Thank you for your continued support of the Arizona Elk Society (AES). This year has been a growth year for the Arizona Elk Society. The AES has new agreements with the USFS to increase the amount of Wildlife Habitat Restoration work, all our successes and growth is made possible by people like you! Moving beyond big game, AES takes a holistic and service-based approach to conservation, benefiting elk and other wildlife now and in the future. From providing boots-on-the-ground habitat restoration work to delivering educational programming to our future wildlife stewards, you make possible the vital work it takes to educate, protect, and conserve.
When you support AES, you make a difference for Arizona's wildlife, habitat, youth, and wounded veterans. Your donations stay in Arizona! No funds are passed on to national organizations because, with your help, we can provide transformational programming that directly benefits Arizona wildlife and communities. With your support, AES helped restore Arizona's elk population from 0 to nearly 50,000 since their reintroduction to Arizona in 1913. Together, we can continue these efforts!
Your support of AES is used to address our four focus areas:
Habitat Restoration Projects - Healthy habitats are key to the conservation of wildlife. With our new agreements in Arizona forests where elk live and prosper AES's impact has grown and is making your support more meaningful than ever. We now have contractors working constantly throughout the elk range through the summer and fall months. AES still coordinates large-scale volunteer efforts to restore the watershed, native grasslands, and forest areas, and this year completed numerous projects including the Houston Draw riparian restoration on the Mogollon Rim, multiple wetlands and important wildlife corridors have been protected and improved, and working with USFS AES has replaced numerous old, dilapidated wire fences with new pipe rail fence to protect wetlands, springs and aspens. With support from people like you, in the last year, we increased thousands of acres of biodiversity, wildlife movement corridors, water for wildlife storage, flood control, and recreation opportunities. You can help AES fulfill its mission of benefiting all Arizona wildlife species. Working in partnership with communities and other organizations like the Arizona Game and Fish Department, USFS, State Lands, SRP, and more, we can have a transformational impact on these lands.
Youth Programs - In 2024, AES continued our work to educate and engage future wildlife stewards in youth programs emphasizing responsible recreation, respect for the land and wildlife, and the many benefits of connecting in outdoor spaces. You helped AES facilitate fun and educational programs for the youth of all ages, both our Wild-in-the-City and Wapiti Weekend Youth Camps sold out in days and volunteers showed up in mass to teach the kids new Outdoor Skills. Our highly successful Unit 6A/5BS Junior Elk Camp resulted in our highest percentage of successful youth this year along with our spring 14th Marvin Robbins Memorial Youth Turkey Hunt Camp and learning adventures across Arizona. Together with the support of donors like you, AES creates fun opportunities for young people to develop a love and passion for ethical outdoor recreation. You can help continue educating our youth on the importance of wildlife conservation, ensuring our wildlife species are protected now and for the future.
Water for Wildlife - Tragically, Arizona is losing thousands of acres of wildlife habitat each year, which means that elk and other animals have increasingly limited access to water. The situation is predicted to worsen in the coming years. Wildlife water catchments are a critical habitat feature for water distribution to all wildlife species. With support from people like you, AES volunteers have hauled well over four million gallons of water to drought-stricken areas of elk range and restored and maintained more than four hundred wildlife water catchments in northern Arizona for the survival and betterment of all wildlife. Your donation helps AES maintain and fill these catchments, preventing the catastrophic loss of wildlife and helping to preserve our hunting heritage and connections to the land.
Heroes Rising Outdoors - Time spent outdoors is healing. Every year, AES helps veterans experience this healing through the Heroes Rising Outdoors (HRO) program. HRO provides 125+ outdoor experiences yearly for wounded veterans, assisting with their recovery. With support from people like you, AES proudly launched HRO in 2016, and every year we build on it to provide even greater opportunities for our nation's heroes. You help us provide FREE outdoor recreational experiences, including hunting, fly fishing, equine therapy, kayaking, fishing, camping, and getting involved in AES's volunteer wildlife habitat projects. When you give to AES, you directly support the health and well-being of Arizona's wounded veterans, an important way to say "thank you" for their service and sacrifices.
You can continue to make possible the many efforts AES steadfastly undertakes to benefit Arizona's wildlife and communities. As 2024 ends, we are excitedly planning more educational programming, volunteer events, and habitat restoration projects for 2025. With your generous support, we can make an enormous difference. In the face of increased population, growth, drought, and habitat degradation, we must join to conserve wildlife and preserve our ethical hunting heritage.
Enclosed you will find our end-of-year giving form. Support all AES programs with an end-of-year donation in the amount of $25, $50, $100, or more! In addition to a one-time gift, please consider participating in our recurring monthly giving program. This enables supporters like you to give consistently to advance AES initiatives. We also offer lifetime memberships and planned giving opportunities to support the longevity of our work.
Sincerely,
Steve Clark,
Executive Director Arizona Elk Society
