Crisp mornings afield. Quiet respites on a mountaintop. Golden moments in the blushing foliage of autumn. These are the settings in which families grow closer, friendships are knit, and our place in the world becomes clear.

It's impossible to assign worth to the outdoors. But many people do pause to consider what our great outdoors has meant to them personally, and what pristine landscapes could someday mean for their children and grandchildren. The Elk Foundation is working to conserve such places. And you can leave your legacy in those wild landscapes by making a contribution to a special endowment.

Why do it?
The rate of wildlife habitat loss, especially in the West, is staggering, threatening to outstrip the efforts of conservationists. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 3.2 million acres of Western ranchland have been carved up for other uses, mostly new neighborhoods and shopping malls, just since 1984. And there's no sign of letup. The human population in the West is growing much faster than the national average. Even those who live elsewhere dream of second homes or vacation getaways close to western forests and mountain meadows. Now the American Farmland Trust reports that 11 percent of remaining prime ranchland-as much as 8.8 million acres of classic elk wintering range-in the Rocky Mountain states could be converted to residential development by 2020.

Life brings precious few chances to make a real difference for tomorrow, and the Elk Foundation's endowment is one of them. It will provide a source of perpetual funding for conservation successes such as permanent land protection and wildlife habitat stewardship. Earnings from the endowment will be your annual and perpetual gift to wild places.

The Elk Foundation's goal is to build this endowment to $5 million before earnings are used for conservation projects and initiatives. This will ensure that there are adequate earnings to fund significant work.

The principal from all gifts to the endowment is permanently invested. A minimum of 5 percent of the corpus will be used for mission accomplishment while the balance of the earnings will be reinvested. This will ensure that the endowment continually grows. For example, a $50,000 gift to the endowment will produce at least $2,500 annually, and perpetually, for elk, other wildlife and their habitat. Any additional earnings will be reinvested in the endowment. Eventually, the corpus will grow to levels that will ensure the Elk Foundation never has to walk away from good habitat projects because of a lack of immediate funding.

Give to the Elk Foundation's endowment, and you will be making a gift that keeps on giving, and one that builds a conservation legacy for the things we cherish most and want to share with our children.