May 1, 2007
Contact: Miles Moretti
Tel.: 801-230-2207
E-mail: president@muledeer.org
Cache Deer Herd Recovery Plan Leader Awarded
the Mule Deer Foundation’s Conservation Leadership Award
(Left to Right) MDF President Miles Moretti with Conservation
Leadership Award winner Justin Dolling, Wildlife Manager, Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources, and Bill Burbridge, Board of
Directors.
MDF presented the award April 25, 2007 at the DWR’s
Annual
Awards banquet in Salt Lake City.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Justin Dolling, Wildlife Manager, Northern Region of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) was recently presented the Mule Deer Foundation’s (MDF) Conservation Leadership Award at the DWR’s Annual Awards banquet held in Salt Lake City April 25, 2007.
MDF President Miles Moretti said, “Justin led a diverse committee of citizens and DWR employees through an often contentious but ultimately successful, year-long public involvement process to develop and implement a comprehensive Cache Deer Herd Recovery Plan.”
State and Federal agencies and conservation organizations involved in the public process included the Mule Deer Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Bridgerland Outdoor Coalition, Utah Cattlemen’s Association, Sportsmen For Fish and Wildlife, Utah Wildlife Federation, Utah Parks and Recreation’s ATV Advisory Committee, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Northern Region Advisory Council and others.
“Recent Utah Wildlife Board actions, including passing unique deer/elk hunting strategies and antler gathering restrictions, are testimony to Justin’s leadership in guiding the development of this Plan,” Moretti continued.
Additional indicators of success include the organized groups’ efforts to secure funding and support for habitat restoration, protection of winter habitat through conservation easements, installation of deer crossing signals, expansion of predator control efforts, conduct limited winter feeding, increase ATV misuse penalties and numerous other actions to help the Cache Deer Herd move toward recovery after it was decimated in the severe winter of 1992-93.
Moretti concluded, “As a result of Justin’s leadership, the outlook for the recovery of the Mule Deer populations on the Cache Deer Herd Unit have turned from dismal to ‘cautiously optimistic.’”
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The Mule Deer Foundation is a national non-profit 501(c) 3 organization, with over 10,000 members. MDF’s mission is to ensure the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer and their habitats.
For information about the Mule Deer Foundation or to join please call 1-888-375-DEER (3337) or visit www.muledeer.org.