2010 Annual Report

Our Mission

The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust® celebrates and protects wild animals by creating permanent sanctuaries, preserving and enhancing natural habitat, and confronting cruelty.

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Some things are too important to leave to chance. If permanently protecting wildlife living on your land from hunting and trapping is something you don’t want left to chance, the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust is the land trust you seek. Our steady growth, strong commitment to wildlife and habitat protection, and our affiliation with the Humane Society of the United States make us a natural choice for landowners whose peace of mind requires ensuring a permanent safe haven for wildlife.

Our network of sanctuaries continues to grow, thanks to landowners who stand strong for wildlife. Newly protected sanctuaries for 2010 provide wildlife with bottomland forest on a migratory flyway in Texas; savannah and rolling hills in Calaveras County, California; mature woods in Marlow, New Hampshire, and Stone Ridge, New York; and a National Scenic Trail-worthy spread in Oregon, set within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. We delivered realistic robotic decoys of deer to understaffed wildlife agencies in Maryland and Pennsylvania, strengthening their capacity to put a stop to illegal poaching. Our generous members and volunteers share in making our work for wildlife possible, and we are grateful for your heartfelt commitment and continued support.

Protecting habitat for wildlife is our top priority. With the human population predicted to grow by two to three billion over the next fifty years, further habitat loss and a decline in wildlife populations are inevitable. What’s needed, if we are to blunt the impact of those trends, is a vast network of protected wild lands, connected by corridors that allow animals to freely roam.

Message from the Executive Director

Creating such a unified stretch of wilderness will require protecting many more private lands between parks, national forests, and other public lands. This is where individuals who have land that supports wildlife can make a difference. Don’t let the thought that you cannot single-handedly conserve a vast expanse of habitat prevent you from protecting your land and wildlife. Your example may inspire many others; thus, the preservation of a thousand acres, or a hundred thousand, begins with a single property.

I invite you to peruse these pages to learn about our accomplishments for 2010 and our rock-solid commitment to wildlife. Let us hear from you if you’re thinking about the future of your land and its wildlife. We’re here to help you make sure their fate is not left to chance. Consider joining our online community at wildlifelandtrust.org, or becoming a volunteer monitor at one of our sanctuaries. Wild animals need all who care to do all we can.

RobeRt W. Koons

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There is something universal about the bond we have with animals—an instinct to have them in our lives, to be near them, and—in the case of our pets—to care for them. We draw pleasure and inspiration from simply seeing and sharing surroundings with wildlife. In fact, more than 70 million wildlife watchers take to the forests, fields, and waterways each year to see animals in their native habitats.

Conflicting with this peaceful appreciation of wild animals, though, is a capacity for complete disregard for them. Thousands of species and billions of individual wild animals are harmed or killed by habitat destruction, fragmentation, and degradation. Pollution, the introduction of nonnative species, and the deliberate killing of wildlife take an additional toll. Never before have we known or cared so much about animals, and never before have we been so callous or ruthless in the things we do to them.

Acting on Our Best Instincts to Save Wildlife

Habitat loss, of course, is the greatest threat to wildlife. Countless animals are killed when they are suddenly caught up in the rapid and aggressive clearing of land. In the aftermath of such change, their homes and familiar landscapes destroyed, surviving animals face increased competition for food and shelter, disease outbreaks, and other hardships as they are forced to crowd into already occupied habitat. Others will be forced into closer proximity with people and perhaps suffer as a result.

Animals have claims of their own in the world. They are not resources, targets, trophies, or obstacles. They have the same spark of life that we have, and they want to live just as surely as we do. How we treat the world’s animals—and their natural habitats—is a measure of who we are, individually and as a society.

Through the support of caring landowners and members like you, the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust is able to permanently protect lands that offer wild animals healthy habitat in which to forage, safe places to nest and den, and room to roam, so that they may raise their young and flourish long into the future. Please continue to join us in saving wild lands for wildlife. In this urgent mission, we keep faith with the human-animal bond, honoring all that we love about wildlife, and exercising all the best instincts within ourselves.

