ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION. Annual Report

Transcription

1 ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION Annual Report 2017

2 PRESIDENT S & CHAIRMAN S MESSAGE Nancy Holland President & CEO Philip Barrett Chairman of the Board There is no better way to evaluate the health of RMEF than through our mission accomplishments in places where you can feel ponderosa needles under your feet, smell fresh rain on sagebrush, hear the rustle of golden aspen leaves or see the first glint of antler through black timber. The Elk Foundation delivered those things in full in Last year we forever protected more than 56,000 acres of vital elk country in 11 states. The largest sweep of land we helped protect was 21,640 acres. That s a big piece of ground anywhere, but it just happens to lie in the Blue Ridge Mountains. That land forms the nucleus of habitat for the newest state in America where the bugles of wild, freeranging bulls ring once more. Not only did RMEF play a pivotal role in bringing those elk back to West Virginia, we worked to ensure they came home to healthy habitat. As a measure of the breadth of our work, the next largest piece of habitat we protected lay 2,500 miles west. The 12,700-acre Avenales Ranch looks like the backdrop to a Steinbeck Novel sun-soaked mountains and rolling hills draped in grass and ancient oaks. It was among the first places biologists transplanted tule elk the unique subspecies found only in California during restoration efforts in the 1970s. Today it remains vital habitat for tules as well as black bears, black-tailed deer and more than 100 bird species including endangered California condors. In the land between those two great chunks of elk country, RMEF was, per usual, delivering the meat and potatoes, down-in-the-dirt stewardship work that has defined us for 33 years. RMEF greatly enhanced 154,000 acres of forage, water, cover, migration corridors and open space for elk and other wildlife. In 2017, we delivered that hands-on stewardship in 25 of the 28 states where wild elk roam. When RMEF launched our Access Elk Country Initiative in 2015, we set what we thought would be the aggressive goal of opening 50,000 acres of public access to elk country every year for five years. In 2017 we again more than doubled that mark, bringing the three-year total to over 350,000 acres open to all willing to make a down payment of boot leather and a little sweat. RMEF membership has grown 43.4 percent since We ve raised the bar for nine years running the epitome of a bull market. And 2017 was no different. RMEF reached a new all-time high of more than 227,000 members. We are proud, humbled and grateful for your support. In 2017 RMEF paid off the mortgage on our headquarters building ahead of schedule, making the Elk Foundation 100 percent free of long-term debt. To further underscore the organization s financial health, RMEF s endowments and cash accounts rose to more than $52 million last year. Speaking of endowments, we would be remiss not to pay tribute to the late Bob Torstenson and his family. In the months before cancer took him in 2002, Bob made the extraordinary gift of his Double H Ranch 93,403 acres of superb New Mexico elk country to RMEF. A decade later, his family agreed to allow the Elk Foundation to sell the ranch and create the Torstenson Family Endowment. Only the interest and earnings generated by this permanent endowment can ever be spent and they can only be invested in the four core areas of our mission: permanent land protection, habitat stewardship, hunting heritage and elk restoration. In 2017, that endowment allowed RMEF to put almost $1.8 million to work on the ground. RMEF also deepened our commitment to shaping the key conservation issues on both the state and national level. We monitored and commented on scores of bills that affect wildlife and hunting, and we stepped up efforts to forge stronger ties with members of Congress, state legislatures and federal and state agencies. RMEF continues to advocate for practical solutions that work on the ground for elk and other wildlife, public hunters and private landowners. RMEF will keep driving ahead in 2018, striving as always to set the standard for integrity and leadership in the conservation community. We hope what you see in the following pages inspires you to help us do even more for wild elk and all of us whose lives are shaped by them. 2

