County benefits from elk foundation ‘weed’ grant

RBC — The Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation, an
international conservation
group focused on habitat protection
and enhancement, has
announced its 2008 first-round
project grants for Colorado.
Sixteen conservation grants
totaling $182,647 have been
awarded. Another $43,449 is
available for allocation in second-
round grants to be
announced later this year.
Grants will affect Clear
Creek, Dolores, Grand,
Jackson, Las Animas, Mesa,
Montrose, Park and Rio Blanco
counties. An additional project
has statewide interest.
“This is all about ensuring
the future of elk, other wildlife
and their habitat in Colorado,”
said David Allen, Elk
Foundation president and
CEO. “Grants are based on
revenues from Elk Foundation
fundraising banquets in
Colorado, as well as worthy
project proposals.”
Elk Foundation grants will
help fund the following
Colorado conservation projects,
listed by county:

Clear Creek County—
Prescribed burn on 200 acres to
improve forage for elk and
other wildlife in Mount Evans
Wildlife Management Area
and James M. Jones Wildlife
Management Area (also affects
Park County).

Dolores County—Thin
1,000 acres of encroaching pinion
and juniper to rejuvenate
sagebrush and improve elk
habitat in the Disappointment
Valley area on BLM lands.

Grand County—
Prescribed burn
of 500 acres to
e n h a n c e
g r a s s e s ,
f o r b s ,
s h r u b s
a n d
a s p e n s
for elk in
Arapaho-
Roosevelt
Na t i o n a l
Forest.

Jackson
C o u n t y —
Develop watering
area for livestock
and wildlife,
and replace 3 miles of fencing
to improve livestock distribution,
to enhance forage for elk
in Johnny Moore Mountain
and Elk Mountain areas.

Las Animas County—
Treat non-native vegetation,
prescribed burn to promote
native forage, and plant
cottonwoods to
enhance 271 acres
of habitat for
elk in
C oma n c h e
N a t i o n a l
Grassland;
treat 250
acres of
n o x i o u s
weeds to
improve biodiversity
on
elk winter
range.

Mesa
C o u n t y — T h i n
encroaching juniper and oak
brush and re-seed native grasses,
on 125 acres of elk habitat
in Grand Mesa National
Forest; invigorate sagebrush
habitat by treating encroaching
juniper and seeding up to 1,000
acres on BLM lands in Grand
Junction area.

Montrose County—
Improve forage on elk winter
range by treating and seeding
800 acres in Uncompahgre
National Forest; treat noxious
weeds and re-seed native
grasses to enhance forage on
430 acres in Uncompahgre
National Forest.

Rio Blanco County—
Treat 60 acres of noxious
weeds to improve forage for
elk and other wildlife in Flat
Tops Wilderness Area; remove
2.25 miles of wire fencing from
elk migration corridors and
calving grounds in Routt
National Forest.

Statewide (all counties
were applicable)—Provide fiscal
support for Colorado
Division of Wildlife emergency
feeding of elk, antelope and
deer. Since 1984, the Elk
Foundation and its partners
have completed more than 435
conservation projects in
Colorado with a value of more
than $101 million. Partners for
2008 projects in Colorado
include Bureau of Land
Management, Colorado
Division of Wildlife, U.S.
Forest Service, other agencies,
landowners and organizations.
Founded in 1984 and headquartered
in Missoula, Mont.,
the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation is a nonprofit
organization dedicated to
ensuring the future of elk,
other wildlife and their habitat.
The Elk Foundation and its
partners have permanently
protected or enhanced more
than 5.2 million acres, a land
area larger than Connecticut,
Delaware and District of
Columbia combined. More
than 500,000 acres previously
closed to public access are now
open for hunting, fishing and
other recreation.
To help protect wild elk
country or learn more about
the Rocky Mountain Elk
Foundation, visit www.elkfoundation.
org