MISSOULA, Mont. — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners allocated $2,098,338 in grant funding in Arizona for elk habitat stewardship, wildlife management and hunting heritage projects. RMEF directly granted $156,136 that leveraged an additional $1,942,202 in partner dollars.

"One of the major issues in this part of elk country is a lack of life-sustaining water for elk and other wildlife. Some of this grant funding is specifically earmarked to upgrade more than a dozen water sources," said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. "Additional projects of focus include restoring historic grasslands and a study monitoring predator impact on elk."

Arizona is home to more than 6,100 RMEF members and eight chapters.

"We value and recognize our volunteers who work hard to raise this funding that we put back on the ground to do so much good, " said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO.

Since 1986, RMEF and its partners completed 518 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Arizona with a combined value of more than $36.9 million. These projects conserved and enhanced 458,422 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 21,585 acres.

Below are three of the 12 projects that benefit 10,718 acres of habitat across eight different counties. 

Go here to see the entire list.

Apache County

• Renovate up to 10 dirt tanks that serve as water sources for elk, other wildlife and livestock impacted by the 2011 Wallow Fire on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Removing wildfire sediment increases capacity and helps distribute grazing across a 2,500-acre landscape.
• Provide funding to better assess the impact of Mexican wolves on elk populations on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in both Arizona and New Mexico. Researchers monitor elk survival and mortality rates, habitat selection and behavioral changes of elk in response to increasing predation risk from Mexican wolves (also benefits Navajo County).

Gila County

• Support landscape-scale restoration across nearly 1,800 acres of historic open juniper woodland and grassland habitat on the Tonto National Forest to improve habitat for elk, mule deer and other wildlife while reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

Project partners include the Apache-Sitgreaves, Kaibab and Tonto National Forests, Arizona Game and Fish Department, New Mexico State University, private landowners and other conservation, business and sportsmen groups.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Founded more than 37 years ago and fueled by hunters, RMEF maintains more than 225,000 members and has conserved nearly 8.4 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage. Discover why "Hunting Is Conservation™" at rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.