3 RMEF Board of Directors Chairman Philip Barrett Newnan, GA Vice Chairman Larry Irwin, PhD. Stevensville, MT Mark Baker Helena, MT Mike Baugh Molt, MT John Caid Cimarron, NM T.W. Garrett Grove Hill, AL Nancy Hadley Sandpoint, ID Eric Johnson Jackson, WY Fred Lekse Charlotte, NC Bill Madison Alturas, CA Don Moss Dayville, OR Randy Newberg Bozeman, MT Vicki Peltonen Mason, WI Bill Pine Visalia, CA G.J. Jerry Pionessa Moultrie, GA Lewis Stapley Schroon Lake, NY Michael Steuert Roanoke, TX Terry Sweet Grand Junction, CO Joe Treadway Asheville, NC Nancy Holland Cedar Hill, MO (Leave of Absence) Founders & Lifetime Honorary Members Charlie Decker Libby, MT Bob Munson Lynnwood, WA Officers Nancy Holland President & CEO Rodney Triepke Secretary & COO Lori Parker Treasurer & CFO The mission of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage. In support of our mission, RMEF is committed to: conserving, restoring and enhancing natural habitats; promoting the sound management of wild elk, which may be hunted or otherwise enjoyed; restoring elk to their native ranges; and educating members and the public about habitat conservation and our hunting heritage. LAND PROTECTION ELK RESTORATION How we work ISSUES & ADVOCACY HABITAT STEWARDSHIP HUNTING HERITAGE 3

4 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES REVENUES (thousands) Net special events $12,627 Net merchandise, royalty & advertising sales 3,332 Membership dues 11,156 Donations (excluding conservation easements) 9,461 Conservation easements 3,018 Land sales 5,486 Contract & grant revenue 5,079 Investment income (loss) 6,998 Other income (loss) (111) Funds available for program & support services $57,046 EXPENSES Program services 41,215 Fundraising 4,498 Administration 1,993 Total expenses $47,706 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION ASSETS, LIABILITIES & NET ASSET SUMMARY (thousands) Current assets $22,769 Investments 54,550 Property & equipment, net of depreciation 11,555 Conservation land holdings 1,675 Other assets 1,048 Total assets $91,597 Current liabilities 5,228 Planned gift liabilities, net of current portion 1,194 Total liabilities $6,422 Unrestricted net assets 36,814 Temporarily restricted net assets 16,523 Permanently restricted net assets 31,838 Total net assets $85,175 Total liabilities & net assets $91,597 Increase in net assets $9,340 The information above is derived from the 2017 financial statements audited by Clark Nuber P.S. Complete audited statements can be seen at or request a copy at (800)

5 ELK RESTORATION - 1% HUNTING HERITAGE & CONSERVATION OUTREACH - 11% MEMBERSHIP - 28% HABITAT STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS - 15% money invested by program PERMANENT LAND PROTECTION - 45% 5

6 YEAR IN REVIEW The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation helped ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage in 2017 thanks to achievements carried out through these programs: Permanent Land Protection & Access RMEF seeks to protect and keep elk country wild and open to the public. We achieve that through land acquisitions, conservation easements, real estate donations and access agreements Total: 24 projects protected 56,115 acres of critical wildlife habitat and opened or improved access to 110,725 acres of public land in 13 states. Mineral Hill Bear Creek, Montana 6

7 Habitat Stewardship RMEF helps ensure that elk and elk country remain abundant and healthy by working with federal, state, tribal, university and private partners to improve forage, water, space and cover for wildlife and to fund research and wildlife management Total: 277 projects enhanced 154,600 acres and advanced the science of elk management across 28 states. Elk Restoration RMEF helps reintroduce elk to their historic ranges by providing financial assistance, offering volunteer manpower and funding feasibility studies. To date, RMEF has played a vital role in bringing elk back to Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada Accomplishments: RMEF supplied funding and volunteer manpower to assist continuing restoration efforts in Wisconsin and West Virginia. Hunting Heritage RMEF strives to convey a better understanding of the vital link between hunting and conservation while also reaching out to the next generation to help secure the future of our hunting heritage Total: 313 projects reached more than 258,000 people across the country. Another 41,680 people visited RMEF s educational displays at the Elk Country Visitor Center in Missoula, Montana. 7

