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Projects - Royal Teton Project

Upper Yellowstone Valley, Montana

The Royal Teton Ranch bordering Yellowstone National Park constitutes some of the most critical private lands in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Following the blue-ribbon Yellowstone River north from the Park, the Royal Teton property is vital for the habitat needs of elk, native bighorn sheep, mule deer, antelope, and bison. Grizzly bears, gray wolves, wolverines and bald eagles also depend on this habitat, which sits atop important geothermal systems. The land varies from high desert and rolling river bottom land, to rock escarpments and north slope forest reaching to timberline.

A former effort by the U.S. Forest Service and a coalition of conservation-minded groups to secure this important habitat for public ownership failed when the land was sold by Malcolm Forbes to the Church Universal and Triumphant in 1981. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation now has the opportunity to cooperate with the U.S. Forest Service and the Church to protect more than 7,850 acres of the Royal Teton Ranch through public acquisition and conservation easements. Estimated purchase costs range from $13 – 15 million. The United States government has approved $6.5 million from 1998 Land and Conservation funds to aid in this purchase. An addition $6.5 is expected to be approved in 1999.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is currently raising funds to assist in the acquisition of this property. The land transaction will permanently protect critical winter and migratory habitat for many species of wildlife while providing public access to nearly 8,000 acres of land. Our goal is to raise $220,000 to aid in land purchases and to cover costs the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will occur in negotiating this purchase.

Local RMEF chapters may assist in this fund raising effort by adopting the Royal Teton project as a fund raising activity of the local chapter. The chapter that adopts this project will receive credit for all funds raised by the chapter for the Royal Teton Project and be eligible for special prizes available only to chapters that adopt the project. Prizes include a trip to the Royal Teton Project site where core committee members will be hosted by the Montana Volunteer Advisory Committee to a tour of the Yellowstone National Park, Float trip down the Yellowstone River and a horse trip into the Royal Teton project area. Food and loading will be provided.

Chapters desiring to Adopt the Royal Teton Project may contact Brad or Shelly Borden at (406) 755-8121 or email at gfd@onyx.digisys.net.

Clearwater Basin is part of the much larger Rocky Mountain ecosystem. Large fires and elk populations come together in this area. Three large wildfires (1910, 1919, and 1934) created optimum habitat for elk. The population boomed. In 1939 there was a very cold, long winter, the elk population crashed. Idaho Fish and Game officials had to dispose of hundreds of elk along the Lochsa River. Shortly after the die-off, the population rebounded. Hunting pressure increased, thus impacting the population. In 1976 elk harvest state- wide was restricted to bull only from previous either sex seasons. Through the 1980's the population grew to an all time high. However, the 1990's have brought declines. Hunting pressure has steadily increased and herd health has steadily decreased. At the same time, forage in the life-giving shrub fields has diminished. The winter of 1996/97 was another long, cold winter. There were losses of up to 50% of the herd in some Clearwater game units.

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