MISSOULA, Mont.—Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation President and CEO David Allen has been named as a new board member of the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA).

COHA is a leading advocacy organization for the future of America’s hunting heritage.

Allen and other new directors were announced at an annual meeting of COHA members held recently at the Black Point Sports Club in Petaluma, Calif.

New COHA board members include:

David Allen—President and CEO, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, a national conservation organization with more than 150,000 members supporting over 550 chapters nationwide. Organized in 1984, RMEF has influenced the protection and improvement of more than 5.7 million acres of habitat.

George C. Thornton—President and CEO, National Wild Turkey Federation, an internationally recognized conservation organization with 350,000 members and 2,300 chapters nationwide, as well as international chapters in Canada and Mexico. Founded in 1973, NWTF has raised and spent more than $306 million since its inception to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.

Chris Dorsey—CEO, Orion Multimedia, the international leader of outdoor television production. Dorsey has created more than 30 outdoor adventure television series in the last decade and currently produces 23 series on four networks that have won over 12 national Emmy awards.

Gene Lumsden—President and CEO, Turner’s Outdoorsman and Legacy Sports International. Turner’s Outdoorsman is one of the West Coast’s premier hunting, fishing and shooting headquarters, operating 13 stores in Southern California. Legacy Sports is one of the most trusted names in the shooting industry. Lumsden is also in the California Trapshooting Hall of Fame.

Allen and the other new directors join Rob Olson, president of Delta Waterfowl; Miles Moretti, president and CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation; and California Waterfowl on the COHA board.

“We are honored to have these individuals—leaders of our nation’s finest outdoor organizations and industry—willing to dedicate their own personal time to help lead the California Outdoor Heritage Alliance,” said Bill Gaines, president of COHA. “These gentlemen fully recognize the significant national impact of political decisions made in California, the unprecedented political partnership we have formed, and the impact our alliance is having on our nation’s toughest political playing field. We are pleased to have them working with us to address the very serious challenges we face.”

Allen said, “California faces many unprecedented challenges in protecting our members’ ability to maintain a connection with our natural resources. COHA is the right organization at the right time to face those challenges. We are honored to join the alliance and work to maintain our ability to recreate in the great outdoors.”

COHA is a 501(c)4 non-profit political advocacy organization dedicated solely to the promotion of wildlife and the protection of California’s hunting heritage. COHA staff is active at the California State Legislature, Congress, Fish and Game Commission, state and federal resource agencies and all other political arenas where decisions are made which may impact wildlife management, habitat conservation, wildlife program funding, hunting access and opportunity, and the ability to purchase and possess sporting arms and munitions. COHA currently represents the political interests of nearly every major wildlife conservation organization active in California. For more information on COHA, visit www.outdoorheritage.org.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres—a land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at www.rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.