Vital Ground Foundation Inc

PROTECT AND RESTORE NORTH AMERICA'S GRIZZLY BEAR POPULATIONS BY CONSERVING WILDLIFE HABITAT.

LAND CONSERVATION: VITAL GROUND IDENTIFIES CRUCIAL GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT ON PRIVATELY OWNED LAND AND WORKS WITH WILLING LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT THE LAND'S CONSERVATION VALUES. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY ACQUIRING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THROUGH DONATION OR BARGAIN PURCHASE, OR BY PURCHASING LAND IN FEE TITLE THEN MANAGING IT TO BENEFIT WILDLIFE AND THE PUBLIC. VITAL GROUND HAS A PERPETUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MONITOR THE LANDS ON WHICH IT HOLDS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. VITAL GROUND ALSO MANAGES AND WORKS TO RESTORE THE LAND IT OWNS TO PROVIDE QUALITY HABITAT FOR THE BENEFIT OF GRIZZLY BEARS AND OTHER WILDLIFE. IN ADDITION TO DEVELOPING AND MANAGING ITS OWN PROJECTS, VITAL GROUND STRATEGICALLY PROVIDES GRANTS TO AGENCIES, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND OTHER NONPROFIT CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSIST THEIR EFFORTS TO CONSERVE AND RESTORE IMPORTANT WILDLIFE HABITAT AND PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE. 2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:CONSERVATION EASEMENTS-ACQUIRED TWO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IN MONTANA TOTALING 59 ACRES THAT PROTECT HIGHLY THREATENED GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT IN THE NORTHERN CONTINENTAL DIVIDE RECOVERY AREA AND A KEY LINKAGE AREA BETWEEN THE NORTHERN CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND CABINET-YAAK GRIZZLY BEAR RECOVERY AREAS.-MONITORED TWENTY-ONE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY VITAL GROUND IN MONTANA, THREE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY VITAL GROUND IN IDAHO, AND FOUR U.S. FOREST SERVICE FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF LANDS IN IDAHO.LAND ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT-ACQUIRED ONE PROPERTY TOTALING 98 ACRES IN FEE-TITLE IN IDAHO TO PROTECT WILDLIFE HABITAT AND SCENIC VALUES, AND TO SPECIFICALLY CONSERVE KEY GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT IN THE SELKIRK MOUNTAINS ECOSYSTEMS.-ACQUIRED THREE PROPERTIES TOTALING 135 ACRES IN FEE-TITLE IN MONTANA TO PROTECT WILDLIFE HABITAT AND SCENIC VALUES, AND TO SPECIFICALLY CONSERVE KEY GRIZZLY BEAR HABITAT IN THE CABINET-YAAK ECOSYSTEMS.-CONTINUED PROMOTING THE GOALS OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE'S COMMUNITY FOREST AND OPEN SPACE PROGRAM THROUGH FOREST STEWARDSHIP ACTIVITIES AT VITAL GROUND'S ALVORD LAKE COMMUNITY FOREST, CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC STAKEHOLDERS' COMMITTEE THAT GUIDES MANAGEMENT OF THE FOREST.-MONITORED AND MANAGED FOUR FEE-TITLE CONSERVATION PROPERTIES IN IDAHO AND SIX FEE-TITLE CONSERVATION PROPERTIES IN MONTANA.-CONDUCTED WILDLIFE HABITAT ENHANCEMENT ACTIVITIES ON PROPERTIES IN BONNER COUNTY, IDAHO, AND IN LINCOLN AND SANDERS COUNTIES, MONTANA.

