Eastern elk inhabit areas such as reclaimed coal mines and mixed hardwood forests, which differ significantly from Western habitat. Therefore, tailor-made strategies are necessary to address the unique ecological conditions of Eastern landscapes. Prescribed fire and herbicide treatments could greatly enhance forage availability for Eastern elk. These practices need to be studied, however, so that managers can gain information on how best to apply them and even predict effectiveness. It takes funding and mobilization to carry out the research.
The primary goals of the research project within Eastern elk zones includes broadening our understanding of these populations and creating or expanding data sets. In many cases this data will be the first of its kind to exist for these populations and is vitally important. Needs extend to testing the feasibility of scalable, cost-effective monitoring approaches.
This research directly supports long-term mission goals at RMEF. The research frontier for getting good, solid facts about Eastern elk is still a relatively new one. It is an exciting time to follow RMEF and our position at the forefront of research and gathering data. With good data, solid management practices and science-based conservation, we can maintain and improve elk health, benefitting the animals, hunters and local economies.
The findings will help guide RMEF’s conservation investment strategy, ensuring that future habitat grants are backed by clear evidence of biological benefit and allowing for more efficient allocation of resources across Eastern elk landscapes. These projects’ rigorous approaches—looking closely at population trends and elk forage—will generate insights extending beyond elk, with potential ecosystem-level benefits for other species sharing these landscapes including white-tailed deer.