The wheels are in motion for the formation of the first chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in this part of the province.
The RMEF’s presence in Northwestern Ontario would help facilitate additional fundraising efforts for elk restoration projects, such as the one now underway near Cameron Lake.
Some nine chapters exist in eastern Ontario, where elk populations also have been re-introduced.
An initial meeting was held Jan. 28 between some members of the Northwestern Ontario Elk Restoration Coalition and Robin Van Koughnett, with the RMEF.
While decisions have yet to be made on a RMEF branch executive and what kind of fundraisers will be targeted, no insurmountable hurdles were foreseen in getting an area chapter off the ground, said Larry Fontana, who is helping facilitate the group.
“We have people out researching different [fundraisers] like raffles, dinners, and golf tournaments [and] in another week or so, we should know more about which direction we may be going,” he said.
“[The RMEF] already has spent thousands of dollars here and are committed to spending thousands more,” NOERC co-chair Mike Solomon noted yesterday.
“They are not a political lobby group but are totally committed to restoring elk and elk habitat,” he stressed.
Van Koughnett, Canadian field director for the RMEF, helps develop chapters throughout Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario as well as provide support and training of fundraising programs for members.
While he was reluctant to tack a dollar figure on the cost of elk restoration projects, Van Koughnett admitted they were very expensive ventures and so challenging to support–but important nonetheless.
“These projects are costly but . . . we are expected to double our population in North America in the next 100 years so it is important to preserve wildlife habitat, to relocate these animals into areas where they once [flourished], and to preserve those [herds],” he argued.
“Fundraising is hard to do because there are lots of other sportsmen’s groups doing the same thing but they’re not competing with us, they’re trying to fundraise alongside us,” Van Koughnett continued.
“If you look at the big picture, we are all out there to save wildlife so it doesn’t really matter which one gets the money as long as it’s going to wildlife,” he reasoned.
In related news, NOERC is expecting an additional transfer of 12-14 bull elk from Elk Island National Park in Alberta to Cameron Lake in about a week.
The animals will round out the herd of 48 animals brought to the site last month.
The herd was released from the pen into the wild Jan. 29 after a short time during which their health and adaptability were monitored.
“As far as we can tell, some of the elk have travelled as far away as 22 km, with other sub-groups of up to 15, and a larger group of calves and cows staying around the pen,” said Solomon.
The bulls also will be kept in the pen until they settle in and show no signs of ill health or shock from the long trip from Alberta.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
