In line with a directive to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, the Department of Interior is seeking to implement more active forest management techniques.
“Active land management, including strategic timber harvests, prescribed burns, grazing and other measures, help create the early successional forests that provide the diversity of cover and nutrition elk need to thrive,” Mark Lambrecht, director of government affairs for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, told E&E News.
According to the directive, wildfires charred an average of 3.49 million acres over the last three years.
To date, RMEF has permanently protected or enhanced more than 7.6 million acres of wildlife habitat.
(Photo source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)