8 TORSTENSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT RMEF s $38 million Torstenson Family Endowment is one of the largest endowments ever given to a hunter-based wildlife conservation organization. Each year RMEF uses interest from the endowment (the principal remains intact) to further core mission programs of permanent land protection, habitat stewardship, elk restoration and hunting heritage. This allows RMEF to increase project funding by attracting matching grants from both the private and public sectors, thus aiding our ability to move swiftly when key elk conservation opportunities arise. Wapiti Morrison Ridge, Creek, Wyoming Wisconsin 8

9 In 2017, more than $1.77 million from the endowment helped fund 53 projects in more than 23 states, including: $813,665 to permanently protect and open or improve public access to 6,541 acres of vital elk habitat in four states $384,025 for habitat stewardship and management projects in 10 states $579,704 to help fund hunting heritage projects across the U.S. A key focus of the Torstenson Family Endowment is reaching out to young people. This honors the legacy of Bob Torstenson, who was deeply committed to instilling a love of wild places and hunting in future generations. In 2017, the endowment awarded more than $154,000 to youth and adult hunter education and mentoring programs across the country. The endowment also funded 13 scholarships for outstanding college students majoring in wildlife biology, the expansion of the Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow program which educates wildlife professionals about the vital link between hunting and conservation and numerous youth-oriented projects and activities aimed at nurturing an interest in hunting and conservation. 9

10 ACCESS ELK COUNTRY INITIATIVE Two-Headed Challenge: Attacks on Public Land, Barriers to Public Access Our first conservationists were hunters who fought to create millions of acres of national forests and grasslands where every citizen has the freedom to hunt. Those are among the core ideals that make America exceptional. Now the calls are growing louder to declare those ideas a failure. The solutions proposed: sell public lands to private buyers, or transfer them to state or county governments. Nobody has advanced a credible plan for how states would pay to fight wildfires or weeds, or maintain roads and trails or deliver any of the on-the-ground stewardship required to sustain healthy habitat. Breaking up our federal lands that belong equally to all of us diminishes the value of America s commitment to One nation under God, indivisible. For most elk hunters, being able to reach healthy land and water without writing a fat check means everything. Access to abundant habitat and thriving wildlife is literally the future of hunting. Without it, our way of life and all the work we do for elk country would be a shadow of what we enjoy today. Lack of access to quality hunting opportunities is the single biggest reason people stop hunting. For those just hoping to start hunting, access is the largest hurdle. 10

11 The Tool Belt/KiT: Buying or exchanging land in areas of checker-boarded public and private ownership creates big, unbroken expanses of public elk country Strategic acquisition of small parcels unlocks large blocks of public land Re-routing roads or securing access easements provides legal passage to sweeps of public land beyond RMEF is a proud charter sponsor of Outdoor Life s Open Country awards, which celebrate and stimulate fresh ideas and good work by highlighting grassroots efforts that create more opportunities for the public to hunt Seeking innovative ways to partner with landowners, like RMEF s support of Access Yes! programs in Idaho and Wyoming, which open more high-quality private land to public access, as well as create access to landlocked public land Access Elk Country Initiative: Getting Aggressive on Access Launched in 2015, RMEF s Access Elk Country Initiative aims to provide public access to at least 50,000 acres per year for five years. After three years, we ve eclipsed the total goal, creating access to 352,000 acres of public land. In 2017 alone, we opened 110,725 acres of great elk country for public access. All told, RMEF has secured public hunting access to more than 1.2 million acres in 23 states. It would be easy enough to just run up numbers, but access only matters if the trail leads to flourishing habitat. Our measure of success is whether you have a real opportunity to encounter elk and to walk out satisfied at the end of the day even if you re carrying nothing more than memories. 11

