HART MOUNTAIN NAR IN-HOLDING ACQUISITION

On behalf of the Friends of Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge (HMNAR) Board of Directors I am seeking your support for an important new initiative.  Friends, together with the staff of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) who manage Hart Mountain are committed to developing a plan to acquire, from willing sellers/donor, the private properties within or at the boundaries of the refuge.  The 55 properties within the refuge, referred to as in-holdings, total approximately 6,000 acres.  The new initiative will significantly contribute to the mission of the refuge.

Acquiring in-holdings is very important to the overall health of the refuge.  Currently, private in-holdings create the opportunity for owner initiated development that can compromise the refuge*s mission of management for the benefit of wildlife.  Development can threaten habitat integrity, wildlife numbers, and the wild character of the refuge.  Development risks include vacation homes, loss of water rights, mining, road, and introduction of invasive species.

To begin this acquisition effort, staff and board members have contacted a number of conservation/wildlife organizations about attending a meeting to develop a draft strategic plan.  These organizations include The Nature Conservancy, Trust for Public Land, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, The Conservation Fund, Oregon Hunters Association, The Wilderness Society, and other similar groups.  The goal is to develop a multi-year plan for acquiring in-holdings from willing sellers or donors.  We will use the planned meeting to identify key partners, funding sources, leadership for handling transactions, and marketing strategies.

The Friends Board of Directors has created an acquisition fund.  The Friends of Hart Mountain are asking you to financially support this fund. The fund will create the ability to act quickly, with ready funding, when acquisition opportunities arise. In contrast, it takes at least 6 months to a year for a federal government agency to purchase a tract.  Such a fund also demonstrates our willingness to be an active partner in the acquisition plan.  The fund also gives us leverage in asking for support from other partners and funding sources.

To put acquisition cost into a context, the last two properties acquired by the USFWS at Hart Mountain averaged $200 per acre.  Many of the in-holdings are 20,40, and 60 acre parcels, $4,000, $8,000, and $12,000 respectively.  It is realistic for the Friends of Hart Mountain to raise sufficient fund to acquire a parcel of land, but the opportunities for leveraging other funds would multiply our effort many fold.

My wife, Diana, and I feel so strongly about the need to acquire in-holdings in a place we love and want to see protected that we are donating $400 (the equivalent of 2 acres) to this account.  We are asking you to join us in the important effort and make a financial commitment yourself.

Remember that the Friends of Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge is a 501(c)(3) organization so that your donation is tax deductible.

If you have questions about the fund or the acquisition plan, please feel free to contact me by email dianaken@olywa.net or by phone at (360)754-7371.

Donations should be sent to:

Friends of Hart Mountain

38782 Hart Mountain Rd

Plush, Oregon 97637

Please note on your check that the contribution is for the ‘In-Holding Acquisition Fund."

Sincerely,

Kenneth Guza

President, Friends of Hart Mountain

Home  Volunteer  Calendar of Events  Bio-Notes  Newsletters  Guestbook  Pronghorn Store  Join Us  Donation  Contact Us  Links