MISSOULA, Mont. — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation successfully worked with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to acquire 1,731 acres of wildlife habitat in the heart of the state’s elk range that is now a part of State Game Lands 14.
“This transaction conserves and protects crucial winter, year-round and transitional habitat for elk but also for whitetail deer, black bears, small mammals, turkeys, upland and songbirds, and many other wildlife species,” said Jenn Doherty, RMEF managing director of Mission Operations. “And it conserves nearly two miles of Big Run, more than a mile of Trout Run and other stream tributaries that supply vital riparian habitat for wild brook trout.”
The project is about five miles east of Saint Marys. It connects State Game Lands (SGL) 14 to public forest game property that joins SGL 293 and the Elk State Forest, forming a contiguous link of more than 21,500 acres of Pennsylvania Game Commission-managed public land previously separated by the Goetz Summit property, which bolsters future land and wildlife management.
It’s a valuable acquisition with a bright future, made possible through RMEF, said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith.
“Since their first land acquisition project east of the Mississippi in 1991, RMEF has been a vital partner in expanding and protecting habitat for elk and other Pennsylvania wildlife,” said Smith. “With this most recent project, RMEF continues to demonstrate their commitment to elk and elk habitat protection in the core of Pennsylvania’s elk range. By getting this land into public ownership, RMEF has helped the Game Commission expand habitat management opportunities, as well as opportunities for both hunters and non-hunters who enjoy the outdoors. We look forward to future partnerships with RMEF and thank them for assisting in another great addition to the state game lands.”
Recent logging operations created wildlife openings, enhancing meadows and creating early seral habitat ideal for elk and other wildlife.
The property is within 20 miles of more than 30 earlier RMEF land conservation and habitat stewardship projects, including one that conserved and opened access to 649 acres in late 2023. Since 1991, RMEF worked with partners in Pennsylvania to conserve or enhance 31,871 acres and open or improve public access to 14,316 acres.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission, Open Space Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, and other funding directed to RMEF for Pennsylvania habitat conservation supplied financial backing for the project.
About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Founded in 1984 and fueled by hunters, RMEF has conserved more than 8.9 million acres for elk and other wildlife. RMEF also works to open and improve public access, fund and advocate for science-based resource management, and ensure the future of America’s hunting heritage. Discover why “Hunting Is Conservation” ® at rmef.org or 800-CALL ELK.