12 EASTERN ELK INITIATIVE eastern elk: 5-year goals HABITAT STEWARDSHIP: 27,000 ACRES LAND PROTECTION & ACCESS: 11,000 ACRES FUNDRAISING NEED: $5.2 MILLION Every bull ringing through the forests of the East on foggy fall mornings is a testament to one of North America s greatest recovery stories. When Europeans came to North America, upwards of 10 million elk roamed the U.S., but overhunting and habitat destruction took a brutal toll. By 1900, there wasn t a wild herd east of the Mississippi. Reintroducing elk to their historic ranges has been a RMEF goal since 1990, and the Elk Foundation is still working hard to help return elk to lands from the Appalachians to the Ozarks. It s been nearly a century and a half since elk calves graced the hills and hollows of West Virginia, but all that changed this year. In 2016, RMEF helped return elk to the state for the first time since 1875 when 24 elk from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky were released to the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area in southeast West Virginia in late December. Three of those cows gave birth to healthy calves in June The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) hopes to release upwards of 75 more elk over the next two years at that same location and find a second site to do the same. This winter, RMEF volunteers in Arizona some 2,000 miles away also pitched in to aid the effort when they helped the WVDNR and Arizona Game and Fish biologists capture 60 elk in Arizona. The animals were fitted with GPS collars, West Virginia ear tags, metal USDA tags and microchips, and biologists also collected DNA samples. After quarantine, they ll be released in West Virginia. Another 15 elk are also set to come from Kentucky in RMEF has also helped to ensure healthy habitat for the Mountain State s new herd. Just last year, we helped forever protect 21,640 acres of prime elk habitat in the Blue Ridge Mountains, RMEF s largest land acquisition project of Reintroduction efforts in Wisconsin also continued in 2017, and RMEF provided both financial support and volunteer manpower on the ground. In March, 28 Kentucky elk were moved to the Flambeau River State Forest in Sawyer County. Following quarantine, 31 elk including several new calves born onsite were released into Wisconsin s northern Clam Lake herd during the state s third year of reintroduction work. RMEF has also sponsored all 22 Eastern Elk Management Workshops, events which bring together leading Eastern cervid managers and scientists to facilitate discussion and collaboration. The next workshop takes place in May 2018 in Lewiston, Michigan, near the Pigeon River Country State Forest, to help celebrate the 100-year anniversary of Michigan elk restoration. 12 ELK MOVED: 250

13 STEP 1: Rebuilding Numbers A cause close to the Elk Foundation s heart, RMEF has worked to secure habitat and increase elk numbers in the East since Making it a priority will strengthen the work that s already been done and expand future efforts. RMEF endorses combined state goals leading to an Eastern elk population of 17,000. RMEF has already helped restore wild elk to seven states and one Canadian province: Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada. RMEF also has invested in feasibility studies in Illinois, New York and Maryland. State wildlife agencies use the data to help decide whether it s prudent to restore elk to their area. STATE WORKING FOR WAPITI ELK POPULATION ACRES PROTECTED ACRES ENHANCED AR ,114 KY 11,000-4,116 MI 1,370 1,582 3,819 MO 135-7,120 MN ,691 NC 150 1,139 1,585 PA 780 8,999 17,109 TN ,169 3,092 VA 160-1,135 WI 230 1,510 2,555 WV 24 10, ON Note: Arkansas, Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania restored elk prior to the founding of the RMEF. STEP 2: Enriching Habitat Increasing elk numbers is only part of RMEF s vision. Restoring healthy habitat is the equally critical second phase to help herds thrive. RMEF is focused on increasing early successional habitats in the East to help create diverse landscapes where elk and other wildlife flourish. RMEF has helped to complete more than 200 habitat enhancement projects on Eastern lands. Habitat enhancement methods include prescribed fires, mechanical treatments and vegetation plantings to create landscapes that support numerous native plant and animal species. STEP 3: Protecting Land RMEF has improved public access and protected vital elk habitat on thousands of acres across eight Eastern states. As elk herds grow, protecting key habitat areas is critical to mitigating crop depredation and agricultural conflict. RMEF has forever protected nearly 100,000 acres in the East, land that is valued at more than $21 million. RMEF protects lands by establishing conservation easements, facilitating land exchanges and conducting acquisitions that allow strategic parcels of private land to be protected from development and open to the public. Focus areas may include key habitats such as National Forest System lands and private mine lands. STEP 4: Honoring the Hunt Protecting our hunting heritage remains an important goal for RMEF. The East offers many hunting opportunities for a variety of species, including elk, and there are still many chances to improve those hunting experiences. In 2017, six eastern states allow elk hunting and allocate approximately 1,300 licenses: Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Every Eastern state to receive RMEF funding for restoration plans to establish an elk hunting season once the population can support it. 13

