The Elk Foundation uses several tools to protect habitat for elk and other wildlife, including:

Acquisitions
We purchases key elk habitat to protect wildlife values. In most cases, we do not retain ownership. Most often, we convey it to a federal or state management agency (state wildlife department, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.). The agency then acts as a steward of the land, protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat, while providing the public increased recreational opportunities, including hunting and fishing.


Conservation Easements
An effective method of protecting wildlife habitat on private property, a conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement with a landowner to protect their land in perpetuity from development and other uses that could diminish its wildlife habitat values, but still allows for many traditional uses of the land. The land remains in private ownership and in most instances the landowner receives tax benefits.

• Conservation Easement Q&A
• Conservation Easement Protection Fund
• Pension Protection Act of 2006

For more information on the Elk Foundation's conservation easement program, please read:

• Why Conservation Easements are Good for Elk Country
• Monitoring Conservation Easements
• How a Conservation Easement Works


Land and Real Estate Donations
Donating land for conservation purposes is one of the finest legacies a person can leave to future generations. We may accept donations of land or real estate from private individuals or corporations. Depending on the type of real estate, we may retain ownership, convey the property to a private citizen after protecting it with a conservation easement, state, or federal agency, or, if the property lacks significant habitat values, sell the donated property and use the proceeds to protect land with important wildlife values.

Contributions
We may provide funding to state or federal agencies or another nonprofit organization to assist them with their wildlife habitat protection efforts. Our contributions often generate additional habitat dollars from matching grant programs.

Land Exchanges
We may assist a government agency or a private landowner in exchanging lands. These exchanges typically take place when an agency has lands wildlife habitat it wants to acquire.

Associated Acres
When we protect land, those benefits often extend to associated, leased grazing lands connected to the acquisition. This often results in additional benefits to wildlife through improved grazing systems and livestock redistribution.