CONSERVATION EDUCATION: VITAL GROUND PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT GRIZZLY BEAR AND ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION THROUGH ITS PRINT AND DIGITAL PUBLICATIONS, SPECIAL MAILINGS, WEBSITE, EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, IN-PERSON AND ONLINE EVENTS, VIDEOS AND OTHER MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PARTICIPATES IN COLLABORATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION OF GRIZZLY BEARS AND THEIR HABITAT, PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND HUMANS AND ENHANCE THE SURVIVAL OF GRIZZLY BEARS. 2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:-PRODUCED 11,000 COPIES OF VITAL NEWS, THE ORGANIZATION'S BIANNUAL 16-PAGE PRINT NEWSLETTER THAT REPORTS ON GRIZZLY BEAR AND WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION ISSUES AS WELL AS PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.-PRODUCED 12 MONTHLY EMAIL NEWSLETTERS ("VITAL ENEWS") PLUS 1-2 OTHER EMAIL CAMPAIGNS PER MONTH, EACH DISTRIBUTED TO APPROXIMATELY 9,500 UNIQUE RECIPIENTS (322,115 TOTAL COMMUNICATIONS). THESE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS REPORTED ON GRIZZLY BEAR AND WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION ISSUES, EMERGING PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES, CONSERVATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CONSERVATION AND BUSINESS PARTNERS, FUNDING NEEDS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT VITAL GROUND'S MISSION.-PRODUCED OTHER ASSORTED PRINT POSTCARDS AND PROMOTIONS THAT REPORTED ON GRIZZLY BEAR AND WILDLIFE HABITAT CONSERVATION ISSUES, EMERGING PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES, CONSERVATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CONSERVATION AND BUSINESS PARTNERS, FUNDING NEEDS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT VITAL GROUND'S MISSION.-MAINTAINED A WEBSITE (WWW.VITALGROUND.ORG), INCLUDING A BLOG UPDATED MULTIPLE TIMES PER MONTH (32 TOTAL POSTS IN 2023), THAT PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT GRIZZLY BEARS AND ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE, NEWS AND SCIENCE UPDATES ON WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ISSUES, CURRENT GRIZZLY BEAR CONSERVATION PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES, AND VITAL GROUND CONSERVATION PROJECT AND PARTNER ACCOMPLISHMENTS. VITAL GROUND'S WEBSITE EXPERIENCED 86,171 USERS AND 164,954 SESSIONS DURING 2023.-PRODUCED FOUR NEW VIDEOS AND GREW VITAL GROUND'S YOUTUBE AUDIENCE BY ROUGHLY 5,000 FOLLOWERS TO A TOTAL OF 28,000 SUBSCRIBERS. -PROMOTED WILDLIFE HABITAT PROTECTION, GRIZZLY BEAR NATURAL HISTORY AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION TOPICS THROUGH DAILY POSTS TO A SOCIAL MEDIA AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 90,000 FOLLOWERS ACROSS SEVERAL PLATFORMS.

OTHER: IN ADDITION TO ITS HABITAT CONSERVATION AND CONSERVATION EDUCATION PROGRAMS, THE VITAL GROUND FOUNDATION ALSO PARTNERS WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND TRIBAL AGENCIES, OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS PREVENTING CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE. THROUGH ITS 2023 CONSERVATION PARTNERS PROGRAM, VITAL GROUND AWARDED $45,041 IN SMALL GRANTS TO 15 LOCAL COMMUNITIES, ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES WORKING TO PREVENT CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE IN 14 HIGH PRIORITY LANDSCAPES. THESE INVESTMENTS HELPED:-PROTECT 75,000 ACRES OF LIVESTOCK RANGE USING RANGE RIDERS.-CONSTRUCT 13 ELECTRIC FENCES TO SECURE CHICKEN COOPS, ORCHARDS, AND LIVESTOCK.-DISTRIBUTE 74 BEAR RESISTANT GARBAGE CONTAINERS.-REMOVE 588 LIVESTOCK CARCASSES IN AREAS PRONE TO WILDLIFE CONFLICT.-PROVIDE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO MORE THAN 6,000 PEOPLE AT EVENTS, MAILINGS, AND BEAR SPRAY TRAINING SESSIONS. -GLEAN 469 POUNDS OF APPLES AND 1,010 POUNDS OF PEARS. PROACTIVE PREVENTION OF AVOIDABLE CONFLICTS BETWEEN BEARS AND PEOPLE IS CRITICAL TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE BROADER PUBLIC ACCEPTING THE PRESENCE OF GRIZZLIES AS THE SPECIES RECOVERS AND EXPANDS BACK INTO HABITAT WHERE IT HAS BEEN ABSENT - IN SOME CASES FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.