14 MANAGED LANDS INITIATIVE the challenge: great elk need great habitat Both big elk herds and big elk require big swaths of healthy habitat, but a substantial slice of America s elk country suffers from noxious weed invasions, unnaturally dense forests, lack of dependable water and a host of other challenges. RMEF is fighting back through its Managed Lands Initiative, which aims to improve an average of 115,000 acres of habitat annually wherever elk and hunters need it most. It sets a five-year target of 575,000 acres an area larger than Great Smoky Mountains National Park and more than twice the size of Rocky Mountain National Park that RMEF is well on its way to exceeding. To do that with the greatest possible efficiency, we partner with federal and state agencies, private landowners, industry, universities and other conservation organizations to vastly multiply the money RMEF is able to put on the ground to ensure the future of elk and other wildlife. In 2017 alone, the Elk Foundation restored or enhanced more than 154,000 acres. rmef's national priority for the managed lands initiative Forest/Rangeland Thinning Prescribed Burning Noxious Weed Control Aspen Restoration Installation and Maintenance of Wildlife Water Sources Bull Creek Easement, Colorado 14

15 managed lands Initiative: restoring elk country Since 1984, RMEF has completed more than 4,000 projects to improve habitat across 28 states with free-ranging wild elk populations. The majority of this work on public lands is in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, state wildlife agencies and other land managers. = Permanent Land Protection = Habitat Enhancement 15

16 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT Elk Research Nobody works well in the dark, wildlife biologists included. RMEF recognized this right from the start and for more than 30 years has co-funded hundreds of research efforts by state and federal agencies to gather hard data on elk and other wildlife so managers can make informed decisions to sustain strong herds across America s elk country. In 2017 alone, RMEF helped fund more than 20 research studies in a dozen states to pay for GPS tracking collars and other needs that increase the understanding of elk habitat use, nutrition, diseases, genetics, population dynamics, predation and habitat management. Predator Management RMEF remains a staunch and outspoken advocate for state management of wolves and other predators, a model that has proven itself effective and efficient time and again for sustaining wildlife populations at a healthy and manageable balance. But the Elk Foundation also puts its money where its mouth is to support predator conservation and control efforts, providing grants for GPS collaring, remote cameras and other methods to evaluate home ranges and population sizes, to address livestock depredation and to help assure elk and other wildlife aren t overburdened. In addition, RMEF provides public comment to encourage state-based predator management and the delisting of wolves and works with members of Congress, federal and state wildlife agencies, state and local lawmakers, RMEF members and sportsmen and women to do the same. 16

17 ISSUES & ADVOCACY RMEF advocates for hunting, land management and conservation-related programs, issues, legislative and regulatory matters that further mission priorities by actively working with Congress, federal and state agencies, state legislatures, the judicial system, RMEF members and sportsmen organizations. RMEF constantly monitors legislative activity in Washington D.C. and state legislatures across the nation to keep members informed and for the betterment of elk, elk country, conservation and hunting. Specific 2017 topics at the federal level included forest management reform, wildfire funding, sportsmen s access and wolf delisting legislation as well as the budgeting and appropriations processes for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and wild horse and burro management. At the state level, RMEF drafted and helped pass legislation to facilitate raffle ticket sales in Montana, led efforts to create the Montana Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, and helped defeat gun control legislation in New Mexico and anti-trapping and anti-predator control bills in Arizona. In addition, RMEF fought against efforts to restrict conservation easements in Colorado and attempts to restrict land projects in Idaho, Montana and Washington. RMEF authored and distributed dozens of letters on a wide array of topics to federal agencies, congressional representatives in Washington D.C., the White House, state legislators and other recipients regarding mission priorities. Staffers and volunteers also appeared before state legislative hearings and state wildlife agency forums to offer testimony and public comment. In 2017, RMEF continued its popular Hunting Is Conservation campaign by disseminating infographics, videos and other content that highlight the vital link between hunting and conservation as related to the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. The campaign reached more than 32 million people to date and continues into In 2017, RMEF strongly encouraged members to get educated and involved in local issues by working with elected representatives, state wildlife agencies and local government. RMEF utilized dozens of blasts and targeted social media campaigns to keep membership informed regarding wolf management issues in California, Colorado, the Greater Yellowstone Area, the Northern Rockies, Oregon and Wisconsin. Additional topics of focus included Yellowstone grizzly bear delisting, a public lands rally in Idaho, anti-trapping efforts in Montana, opposition to a national monument designation in Arizona, permanent protection and public access work in New Mexico, a Colorado amendment to permanently maintain the ability to hunt, fish and trap, and national support of specific congressional efforts in support of hunting. RMEF also sought to ensure the future of our hunting heritage by providing funding for and sponsorship of Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow, Real Conservation Matters and other outreach programs. RMEF will accelerate its vigilance in monitoring and advocating for land and wildlife management and conservationrelated issues for the benefit of elk, conservation and our hunting heritage. 17

18 HUNTING HERITAGE INITIATIVE Central to the mission of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is increasing awareness and educating members and the public about the value of hunting, habitat conservation and wildlife management. RMEF funds programs to help introduce youth and women to the outdoors, promote hunter safety and responsibility, provide wounded veterans with hunting experiences, engage kids and adults in conservation and protect and advance sportsmen s interests. Examples of funded programs include Conservation Leaders for Tomorrow, National Archery in the Schools Program, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, 4-H shooting sports and more. Project success To date, we have invested close to $10.5 million in our Hunting Heritage Initiative. This, combined with $62 million worth of partner contributions, has helped fund more than 4,200 projects and assisted in teaching participants about hunting ethics, hunter safety and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. Bugle magazine continues to be the major membership benefit, touting a readership of 570,000. RMEF produces video content that is aggregated to millions of viewers across the globe through a variety of mediums, including the Elk Network and social media. We re reaching out to members via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In addition, we rolled out a new website devoted to all things elk called the Elk Network, 18

19 RMEF continued to partner with hunter education programs in Montana and New Mexico to distribute orange vests and youth knives to future hunters. In 2017, we delivered five elk trunks to elementary school students in Michigan, Montana, New York, Tennessee and Texas. These elk education trunks tool kits containing lesson plans, activities, antlers, hides, skulls and much more are delivered to conservation educators such as teachers, naturalists, scout leaders, wildlife agency personnel and RMEF volunteers to provide hands-on educational experiences for youth. Over the years, one trunk will reach 2,500 kids. In 2010, RMEF began to celebrate some of its youngest movers and shakers with an annual Youth Award. In 2017, we presented the four awards to outstanding leaders under the age of 18. Guy Eroh, one of thirteen 2017 Wildlife Leadership Award recipients. Since 1991, RMEF s Wildlife Leadership Awards have recognized some our nation s brightest students in wildlife. This scholarship fund grew in 2006 thanks to a memorial given by the family of Gerald L. Turpin, an avid elk hunter killed in a logging accident. In 2013, RMEF s Torstenson Family Endowment boosted it further, continuing the late Bob Torstenson s legacy of conservation education. All recipients get a $3,000 scholarship and a one-year RMEF membership. Past winners have gone on to become leaders in their professions, and RMEF is proud to have helped them along their path. In 2017, RMEF awarded 13 scholarships. Based on interest from the Torstenson family and RMEF's Board of Directors, we more than doubled the number of awarded scholarships from Created in 2003, the State Grant Program provides local and state agencies, organizations and sportsmen s groups with financial assistance for events and programs that engage youth and adults in the outdoors and educate them about hunters role in conservation. Major gifts, grants and funds raised through our event programs and allocated to the Hunting Heritage Program are used to complete priority projects. In 2017, 306 state grants reached nearly 213,000 participants. The Elk Country Visitor Center (ECVC) in Missoula, Montana is a state-of-the-art wildlife conservation center that educates the public about wildlife and habitat management, hunting and conservation issues through interactive exhibits, videos, educational programs and tours. In 2017, the ECVC reached more than 41,680 elk enthusiasts. 19

20 MEMBERSHIP & VOLUNTEERS The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation s success as one of the nation s foremost wildlife conservation organizations is rooted in the commitment of our volunteers and the support of our members. members Members are the lifeblood that keeps RMEF growing marked the ninth consecutive year of record membership for RMEF. Members counted 227,650 strong as of December 31, 2017, up by 2.4 percent from Membership has increased 43.4 percent since 2009, and RMEF has had a 16.1 percent increase in membership since 2012 alone five years and going strong. ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION Membership Card - Supporting Member Robert Rassmussen Member Expiration: YYYY/MM 20

21 In 2017, RMEF volunteers: RMEF volunteers numbered more than 11,000 coast to coast 982 new event volunteers stepped up to serve 11,198 event volunteers held 686 events, including 492 fundraising banquets More than 1,200 volunteers from 115 chapters in 30 states spent over 14,300 hours bettering elk country, completing 130 projects including boots-on-the-ground habitat projects, hunting heritage outreach and conservation education Volunteers Volunteers are the boots-on-the-ground muscle behind RMEF s mission. The size, health, strength and leadership of each chapter s committee are vital to RMEF s success. They and other volunteers give generously of their time and talents to plan and execute banquets and a variety of second events to fundraise for the betterment of elk country. In 2017, volunteers stepped up again to raise money for elk country and also dedicated thousands of hours of labor to on-the-ground habitat stewardship projects, from building guzzlers to tearing down old fence line. These contributions bolster RMEF s mission work both in volunteers own backyards and across North America. Looking ahead RMEF remains focused on growing our volunteer base along with our membership. Our 11,000-plus volunteers make up less than 1 percent of the active elk hunters in North America. Imagine what we could accomplish with 20,000, or even just 15,000? Our goal is to recruit 1,000 new volunteers in We recognize that in order to grow our volunteer base we need to invest in it, so RMEF will continue with the annual Volunteer Recruitment Campaign. Those who recruit or become a new volunteer in 2018 are automatically entered into a drawing for more than 25 prizes from RMEF sponsors. 21

