April 4, 2017
RMEF Grants Benefit Pennsylvania
Elk Country, Hunting Heritage
MISSOULA, Mont.—The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation awarded nearly $131,000 in funding to assist habitat stewardship work and hunting heritage projects in the state of Pennsylvania.
The total includes $85,000 from the auction of the 2017 Pennsylvania Special Elk Conservation tag, of which 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to the Pennsylvania Game Commission to benefit Pennsylvania’s elk program, and an additional $45,964 in grant funding.
“RMEF has a long history of enhancing elk habitat in Pennsylvania,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “This funding will enhance more than 650 acres of wildlife habitat within State Game Lands #14 and also boost multiple youth, outdoor and other conservation activities.”
The grants fund 24 projects that benefit Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cameron, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Jefferson, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lycoming, Mercer, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Potter, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, Warren, Westmoreland and York Counties. There are also three projects of statewide benefit.
Go here to see a complete list of projects, listed by county.
RMEF volunteers raised the funding via banquets, membership drives and other events which is put back on the ground in Pennsylvania and elk country across the nation.
Since 1994, RMEF and its partners completed 400 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects in Pennsylvania with a combined value of more than $23.8 million. These projects conserved or enhanced 26,108 acres of habitat and opened or improved public access to 8,546 acres.
Pennsylvania project partners include the Pennsylvania Game Commission and various sportsmen, government, civic and other organizations.