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Our end of the year appeal
GET THE JUMP ON TRUMP!?
Donate before the end of the year in case your tax deductions for nonprofits are not as good in the future....
Donate before the end of the year in case your tax deductions for nonprofits are not as good in the future....
This past year a couple of people have told me “Oh, I had heard that you had retired. Are you still working?” I’m not sure how that rumor got around; other than the insidious Russian trolls perhaps, but as Mark Twain might have been misquoted as saying: “reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated”. This all just goes to point out that no one ever retires from conservation. Some of us may retire from research, or teaching, or consulting, or writing or whatever day job we might have had; but it seems like once you begin working for conservation you are in it for the long haul. Trying to keep the planet healthy and pass it on to future generations seems to be a way of life.
So yes, I’m still working at the office. I love the work and don’t know what else I’d do AND, there are more serious threats to our environment than ever before in my lifetime. Like almost everyone I know, I’m not going to go down without a fight. And there are plenty of battles to choose from. We all need to be more engaged and outraged and make our feelings known to those who are now in power. We need to stand up for wildlife and the environment!
As a first start in reaching wider audiences and speaking truth to power, we are proud that we have been able to help Todd Wilkinson launch his Mountain Journal as fiscal sponsor. As soon as I clear up a backlog of projects I hope to contribute to the magazine myself. Mountain Journal has had a very successful fundraising campaign and is well on its way, but as with all charitable enterprises it will need to be sustained with continued support. Craighead Institute has received 5% of donations to Mountain Journal which covered our expenses in keeping their books, writing thank-you letters to their donors, and some help keeping our office open. We have served as MoJo's fiscal sponsor through 2017 and, as we transition into 2018, Mojo will take over all aspects of donation, bookeeping, and correspondence that we have been providing.
To support the other work we do however, requires donations and grants for the Craighead Institute. We need help.
Foundation grants have fallen off steadily in the past decade; in 2017 we only received 4. Despite greatly reduced salaries we still need significant support from donors to make ends meet, and we’re hoping that the end of the year appeal will keep us afloat. Some of the things we hope to accomplish in 2018 may interest you and we hope you will consider supporting us:
Bringing Montana’s T&E species to life as murals in Bozeman. [April]
This project is similar to the fabulous bird murals that are being produced in New York City. These murals would focus on some of the 213 species of concern in Montana and we would have donors and the public vote on the most popular species to be painted on the various garage doors, buildings, sheds and barns throughout Bozeman. I’m looking to raise $10,000 to help with supplies, stipends for artists and development of surveys and vetting artists.
Pikas in Mongolia [April]
I’ve always wanted to go to Mongolia and study some of many different species of pikas that live there. I have the opportunity to volunteer and help Earthwatch, along with Dr. Chris Ray, establish a monitoring program and conduct trapping within Ikh Nart nature reserve in Mongolia in June and July of 2018. This would be an incredible opportunity but I need to raise approximately $5,000 for airfare, transportation and lodging.
Changes in plant phenology in the face of climate change [April]
Warmer and earlier springs are changing plant phenology and I wonder how that will affect pika survival. Pikas tend to stop haying abruptly at the beginning of September and I wonder if they are reacting to changes in plant nutritional levels or some other factor. As the climate warms will they forage later in the season or end even earlier? We will be looking at three different study areas in three different states to begin to understand this question. I’m hoping to raise another $5,000 to help with equipment, travel and to pay technicians.
Evaluating alternative routes for the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT) through the Yaak Valley [Lance]
We’ve finished a report with Wayne McCrory that looks at the impacts on grizzly bears of the proposed route of a new National Trail. A copy of the report will soon be available on our website www.craigheadinstitute.org at
this page. Similar trails include the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, and Appalachian Trails. In 2016 5,657 permits were issued for the Pacific Crest Trail so the PNT could see similar traffic levels in the future. The US Forest Service is beginning the scoping process to choose the final route. We would like to raise around $5,000 to do additional GIS mapping and to take part in the Environmental Impact Statement process as the Forest Service moves forward.
Congressional assault on public lands and Wilderness [Lance]
The current administration and majority party is conducting an unprecedented attack on protected public lands which are essential for our wildlife populations. Sen. Steve Daines has sponsored a bill to remove wilderness consideration from most current wilderness study areas. Sec. Ryan Zinke is reducing the size of important National Monuments (except in Montana where he still hopes to win future elections). We would like to raise around $10,000 to publicize the importance of roadless lands for wildlife and to make public officials aware of this. We need to protect our public lands!
BearFest 2018 Bear Symposium [Lance]
For most of the past 10 years we have helped organize a symposium of renowned bear scientists and experts who speak and lead workshops at the annual BearFest celebration in Wrangell, Alaska, during the last weekend in July. Funding to sponsor the event has come from a variety of sources – donations, corporate support, some foundation grants, one Forest Service grant, and lots of in-kind voluntary help. Sylvia Ettefagh, the event founder, has contributed a substantial amount of her own money to ensure BearFest’s continuity. We would like to raise around $5,000 to support travel, lodging, and expenses for the Symposium speakers (and to reduce the burden on Sylvia).
Please help us in any way that you can. We wish you a warm, happy and healthy 2018.