22 FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION The primary ways individuals, companies and organizations supported RMEF in 2017: Memberships More than 227,000 supporting, sustaining, sponsor, outfitter and life members from around the world backed RMEF and its conservation mission to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage. Annual Giving Program Generous RMEF members and volunteers donated more than $4,057,000 through annual giving. Many of those donations came from our direct mail program. Last year, we sent out 1,859,761 pieces of mail, directly generating more than $2.9 million for elk country. Workplace Giving Contributing a little each month through payroll deduction adds up to big benefits for wildlife at year s end. Workplace giving programs generated more than $103,000 for RMEF in The Combined Federal Campaign, which allows federal employees and military personnel to support their favorite charities through payroll deductions, is one of the most beneficial workplace giving programs for RMEF. Matching Gifts Many employers will match an employee s cash donations, volunteer hours, auction item purchases (above fair market value) or portions of sponsor or life memberships through corporate matching gift programs. In 2017, nearly 50 companies matched employees gifts to RMEF, contributing more than $96,000 to further the mission. Memorials & Honoraria RMEF creates memorials and honoraria at the request of families and friends who wish to remember or honor their loved ones through a gift for wildlife habitat conservation. In 2017, donors contributed more than $235,000 through this program. Trails Society In 2017, RMEF received $326,000 through planned or testamentary gifts. Created in 1999, the Trails Society recognizes donors who remember the Elk Foundation in their estate plans. Habitat Partners The Habitat Partner program recognizes donors for their cumulative giving beginning at $2,500. Individual and corporate Habitat Partners donated more than $2.8 million to conserve elk country in Corporate Partnerships Corporations stood shoulder-to-shoulder with RMEF through sponsorships, Bugle magazine advertising and affinity partnership programs. These businesses also donated products and services, contributed royalties through licensing agreements and sponsored RMEF events, totaling $3.4 million to RMEF in Foundation Support Private, corporate, state and federal foundations supported habitat enhancement projects, permanent protection of critical elk range and programs that taught thousands of children and adults about conservation and North America s hunting heritage to tune of almost $5.3 million in We give now because the need is now. Every day, critical wildlife habitat is developed and destroyed forever. Once it s gone, it s gone, and with it, our legacy. John and Wynne Gillis, Life Members, Habitat Partners & Trails Society Members 22

23 The Habitat Council In June, some of RMEF s most generous donors gathered in Seattle, Washington for the annual Summer Habitat Council Meeting and Retreat. The Habitat Council recognizes donors who have cumulatively contributed $10,000 or more to RMEF. Members had the opportunity to hear updates and insight into RMEF s current status and to connect with other like-minded conservationists, members of the RMEF Board of Directors, executive staff and co-founders. Following the general meeting, the group traveled together to enjoy a true Seattle experience. A private reception and dinner took place in the SkyLine level of the iconic Space Needle, constructed in After dinner, the group made its way upward to the observation deck. At an elevation of 520 feet, attendees took in breathtaking, 360-degree panoramic views of Seattle, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Elliott Bay, surrounding islands and other sights. The next day some Habitat Council members remained in Seattle to explore, but the vast majority crossed the gangplank and boarded the RMEF Founders Cruise. Hosted by co-founders Bob Munson and Charlie Decker, along with their wives Vicki and Yvonne, almost 400 RMEF members, family and friends set sail to take in the sights and sounds of Alaska s Inside Passage. We just have a passion for wildlife. We wanted to get more involved with RMEF. There s a need to protect and conserve wildlife habitat for years to come. See the need and take action. Cornelia Kramer and Louis Ossola, Habitat Partners, Habitat Council Members and Conservation Easement Donors 23

24 RMEF.ORG Magnificent Maggie RMEF played a pivotal role restoring elk to Great Smoky Mountains National Park almost 20 years ago. That herd has grown three-fold to more than 150 animals and become one of park s top draws, while also expanding south into North Carolina s Maggie Valley, where the community has largely embraced the newcomer. But amid heavily forested private lands, both ground forage and public access have been in very limited supply until recently, when RMEF, a handful of landowners, The Conservation Fund and other partners came together to protect a broad swath of wild country there for the good of elk, access and some of the Southeast s cleanest and coldest trout streams. The Elk Foundation and its partners have so far purchased and protected nearly 2,000 acres that are now one of North Carolina s newest state game lands. RMEF is also working with managers to create forest forage openings on this public property a rare and cherished commodity for elk and other wildlife, including threatened bird species like the cerulean warbler. This project also beautifully demonstrates the breadth of RMEF s conservation quiver land protection, habitat enhancement, elk restoration and increased public access all in one spot, and underscores our mission to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage