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Here’s some great news for Nevada residents: the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) has awarded $88,203 in grant funding to be used for habitat and hunting heritage projects within the state. The money will be used for specific projects that will help a variety of wildlife, including elk, across nine counties and impact 2,784 acres.

“Expanding pinyon-juniper growth often chokes out crucial habitat for elk and an array of other wildlife species,” says Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “This funding assists on-the-ground efforts to improve native grasses, sagebrush and other forage.”

According to the Elko Daily Free Press, the funds will be allocated towards on-going projects in Elko, Esmeralda, Humboldt, Lander, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe and White Pine counties that will help travel routes for elk, mule deer, pronghorn and sage grouse; improve livestock grazing on U.S. Bureau of Land Management acreage; and improve habitat by re-seeding areas with native grasses and plants while removing invasives that have taken over the landscape. In addition to habitat improvement initiatives, funds will also go towards activities that promote outdoor exploration and recreation like Nevada’s Outdoor School’s day camps and the Rotary Club of Tonopah Kids Fishing Derby.

With more than 11,000 active volunteers in 500 chapters across the U.S., the RMEF has been able to revitalize more than 6.7 million acres of elk habitat and focus extensively on elk herds in Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Missouri, Virginia and West Virginia. The organization continues to work to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of hunting for the next generation. Thanks to the support of RMEF as well as its members and volunteers, the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitats are more secure for future generations.