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Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Mike Mueller Lands Program Manager 8550 Saint Vrain Way Missoula, MT 59808 Phone (406) 493-6650 [EMAIL REDACTED] www.rmef.org January 14, 2010 Open Space Advisory Committee 600 Cregg Lane Missoula, MT 59801 Dear Open Space Advisory Committee Members and Missoula City Council: The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation would like to go on record as supporting the Ryan Ranch project using Missoula Open Space Bond funds. The North Hills elk population has been well documented over the years and this property is important to its survival and ensuring we keep this elk population wild and free. As residential subdivision continues to threaten our wildlife habitat around our community every once in a while there are opportunities to protect elk habitat in areas that are truly worthy of our conservation efforts. Conservation of the winter range for the North Hills elk population has been a goal of many conservation organizations, including the Elk Foundation, and conservation minded individuals and agencies for years and this conservation easement will contribute to the conservation goals for this region north of Missoula. This property is also an important view shed for the Missoula valley and there are significant public benefits to all of us who live in this valley and look up at this open space every day. If there is a public access component to this project and the property is enrolled in the Block Management Program this would allow more effective management of the elk population and assist with maintaining the elk herd within the area’s carrying capacity. Our thanks go out to the owners of the Ryan Ranch for their conservation efforts here and the Five Valley Land Trust for working to conserve more of our precious wildlife habitat and open spaces. The RMEF supports the use of Open Space Bond funds to complete this conservation easement. The easement would protect the conservation values of this property which are the wildlife habitat and open space values the property provides to the region. Sincerely, Mike Mueller Lands Program Manager CC: Pelah Hoyt, FVLT Jory Dellinger, RMEF Regional Director The Mission of the RMEF is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat.