Veteran biologist set to lead staff and partnership efforts for statewide upland successes
Denver, Colo. – April 9, 2021 – Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and its partners are pleased to announce the hiring of Jeff Yost as the very first Colorado state coordinator. Yost will partner with the Colorado-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and local chapters to coordinate and lead wildlife conservation efforts throughout the state focused on pheasants, quail, and sage grouse, in addition to increased public access.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Jeff into the Pheasants Forever family. He brings a tremendous track record in natural resources management to our team for delivering landscape-level conservation efforts across most of the state and is positioned to be a wonderful mentor for his new team members,” stated Al Eiden, west region director for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.
In his new role, Yost responsibilities will include overseeing Pheasants Forever’s biologist partnership, expanding Pheasants Forever’s role in working with conservation partners throughout Colorado, and overseeing habitat conservation programs such as Colorado’s Corners for Conservation. Likewise, he will also assist in helping implement conservation programs for lesser prairie chickens, sagebrush restoration, and public access.
Yost brings more than 25 years of conservation experience to his new position, having worked in nearly every ecosystem throughout the state. Yost graduated from Colorado State University in 1993 with a major in wildlife and a minor in range management. He began his conservation-focused career as a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) technician, focusing on upland research and the Pheasant Habitat Improvement Program (PHIP) in northeastern Colorado. In 1997, Yost transferred to a new position as a terrestrial biologist in southeast Colorado, spending eight years working on everything from pheasants, bobwhite and scaled quail, and lesser prairie-chickens to waterfowl, big game, and non-game species. His most recent biologist position with CPW was located in the region of Steamboat Springs, focused heavily on management efforts for bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose, and pronghorn.
“When I retired from CPW, I never planned to stop working in conservation, but rather adjust to new challenges and new opportunities,” said Jeff Yost. I am ecstatic to be selected as the Colorado state coordinator and feel as if my entire career has been preparing me to seize this moment with Pheasants Forever, contributing to wildlife habitat conservation across the eastern plains and the western slope of Colorado. How cool is that!”
Having developed a deep appreciation for the conservation opportunities and challenges in Colorado throughout his career, Yost is excited to engage landowners and conservation partners throughout region. For more information about Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in The Centennial State, contact Jeff Yost at jayost@pheasantsforever.org.
About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division, Quail Forever, is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 125,000 members and 750 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent over $975 million on 560,000 habitat projects benefiting 20 million acres nationwide. In fact, more than 210,000 of those acres are now permanently protected as public lands.
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
Jwiklund@Pheasantsforever.Org
(651) 209-4953
