Many non-governmental organizations (NGO) focus on taking land for protection. The Wilburforce Foundation has the same objectives, provides funding to Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y), and funds many Y2Y partners. In the Y2Y High Divide, which includes the Salmon-Challis area, this is no exception. The Heart of the Rockies Initiative (HORI), a land trust "partnership" and Y2Y partner, also works in the High Divide area but their map is more extensive into the Salmon-Selway. A list of those funded NGOs are on Wilburforce website, and while the funding years go back farther, 2018 and 2019 will be the focus here. All of these NGOs are in the Y2Y program areas.
2019 Funding Page 3 - Organization - Greater Yellowstone Coalition Organization - Heart of the Rockies Initiative Grant - Wildlife & Habitat Protection in the High Divide Grant - General Support Amount - $100,000 Amount - $100,000 Organization - Future West Grant - Protect Landscapes & Building Conservation Capacity in High Divide Amount - $45,000 2018 Funding Page 7 - Organization - American Rivers Grant - Protecting and Restoring Wild Rivers and Riverside lands in the Pacific Northwest Amount - $75,000 Page 9 - Organization - Future West Grant - Protect Landscapes & Building Conservation Capacity in High Divide Amount - $45,000 Organization - Greater Yellowstone Coalition Grant - Wildlife & Habitat Protection in the High Divide Amount - $50,000 Page 10 - Organization - Heart of the Rockies Initiative Organization - Heart of the Rockies Initiative Grant - Rural Collaborative Conservation Grant - General Support Amount - $50,000 Amount - $100,000 Organization - Lemhi Regional Land Trust Organization - Salmon Valley Stewardship Grant - General Support Grant - General Support Amount - $30,000 Amount - $40,000 HORI coordinates the High Divide Collaborative (HDC). Participants in this collaborative include other NGOS such as Y2Y, land trusts, federal agencies, Idaho and Montana state agencies, and Salmon Valley Stewardship (SVS). But the conflict of interest goes further. The HDC Coordinating Committee includes members from Y2Y, Central Idaho Public Lands Collaborative (CIPLC), SVS, and Lemhi Forest Restoration Group, which is coordinated by SVS. Interestingly, Merrill Beyeler is listed as a private landowner and rancher yet he is also listed as a principle officer on the 2017 Lemhi Regional Land Trust tax form. Who is he actually representing and why the misrepresentation? It is the Heart of the Rockies Initiative driving the narrative and decisions on the Salmon-Challis forest plan revision through its partnerships and strategically placed individuals into each group, and its relationship with the U.S. Forest Service. It is no wonder NGOs are advancing their objectives in the forest plan revision with their financial backing and influence over the forest service. These funding mechanisms and partnerships should be challenged for biased and pre-determined decisions in the revision. It leaves little room for the citizens to have a voice and it is nothing but a sham to purport community collaboration with citizen involvement when these NGOs, state and federal agencies, and land trusts have been working together for their own agenda.
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