Permanently protecting habitat is key to ensuring the future of elk. But equally important is providing ample food, water and cover, and studying and managing elk in ways that guarantee productive herds and provide hunter opportunity.
Stewardship Program Elements
|
 |
|
Working a controlled burn in Arizona. | The Elk Foundation’s Stewardship Program is comprised of three elements: habitat enhancement, wildlife management and research. Financial support for the program comes from Elk Foundation volunteers who raise funds through local chapter events for project grants. The foundation then turns to biologists and land managers to determine which projects will give wildlife the best bang for the buck.
Ensuring a Future for Elk
The Elk Foundation helps ensure that North America’s elk will remain abundant and healthy and that they will always have wild country to roam
- by working with federal, state, provincial and tribal land managers as well as private landowners to restore healthy habitat on public and private lands
- by supporting management and research efforts by state and provincial agencies, universities and private organizations
Habitat Enhancement
Fire suppression, invasive weeds, conifer encroachment and drought all degrade elk habitat. Some, like drought, are just nature’s way. Others, like fire suppression and weeds, are a direct result of human actions. Using tools such as prescribed burning, thinning, fertilization, seeding, water developments, noxious weed treatments and fencing, we are reversing the effects of these enemies of elk country. Many projects enhance habitat on public and private lands where elk already exist; some are designed to encourage elk to move onto public lands and away from ranchers’ crops and haystacks. We get the job done by providing grants and offering Habitat Stewardship Services to agencies and private landowners.
Wildlife Management
|
 |
|
Biologists use air support for elk research in Michigan. | Providing grants for studies and tools such as habitat inventories, collaborative management plans and habitat mapping projects is another way we help wildlife managers enhance and maintain wild, free-ranging elk populations. Sometimes managing wildlife means managing humans. One tool wildlife managers use to better distribute elk across landscapes and reduce bulls' vulnerability to hunters is to decrease the number of open roads on public lands. Access management lessens roads’ impacts on elk, while still providing access to hunters and other recreationists.
Research
We understand that the future of our wild elk herds depends on good science. Funding projects that research critical factors such as habitat needs, predation and disease provides biologists with sound, scientific data for effective wildlife and habitat management. Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is of particular interest to wildlife managers across elk country, and we are funding research and educating the public about the effects of CWD on elk populations and hunting. |
|
|
|
|
|
|