Elk Country Legacy
Black Hills Conservation Initiative
The Black Hills sustains the largest elk herd east of the Rockies. But development swallows up an
estimated 14 acres of grasslands and forests in
the Black Hills every day. The Elk Foundation is
working to protect wildlife habitat, natural areas and family traditions for generations to come.
I
n 1874, General George Armstrong Custer traveled through the Black Hills of
Wyoming and South Dakota on his famous Black Hills Expedition, prompting
an invitation to people from around the world to come and visit this beautiful
national treasure.
Sometimes called a “forested island in a grassland sea”, the Black Hills is an
ecosystem where relict plant communities from boreal, eastern and western
forests merge. The Sioux named it the “Paha Sapa,” meaning “hills black”
because from the distant prairies the ponderosa pine-covered mountains appear
dark. The Sioux still consider the Black Hills sacred ground today.
The land also sustains the largest elk herd east of the Rockies, with more
than 6,000 animals, as well as abundant mule deer, whitetails, wild turkeys,
mountain lions, bighorn sheep and mountain goats. Elk once roamed all of the
Black Hills during all or part of the year, taking advantage of varying forage,
water and cover depending on their needs.
But as Custer intuitively foresaw, the area’s unique features today make the
Black Hills a world-class tourist destination, attracting an influx of people who
want to live in this beautiful place. Development is skyrocketing as house
foundations and future streets absorb an estimated 14 acres of Black Hills
grasslands and forests every day. Land ownership in the Black Hills exists in a
checkerboard pattern— sections of private land intermixed with public lands.
And, as elsewhere, most of the richest land—the lush bottoms laced with creeks
and rivers and ripe with grass—is privately owned. Faced with spiraling land
values and static incomes, many ranchers and farmers find themselves facing the
difficult choice of having to sell some of their land to keep the home place.
All too often, the most vital habitat for elk and other wildlife is also the
most threatened. It is a crucial time for the Elk Foundation to help the Black
Hills retain its wildlife and agricultural values.
Black Hills Conservation Initiative
The Elk Foundation’s Black Hills Conservation Initiative strives to protect
wildlife habitat and open space across 2.5 million acres of elk country in the
Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. Through partnerships with
landowners, communities, state and federal agencies and other conservation
groups, the Elk Foundation is protecting critical winter ranges, enhancing
wildlife habitat, supporting elk research and educating the public on the
importance of conservation. Our goal is to protect and enhance 30,000 acres of
habitat for
elk and other wildlife by the end of 2007. The initiative benefits not
only elk and landowners, but also many wildlife and plant species, soil and
water resources, our quality of life, and family heritage and traditions.
Your support of the Black Hills Conservation Initiative will help us:
• Work with willing landowners, federal and state agencies partners and non-
governmental organizations to protect key parcels that connect significant
habitats through conservation easements, acquisitions and exchanges.
• Partner with agencies and
private landowners to
maintain and restore healthy
and productive ecosystems
through prescribed burns,
noxious weed treatments,
water developments, aspen
regeneration, wildlife-friendly
fence projects and other habitat enhancement methods.
• Fund youth programs, interpretive signs and exhibits, educator’s workshops
and other conservation education projects aimed at increasing awareness of
and appreciation for wildlife and the importance of conservation.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is leading the effort
to protect the unique landscapes of the Black Hills.
We need your help to raise $3 million to conserve and
enhance 30,000 acres in the Black Hills by the end
of 2007.
Contact:
Larry Baesler
, Lands Program Manager
2021 Selkirk Place, Rapid City, SD 57702
605-348-1094,
lbaesler@rmef.org
