NEW YORK—Field & Stream magazine profiles Jeff Turner of Sedley, a regular columnist for The Tidewater News, for his extraordinary contributions to conservation in its June issue.

Each month Field & Stream honors three grassroots conservationists as part of its Heroes of Conservation program, which is dedicated to recognizing sportsmen who go above and beyond in the protection of fish, wildlife and habitat.

Turner said about the recognition, “It is a really great honor to be named a hero of conservation by a national magazine like Field & Stream. I’m very blessed that I have so much support from the community that people like Felice Hancock will nominate me for awards like this.”

He continued, “Thanks to people in the community who believe in what I do, I have received many over the years. All of them are significant to me — from the school classes that have awarded me and thanked me for what I do — to the Volvo Award of $25,000 I was awarded in 2008. It’s not about the money or any attached prizes, it’s just nice to know there are people who appreciate my efforts. “He will receive a $500 conservation grant from Field & Stream’s Heroes of Conservation partner Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and is also eligible for the Heroes of Conservation grand prize, a new Toyota Tundra and a $5,000 grant.

He indicated he would use the $500 grant for either further education or water testing. “We will most likely put it into our educational outreach program or maybe add it to our water testing program. That is doing very well and we are getting more and more interest with people wanting to be involved with that and its very costly,” he explained.

Turner is riverkeeper for the Blackwater/Nottoway Riverkeeper Program, an environmentally conscious organization that focuses on keeping local waterways healthy. BNRP’s parent organization is The Waterkeeper Alliance

“Hunters and fishermen have never been afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work in the name of protecting America’s wildlife and wild places, and Jeff is a great example of that ethos hard at work,” says Anthony Licata, Editorial Director of Field & Stream.

“Conservation is and will always be an integral part of hunting and fishing, and men and women like Jeff are crucial to keeping our traditions alive for generations to come.”

To be considered for the Heroes of Conservation program, individuals must be involved in a hunting- and/or fishing-related conservation project that is well under way with outstanding results. Selections are based on a number of factors, including leadership, commitment and project growth.

“This program is very important to Toyota because it recognizes individuals who are making a difference in the world,” said Steve Appelbaum, National Manager, Engagement Marketing, Toyota Motor Sales. “These people aren’t looking for reward or praise—they’re just passionate about protecting and preserving the environment. We take great pride in partnering with Field & Stream to showcase these individuals’ efforts and achievements on a national level.”

In a press release, Turner’s contributions were noted as follows:

A largemouth bass fisherman, Turner created the first Waterkeeper Alliance chapter in Virginia 12 years ago to protect the Blackwater and Nottoway Rivers. Turner gives presentations about the rivers’ key species, organizes an annual trash cleanup, guides researchers surveying mussels and striped bass, and reports on his regular patrols of the waterways and their resources. “It’s like preventative medicine,” says Turner. Through his presentations, he was recently instrumental in helping the Nature Conservancy acquire 250 acres at Byrd Point for permanent protection.

The other two who were profiled in the June issue were David McNeal of St. George, Kansas and Teeg Stouffer of Bellevue, Nebraska.

Field & Stream’s Heroes of Conservation program culminates each fall when the magazine names the “Conservation Hero of the Year” and awards him or her a new Toyota Tundra. Six finalists, selected from the Heroes profiled in the monthly editions of the magazine, are selected and flown to Washington D.C. for an awards gala where the Hero of the Year is named and each finalist receives a $5,000 conservation grant from Toyota.

For more information visit fieldandstream.com/heroes.