The arizona ELK society cooperative agreement 2025 is a statewide effort to enhance wildlife habitat on private lands throughout arizona, with a particular focus on native grasslands, riparian…

The Arizona Elk Society received a $205,000 Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (CFDA 15.631), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. Over this three-year period, the organization will deliver on-the-ground habitat conservation and restoration services across private lands throughout Arizona, with emphasis on native grasslands, riparian corridors, wetlands, and springs. Implementation activities include invasive species removal, water development enhancements, restoration of degraded riparian areas, and livestock management improvements designed to reduce pressure on sensitive ecosystems and support federal trust species, including threatened and endangered wildlife, migratory birds, and large game species such as elk, pronghorn, and deer.

The Arizona Elk Society will execute this statewide effort in collaboration with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), other nonprofit partners, and private landowners. Project phases include landowner engagement and identification, site-specific planning, and restoration implementation. The agreement aligns with existing conservation strategies, including species recovery plans, Arizona's State Wildlife Action Plan, and landscape-level initiatives such as the Fort Huachuca Sentinel Landscape, addressing critical ecological stressors including habitat fragmentation, altered water regimes, invasive vegetation, and landscape connectivity constraints.

The arizona ELK society cooperative agreement 2025 is a statewide effort to enhance wildlife habitat on private lands throughout arizona, with a particular focus on native grasslands, riparian corridors, wetlands, and springs. These landscapes are vital to the survival of federal trust species, including threatened and endangered wildlife, migratory birds, and large game species such as ELK, pronghorn, and deer that depend on healthy migration corridors. Over three years, the project will implement on-the-ground conservation practices in collaboration with private landowners. The work aims to enhance habitat quality, restore hydrological function, and enhance landscape connectivity across working lands. The arizona ELK society (AES), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and wildlife services partners for fish and wildlife program, will coordinate the effort alongside the arizona game and fish department, nrcs, and other nonprofit organizations. Activities may include invasive species removal, enhancement of water developments, restoration of degraded riparian areas, and improvements to livestock management that reduce pressure on sensitive ecosystems. Each partner will contribute expertise and support throughout the planning, implementation, and monitoring phases of the project. Landowners will play a central role in both installing and maintaining conservation practices. This effort supports existing conservation strategies, including species recovery plans, arizonas state wildlife action plan, and collaborative landscape-level efforts such as the fort huachuca sentinel landscape. IT addresses stressors like habitat fragmentation, altered water regimes, invasive vegetation, and overuse of sensitive areas, all of which threaten ecological function and species persistence. Activities will be completed over three years, beginning with project identification and landowner engagement, followed by site-specific planning and restoration implementation.work under this cooperative agreement supports several of the goals of the department of interiors FY 2026-2030 strategic plan draft framework: under goal 2 of the framework is objective 2.1, which states that interior resources protect people and property. The proposed work may reduce hazardous fuels and threats from wildfire, protecting human habitation while also reducing subsequent erosion and sedimentation, thus providing economic and ecological safety. Under goal 3 of the framework is objective 3.3: restore lands and waters. The goal of this agreement is to restore or enhance riparian, stream, and upland habitats. Under goal 4 of the framework is objective 4.2: work collaboratively with states, partners, and governments. Under this cooperative agreement, the service will collaborate with numerous internal and external partners to secure, develop, and maintain high-quality habitat restoration projects on private lands. These partners include the arizona ELK society, the arizona game fish department, nrcs, local conservation districts, and private landowners. This project will directly benefit migratory birds and game species such as ELK and mule deer. In addition, this work will support populations of native pollinators and other federal trust species by enhancing and restoring ecological structure and function across the landscape. The societal benefits include contributing to the local economy by contracting with local nonprofits