RMEF Grant to Help Wolf Management in Wyoming

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation recently announced that a $50,000 grant from the organization will assist the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) with its wolf management plan.

The funding will expand WGFD’s knowledge of predator-prey interactions between wolves and elk. It will also expand the radio collar program to help managers better understand the home range, territory size, pack size and other biological traits and actions of the wolf so they can better implement management techniques.

“It is vital that state agencies have a firm grasp on predator populations in order to properly implement science-based management practices,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “This grant will help WGFD gain more knowledge to better understand its wolf population so it can better implement its approved wolf management plan.”

"Our partnership with the RMEF is extremely valuable to us and this grant shows how this relationship continues to develop great opportunities for conservation," said Tom Ryder, Wildlife Assistant Division Chief for WGFD. “This grant will help the Department execute its adaptive wolf management plan by helping to increase our knowledge of wolf/elk interactions, wolf home range, and pack and territory size. Each of these biological components is important for the management plan and to our shared constituents."

In keeping with the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, RMEF supports state-regulated hunting and trapping as the preferred tools of wolf management. RMEF staunchly supports management to balance and control wolf populations.

RMEF also remains committed to learning more about wolves through research efforts. Since 1989, RMEF invested nearly $664,000 in research grants to advance scientific understanding of wolves, wolf interactions with other species, and overall wolf management. The total includes $174,079 in Wyoming-specific research projects and more than $200,000 in science grants in just the past five years. Most of the contributions paid for independent research by leading universities, state and federal wildlife conservation agencies and tribes.

“Part of RMEF’s mission is to ensure the future of elk and other wildlife,” said Allen. “This grant helps managers do just that in Wyoming by helping them know how many wolves are out there, where they travel and what effect they have on elk, deer and other ungulates.”

RMEF will allocate nearly $2.9 million for elk and wildlife-related conservation projects in 27 states with wild, free-ranging elk populations in 2013. Additionally $570,000 will also be allocated to hunting heritage programs in 49 states.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Bighorn Canyon Receives 2013 Active Trails Grant from National Park Foundation

Bighorn Canyon is one of 22 national parks across the country selected to receive a 2013 Active Trails grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks. Now in its fifth year, the Active Trails program supports hands-on projects that encourage the public to lead healthy lives by actively engaging in trail work, special events and community activities that help restore, protect and/or create land and water trails across the country.

"Through the Active Trails program, we are able to help national parks across the country in their efforts to maintain and enhance the 17,000 miles of land and water trails that we currently have," said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. "These grants also help national parks create new trails and encourage healthy lifestyles by offering opportunities for the public to be active in their national parks."

Bighorn Canyon will kick-off their Small Boats, Big Canyon Waterways Trail program during the annual Bighorn Lake Celebration on July 6, 2013. With the help of Northwest College Outdoor Recreation program and volunteer Steve Keil, Bighorn Canyon staff will be able to design backcountry camping maps, train park staff, and develop canoe and kayak lake interpretive tours lead by park staff. Special programs will also be available for youth groups.

The Yellowtail Dam near Ft. Smith Montana, creates the 72 mile long Bighorn Lake. Approximately 58 miles of the lake are surrounded by the 1000 to 2500 foot cliffs of Bighorn Canyon. Peregrine falcons and bighorn sheep make their homes on the near vertical canyon walls. Along the park road visitors enjoy several scenic overlooks and hiking trails, but to truly experience the depth of the canyon visitors, need to see it from the lake.

Since 2008, the National Park Foundation has granted nearly $1.7 million through its Active Trails program. To date, Active Trails has engaged more than 4,700 volunteers and 131 project partners who combined have contributed more than 21,000 hours to help promote, refurbish or build national park trails that were ultimately enjoyed by 304,000 visitors (and counting!).


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

GNPC Announces Additional Grants to Glacier National Park for 2013

This past week the Board of Trustees of the Glacier National Park Conservancy (GNPC) announced that they have awarded an additional $30,000 to fund four projects to the already announced nine grants to Glacier National Park. These funds come from the sale of the Montana Glacier National Park specialty license plate as well as from annual fund donors who have allowed the Trustees to allocate these funds as needed by the Park.

As National Park budgets continue to be challenging, we want to provide support to the Park and assist in meeting the needs of the roughly two million visitors to the park each year. We have an opportunity to “step up to the plate” and increase our role as the official philanthropic partner of Glacier National Park by supporting education, research, visitor experience and preservation needs in the Park. We must continue to support the needs of the visitor while preserving the delicate ecosystem and the habitat of wildlife that live in the Park. The history of private/public partnerships has a long history in Glacier National Park. “We are fortunate to have so many wonderful donors - locally and across the country - who love Glacier National Park and understand the importance of giving back to ensure that others will be able to enjoy the Park well into the future.” says Jane Ratzlaff of GNPC.

The following four additional grants have been awarded for 2013:

- Museum Storage Project

- Construct Overlook at Redrocks Parking Area

- Bearproof Storage Lockers

- Support for Youth Volunteer Groups

There are many other projects that still need to be funded in 2013. If you would like to support any of these projects in Glacier National Park, it's not too late. You can visit the donation page to make a general donation.

The Glacier National Park Conservancy is the official non-profit fundraising and retail partner for Glacier National Park. Their mission is to create a connection to Glacier National Park through outreach, philanthropy, education and interpretation. For further information, call 406-892-3250.


Jeff
Glacier National Park Hiking

National Park Foundation Awards Grant to Glacier

Glacier National Park recently was awarded a $4,100 grant from the National Park Foundation to support the launch of the "Flathead Wild and Scenic River Corridor Stewardship Project." The grant will benefit park visitors through the purchase and availability of gear designed to minimize impacts on river corridor environments while recreating.

The grant has enabled the park to purchase gear including several hundred waste bags (biodegradable, puncture-resistant human waste bags), five fire pans, and eight Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee-approved bear-resistant coolers. Park visitors floating the North and Middle Forks of the Flathead River are encouraged to check-out this equipment for their use at the Apgar Backcountry Permit Office, free of charge.

The Flathead River, part of the designated Wild and Scenic River System, has seen increased visitor use within the last ten years. Associated impacts include numerous fire rings, poor or improper food storage in grizzly/black bear habitat, and improper human waste disposal. Many private river users lack the gear needed to minimize their impact on the river environment due to expense. The park believes that making this gear available to river users, in congruence with Leave-No-Trace education already provided by park staff, will help reduce impacts along the river corridor.

"With these strategic grants, we have been able to positively impact hundreds of national parks across the country," said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. "This unique program helps the parks enhance the visitor experience, engaging more people, and ultimately building a stronger community of park enthusiasts who share an appreciation and commitment to protecting America's Best Idea, their national parks."

For more information on availability of gear, contact the backcountry office at, 406-888-7857


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com