Across North America, access to quality wildlife habitat is shrinking. Urban expansion, changes in agricultural practices, and the loss of privately accessible lands have steadily reduced the places where wildlife can thrive—and where hunters, birders, and families can experience the land. Pheasants Forever’s Public Access to Habitat (PATH) program in the U.S. was created to address this growing challenge, and today it is more important than ever.
PATH is a solution that Pheasants Forever Canada is exploring to increase public access in Southern Alberta.
Why Public Access Matters
Upland gamebirds often reside on lands that are privately owned. While some of that land may contain quality habitat, it is often inaccessible to the public. The result is a growing disconnect between people and the landscapes that support wildlife, especially upland birds like pheasants, partridge, and grouse.
The PATH program bridges that gap by partnering with private landowners who voluntarily open their land for public walk-in access. In return, landowners receive fair compensation and habitat improvements, while wildlife benefits from professionally managed grasslands, wetlands, shelterbelts, and food plots.
This approach ensures that conservation doesn’t happen behind locked gates. Instead, it becomes a shared resource – supporting hunting heritage, wildlife viewing, and outdoor recreation while maintaining respect for private property.
While hunters are often the most visible beneficiaries, PATH lands provide much broader value. Improved habitat supports pollinators, songbirds, and other wildlife species. Healthy grasslands reduce erosion, improve soil health, and enhance water quality. Local communities also benefit, as outdoor recreation brings economic activity to rural areas through fuel purchases, lodging, dining, and equipment sales.
Perhaps most importantly, public access programs help introduce new participants, especially youth and families, to the outdoors. Easy-to-use walk-in areas remove barriers to entry and help ensure the future of conservation by inspiring the next generation.
The PATH program continues to expand in the U.S. through partnerships with state wildlife agencies, conservation groups, and local Pheasants Forever chapters. Modeled after successful walk-in access programs in South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, and Minnesota, PATH is growing into regions where demand for public access is high and habitat opportunities are strong. As funding increases through member support, grants, and federal conservation programs, more acres are being enrolled. These expansions focus on high-quality upland landscapes, often near existing public lands, to create connected habitat corridors that benefit both wildlife and land users. Digital mapping tools, such as onX, are also making PATH lands easier to locate and enjoy, ensuring that access is not just available, but practical and well-used.
A Shared Investment in the Future
PATH represents a win for everyone involved: landowners, wildlife, outdoor enthusiasts, and local communities. By keeping working lands productive while opening them for public enjoyment, PATH strengthens both conservation outcomes and our outdoor traditions.
Pheasants Forever Canada is exploring the possibility of launching the program in Southern Alberta. We are in early design stages and in discussions with the Government of Alberta. We are also seeking funding for this initiative.