Bo Killough is one of the biggest landowners in Douglas County, and he has dedicated his life to wildlife preservation. About seven years ago he decided to work on his land to recreate its original habitat, and he’s been focused on the project ever since.

“It’s a lifetime project,” Killough said.

Killough has received many awards for his work in the field, and this year he is the winner of the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Award, given in part by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

Clint Thornton, wildlife biologist technician, is part of the commission that selects the award winners. He was impressed by Killough’s efforts.

“Out of everybody that I looked at that have been doing wildlife work,” Thornton said, “he is by far the one that has done the most work.”

Killough was pleased to receive the award, but he said that the most important thing for him was to be able to keep doing his work, enjoying the animals and having friends over to see his land. However, he said it’s great that people are recognizing this type of work.

“It’s a good reward for me because I can go out there to see the animals, the habitat,” Killough said.

Bo Killough is this year's Wildlife Habitat Conservation Award winner for his work with wildlife preservation.

Thornton said he visited a lot of places that work with wildlife but that Killough had done a tremendous amount of work. Thornton said Killough’s work was so important because he has been planting native grass, trees, shrubs, thickets, creating wetlands and also cutting cedar trees, which can be harmful for wildlife.

Thornton said that the objective of the award was to give money to landowners, increasing the incentive to make wildlife habitats. Most people who are interested in helping in the conservation of the wildlife and who are considered for this award, enroll in the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, created to support people who want to develop wildlife on their private land. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks also advises on how to go about creating the proper habitat and follows the development of each area doing fieldwork.

Killough said when he bought the property 11 years ago, there was nothing in the land and he had to start step by step. He said once he started recreating an ideal habitat, then the wildlife came back and started inhabiting his land.

“We saw turkey, quail, deer,” Killough said.