A Note from the Editor/Publisher Matthew Gay
While too many folks are so deeply embroiled in events that do not really impact their lives directly, each and every one of us is directly impacted by wild land conservation, or the lack of. It’s absolutely vital to get this message out to the very newest generation but to do so properly and effectively. We need youngsters to engage in our forests, prairies, wetlands and waters. The survival of our heritage and so many species of flora and fauna depend on it. But how do we get a very digital generation to explore opportunities and passions in fields like forestry, biology, ecology etcetera? I am not 100% sure but I do know we need to help foster their interest and hopefully the spark becomes a fire for the cause of conservation.
It’s a bit of a crazy story which started at Pheasant Fest in 2025. Our publishing company had a booth at the Pheasant Fest held in Kansas City, showcasing our publication brands and meeting other industry folks. A gentleman illustrator named Phil Juliano stopped by the booth and we started a conversation about what he could bring to the table for the magazines and other projects for our company. At this point, an old idea for a series of children’s books focused on sparking that fire of interest in conservation resurfaced in my head and we explored it together, bouncing concepts off each other and discussing the possibilities as well as the objectives of such a project.
As the show went on and came to a close, this idea maintained a place in the forefront of my thoughts. A long journey followed the 2025 Pheasant Fest as I was on the road for another week and a half driving to Lubbock, Texas for business then to Houston for the World Columbaire Championship. The 22-hour drive back to Michigan after the Columbaire was again consumed with thoughts and ideas about this youth book project.
Returning home I found myself behind on work for all the publications and in need of getting things done expeditiously. Unfortunately, my concentration wasn’t there due to, once again, my thoughts being consumed by this project, running idea after idea through its paces. Finally, I simply had to get the first of a series of 12 books written and off to this illustrator to see if there was something there. I had to get it out of my head so I could get other work done. This resulted in what I hope becomes a series of 12 books, with the first one being titled “Timberlee’s World.”
The book focuses purely on forest conservation and is written for a 1st and 2nd grade audience with beautiful bright illustrations. For those in the know, Timberlee is a female American woodcock, and the book is about her story. The hope is to ignite a passion for conservation amongst some young Americans and perhaps maybe help inspire the next generation of conservationists. It is my hope that the first run of Timberlee’s World becomes available by the beginning of December so some could end up under Christmas trees for budding wildlife biologists or foresters.
The second book focuses on the great prairie and features our friend Ringo the rooster. A handsome ring-necked pheasant roaming the delicate prairies of the Dakotas. Ringo’s Playground has already been written and is off to be illustrated as we speak. Once Timberlee’s World is available, we will put out a communication to all our readers with a special offer for those who may have a child or grandchild interested in a really cool book about conservation and a woodcock named Timberlee.
Stay tuned…it is my hope that these books filled with bright, colorful and fun illustrations telling a wonderful story, generate interest in conservation among youth readers. One never knows, perhaps the next great ambassador for conservation further fosters that passion as a result of reading one of these books in the second grade.
