A century of suppressing fire continues to take a toll on wildlife, wildlife habitat and even forest health.
As part of a multi-year forest restoration effort in western Montana, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supplied funding for habitat work in 2023 and 2024 just west of Missoula.
Crews thinned forestland by taking to both the ground and the skies to ignite more than 450 acres of prescribed burning.
The fire burned overgrown ground cover and deadfall, replacing it with regenerating grasses, shrubs and more palatable forage for elk, mule and whitetail deer, and moose while improving habitat for wild turkey, grouse, owls and other wildlife.
Prescribed burning also removes ladder fuels that can lead to high intensity fires.
Land managers plan to annually monitor the impact of burn intensity and effectiveness to determine when future periodic habitat enhancement actions will be needed.
Restoring elk country is core to RMEF’s mission of ensuring the future of elk, other wildlife, their habitat and our hunting heritage.
Since 1984, RMEF helped conserve or enhance more than 9.1 million acres of wildlife habitat.