Lance Craighead
Executive Director
So yes, I’m still working at the office. I love the work and don’t know what else I’d do AND, there are more serious threats to our environment than ever before in my lifetime. Like almost everyone I know, I’m not going to go down without a fight. And there are plenty of battles to choose from. We all need to be more engaged and outraged and make our feelings known to those who are now in power. We need to stand up for wildlife and the environment!
As a first start in reaching wider audiences and speaking truth to power, we are proud that we have been able to help Todd Wilkinson launch his Mountain Journal as fiscal sponsor. As soon as I clear up a backlog of projects I hope to contribute to the magazine myself. Mountain Journal has had a very successful fundraising campaign and is well on its way, but as with all charitable enterprises it will need to be sustained with continued support. Craighead Institute has received 5% of donations to Mountain Journal which covered our expenses in keeping their books, writing thank-you letters to their donors, and some help keeping our office open. We have served as MoJo's fiscal sponsor through 2017 and, as we transition into 2018, Mojo will take over all aspects of donation, bookeeping, and correspondence that we have been providing.
To support the other work we do however, requires donations and grants for the Craighead Institute. We need help.
Foundation grants have fallen off steadily in the past decade; in 2017 we only received 4. Despite greatly reduced salaries we still need significant support from donors to make ends meet, and we’re hoping that the end of the year appeal will keep us afloat. Some of the things we hope to accomplish in 2018 may interest you and we hope you will consider supporting us:
Bringing Montana’s T&E species to life as murals in Bozeman. [April]
This project is similar to the fabulous bird murals that are being produced in New York City. These murals would focus on some of the 213 species of concern in Montana and we would have donors and the public vote on the most popular species to be painted on the various garage doors, buildings, sheds and barns throughout Bozeman. I’m looking to raise $10,000 to help with supplies, stipends for artists and development of surveys and vetting artists.
Pikas in Mongolia [April]
I’ve always wanted to go to Mongolia and study some of many different species of pikas that live there. I have the opportunity to volunteer and help Earthwatch, along with Dr. Chris Ray, establish a monitoring program and conduct trapping within Ikh Nart nature reserve in Mongolia in June and July of 2018. This would be an incredible opportunity but I need to raise approximately $5,000 for airfare, transportation and lodging.
Changes in plant phenology in the face of climate change [April]
Warmer and earlier springs are changing plant phenology and I wonder how that will affect pika survival. Pikas tend to stop haying abruptly at the beginning of September and I wonder if they are reacting to changes in plant nutritional levels or some other factor. As the climate warms will they forage later in the season or end even earlier? We will be looking at three different study areas in three different states to begin to understand this question. I’m hoping to raise another $5,000 to help with equipment, travel and to pay technicians.
Evaluating alternative routes for the Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT) through the Yaak Valley [Lance]
We’ve finished a report with Wayne McCrory that looks at the impacts on grizzly bears of the proposed route of a new National Trail. A copy of the report will soon be available on our website www.craigheadinstitute.org at
this page. Similar trails include the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, and Appalachian Trails. In 2016 5,657 permits were issued for the Pacific Crest Trail so the PNT could see similar traffic levels in the future. The US Forest Service is beginning the scoping process to choose the final route. We would like to raise around $5,000 to do additional GIS mapping and to take part in the Environmental Impact Statement process as the Forest Service moves forward.
Congressional assault on public lands and Wilderness [Lance]
The current administration and majority party is conducting an unprecedented attack on protected public lands which are essential for our wildlife populations. Sen. Steve Daines has sponsored a bill to remove wilderness consideration from most current wilderness study areas. Sec. Ryan Zinke is reducing the size of important National Monuments (except in Montana where he still hopes to win future elections). We would like to raise around $10,000 to publicize the importance of roadless lands for wildlife and to make public officials aware of this. We need to protect our public lands!
BearFest 2018 Bear Symposium [Lance]
For most of the past 10 years we have helped organize a symposium of renowned bear scientists and experts who speak and lead workshops at the annual BearFest celebration in Wrangell, Alaska, during the last weekend in July. Funding to sponsor the event has come from a variety of sources – donations, corporate support, some foundation grants, one Forest Service grant, and lots of in-kind voluntary help. Sylvia Ettefagh, the event founder, has contributed a substantial amount of her own money to ensure BearFest’s continuity. We would like to raise around $5,000 to support travel, lodging, and expenses for the Symposium speakers (and to reduce the burden on Sylvia).
Please help us in any way that you can. We wish you a warm, happy and healthy 2018.
Lance Craighead
Executive Director
The Craighead Institute has a growing endowment portfolio that we began with the help of Bob and Bobbie Ritchie. Donating appreciated stock confers tax benefits -- which include deducting the amount of the charitable donation AND escaping the unrealized gains on the donated stock. These benefits come from the fact that the deduction for a donation of property to charity is equal to the property's current fair market value. Please consider a gift of stocks or funds to help us grow our endowment. Contact us for more info.
TO DONATE WITH PAYPAL:
JUST TYPE IN THE AMOUNT.
You do not need to erase the 0's in the amount space (in fact you can't)
Just type in the amount you want and then choose the payment method.
Thank You
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