MONTANA—Last month, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation celebrated its 40th anniversary in Missoula, Montana, home of its International Headquarters.  The USDA Forest Service and the foundation began their partnership in 1985, just one year after the foundation’s founding. As one of the longest standing partnerships in foundation history, this connection began when the foundation and the Forest Service collaborated on a prescribed burn in northwest Montana to rejuvenate elk winter range.  Fittingly, the burn took place in Elk Creek on the Kootenai National Forest near Libby, Montana.

During the celebration weekend, the foundation recognized the Forest Service for 40 years of conservation and its “unwavering support and commitment to ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage.”

Associate Chief Angela Coleman attended the event and accepted the recognition, saying, “On behalf of the U.S. Forest Service and all of our 35,000 employees, we can say hello, old friend. And we can really mean it because 40 years—what an incredible history, an incredible legacy, an incredible friendship. We are so proud of that friendship and what it means for natural resources conservation. We have learned if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” 

The work performed in partnership with the foundation on Forest Service lands is making a big difference, and the numbers are impressive. Together, we have advanced land protection, habitat stewardship, public access, wildlife management, conservation education and critical wildlife research. Over the last 40 years, RMEF and the Forest Service have completed 3,715 conservation and hunting heritage projects that have conserved or enhanced more than 3,861,508 acres of habitat and have opened or improved public access to more than 363,370 acres.

The foundation collaborates across all nine regions of the Forest Service and has contributed over $35 million to the partnership’s conservation and access efforts.  This impressive body of partnership work is an excellent example of the tremendous success that can be achieved through sustained cooperation and shared stewardship of our public lands, national forests, and national grasslands for the benefit of the American people and our nation’s diverse wildlife resources.

You can view the Forest Service/Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation national partnership summary and a breakdown of accomplishments by region on the agency's website.