With the rapid loss of open space to development, wildlife habitat is being reduced at a rate of 7 square miles per day. Arizona’s elk herds are loosing traditional migration corridors, calving grounds, forage meadows and other important habitat. The new “Habitat Partners of Arizona” program is designed to help protect that land. The main focus of this program will be to preserve land and prevent the rapid decline of Arizona’s elk habitat.
By donating to the Arizona Elk Society Habitat Partners of Arizona program, you will help further our mission to benefit elk and other wildlife though habitat conservation. Your donation will ensure that we will be able to pass on the legacy to future generations of young people.
An agreement between landowners and a qualified conservation organization in which the owner of the land agrees to place restrictions on the type and amount of development that can take place on the property. Conservation easements can provide tax breaks for private landowners and ensure that the ranchers and landowners continue operations on the ranch while limiting the loss of habitat through land development.
A gift of land or real estate from a corporation or private landowner. If the land is not wildlife habitat, the AES will sell it and use the proceeds to protect wildlife habitat elsewhere. If the land contains good habitat, the AES may convey it to the appropriate wildlife agency or resell the property with a conservation easement in place.
The purchase of property with a portion of the price being discounted as a property donation. The AES pays the landowner a portion of the price and the landowner then donates the remaining value as a tax deductible charitable donation.
In accomplishing the Burro Creek realignment, the Arizona Elk Society was able to purchase a grazing allotment, realign the grazing pastures, and gain significant wildlife habitat. These type of projects bring together many agencies and individuals to work together to improve habitat to benefit all parties.
Arizona Elk Society's Board of Directors saw a need to focus efforts to set aside land such as riparian areas, critical winter range, migration corridors, quality calving grounds and forage meadows. The plan included offering conservation easements to landowners that will help them continue operations on their land while limiting the loss of wildlife habitat through development. At the same time as these issues were being worked, the AES Board of Directors saw a need to raise funds in order to conserve land as wildlife habitat without taking away from the funds raised for on the ground improvements and youth projects. Thus was the Habitat Partners of Arizona program established.
Arizona's conservation leader