Perhaps the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is best known for its conservation, public access, habitat enhancement and wildlife management work. However, staffers spend considerable time and effort behind the scenes –and have done so for years- developing and strengthening relationships with policymakers in all political parties to further mission advocacy efforts. Recently, an RMEF delegation visited the Montana State Capitol. Below are the words of Ryan Bronson, RMEF director of government affairs.
RMEF has a contract lobbyist working the halls most days of the session, but on this day, senior staff make the trek to Helena to meet specifically with members of the State Land Board and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP). The day happened to be Nonprofit Day at the Capitol as well, and RMEF is working with the Montana Nonprofit Association on legislation to allow the use of credit cards to purchase raffle tickets.
RMEF spent a great deal of time with Governor Greg Gianforte, covering a wide array of topics. The governor has supported RMEF’s projects before the land board in the past (like creation of the Big Snowy Mountains Wildlife Management Area in 2022) and outlined his priorities of access and habitat for future projects. RMEF also discussed conservation funding and legislative issues, particularly issues relating to FWP, grizzly delisting and conservation easements. At the close of the meeting, the governor thanked RMEF for always bringing reason to conversations about conservation.
RMEF staff met with the new FWP Director Christy Clark at FWP headquarters, next door to the Capitol. Director Clark formerly led the state agriculture department and expressed a commitment to build trust between agriculture and FWP. The goal of increased cooperation between landowners and sportsmen and women is to increase access to private lands through block management and other efforts, to increase wardens’ responsiveness to problems on private lands and to improve elk management. We also talked about increased engagement on migration corridors and highway crossings, and the improving cooperation the agency is building with the Montana Department of Transportation.
RMEF staff met with newly elected Montana Office of Public Instruction Superintendent Susie Hedalen and her staff to primarily discuss the State Land Board, but we also spent a lot of time talking about hunter education and school archery programs. Hedalen is a hunter herself, who has benefitted from access to public lands and was able to articulate her thoughts on generating financial support for schools through the land board and improving habitat and access.
RMEF staff met with Secretary of State Christy Jacobsen’s staff Austin James to discuss the land board. The discussion focused mostly on access issues, with a fair amount of discussion about hunting.
RMEF was the first organization to meet with Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown (no photo available) since he took office earlier in the month to talk about the land board. Commissioner Brown committed to having an open mind on every project that comes before the board, while maximizing revenue for schools. RMEF explained the due diligence and vetting that projects go through before RMEF brings them forward for state approval.
(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation)