Mule Deer Foundation Invests to Benefit California’s Mule Deer, Sage Grouse and Other Wildlife
Mule Deer Foundation 01.28.13
The Mule Deer Foundation donated 11,600 pounds of Sage Brush seed valued at $253,000 to reseed important California wildlife habitat destroyed by fire.
MDF donated the seed to the Eagle Lake Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Susanville, CA to reseed portions of Eastern Lassen County, which was devastated by one of California’s largest fires in recent history. The Rush Fire destroyed more than 315,000 acres, including some of the best deer hunting habitat in the state.
MDF California Regional Director Randy Morrison said, “The Rush Fire burned almost exclusively in hunting unit X5B, a limited-entry only area, and 80% of it was burned completely to the ground. It was critical deer habitat that is now gone. It looks like the dark side of the moon. It needs this help from MDF.”
He said the seed from MDF conservation partner Native Seed Company of Lehi, UT will help restore approximately 75,000 acres of habitat for both mule deer and sage grouse, as well as a host of other wildlife species.
Morrison worked with Valda Lockie of the BLM and Justin Dean, owner of Native Seed, which will store it until next summer, when the BLM will begin planting.
Volunteers who want to help bring this area back to life are encouraged to contact Randy Morrison with the Mule Deer Foundation at 707-592-9998. There will be seed planting opportunities as well as a number of water development projects.
The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) and its corps of volunteers work hard to ensure the conservation of mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat. MDF is a non-profit 501(c) 3 wildlife conservation organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Formed in July 1988, MDF now has over 14,000 members and almost 100 chapters nationwide who support its grassroots efforts. Through chapter fundraising events, MDF volunteers raise thousands of dollars to help fund habitat and conservation projects throughout the West.
