.

Archery deer hunting is allowed on the plant property for employees, their families and retirees, and, for the first time, a limited spring turkey season was held.

Remington is a supporter of many leading conservation organizations including Ducks Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, The National Wild Turkey Federation, and the Arkansas Wildlife Federation.