Wayne Pacelle

President and CEO

The Humane Society of the United States

In the spring of 2010, Wildlife Land Trust (WLT) completed an important habitat restoration project on the Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in Lakeview, Oregon. Established as a WLT sanctuary in 2008, this 2,271-acre property is a mosaic of wildlife habitats, from talus slopes and seasonal ponds to sagebrush-dominated shrub steppe and juniper woodlands. The land serves as an important wildlife corridor for animals moving between vast private and public lands in the region, including those managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the adjacent Fremont National Forest. Adding to its importance for wildlife are three year-round sources of water—a rarity in the West.

Our habitat restoration work focused on protection of a productive spring and a sub-irrigated wetland complex in Indian Springs, a remote wildlife habitat within the sanctuary. For many years, this sensitive area had been compacted by livestock allowed to roam freely under open range laws. Now enclosed with fencing, the water system will have a chance to recover. Within the newly fenced area, workers also located and repaired a stock pond fed by Indian Springs. Overnight the pond then filled with thousands of gallons of water. While cattle will still have some access to water in this area, their impacts can now be more controlled and their watering influenced to the betterment of wildlife. As the recovery continues, we will adjust the exclusion fencing to adapt to changes.

More than 411 wildlife species may be found within the Greenwood Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, including 4 amphibians, 15 reptiles, 310 birds, and 76 mammals. Among the sanctuary’s larger mammals are pronghorns, elk, black bears, badgers, and the elusive mountain lion. WLT is honored to be entrusted with the permanent protection of this exceptional wildlife safe haven. We celebrate the land’s healthy response to the recent habitat restoration work and look forward to seeing ever-more wildlife flourish here as the land’s full recovery unfolds.

Habitat Restoration Brightens Future for Wildlife

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Field Partners: Dogs and Biologists Team Up for Wildlife

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Nature’s most magnificent scenting instrument—the canine nose—is at the center of an exciting success story: the cooperation between dogs and humans for wildlife science and conservation. Working Dogs for Conservation Foundation (WDCF) brings together the needs of field biologists and the noses of shelter dogs, providing special scent-recognition training for dogs with “the right stuff” for becoming detection dogs. The Wildlife Land Trust is proud to continue its support of WDCF’s pioneering work, which enables biologists to more efficiently conduct non-invasive research on wildlife—an invaluable ability when evaluating habitat.

As it turns out, high energy and an intense need to engage in play or pursuit—traits that may make for a challenging companion animal—are ideal traits for the task of quickly finding target species or their sign (such as scat) in rugged terrain. WDCF’s training provides the focused activity and interaction these dogs crave. The dogs then work their magic in the field, helping biologists collect data about species present in a particular location in a fraction of the time that methods such as trapping and photography take.

Pedigree is less important than personality. Dogs who get to wear the bright orange “Search Dog” vest must have an ability to adapt to new environments and distractions and a willingness to work intimately with trainers. As dogs with the spirit and physical spunk for fieldwork are those less likely to be adopted, the opportunity this program provides for selected rescue dogs is truly a lifesaving one, and one that gives these energetic dogs a rewarding outdoorsy life.

WDCF will help WLT conduct scientific investigations of keystone species on sanctuaries, beginning this summer with grizzly bears, wolverines, and wolves on the 240-acre Demetriades Wildlife Sanctuary in Centennial Valley, Montana. Their timesaving contributions to science and conservation highlight something we also deem worthy of celebrating—the infinite potential of the bond between humans and dogs.

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A Letter from the Land Down Under Dear Friends,

WLT Australia celebrates 2010 as a landmark year, as we welcomed our 100th sanctuary member. These safe havens range in size from 1 to 6,000 acres, with 46 located in New South Wales, 29 in Queensland, 13 in Victoria, and 7, 4, and 2 in Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania respectively, covering approximately 36,000 acres.

While expanding the WLT Australia network, we have also made modest financial contributions to the purchase of two important non-government wildlife reserves. “Bowra” is a magnificent and mega-diverse 35,000-acre refuge in Queensland, recognized as a biodiversity hotspot for birds. “Forest Lodge,” in Tasmania, includes nearly 200 acres of pristine old growth rainforest, harbouring threatened species such as the Tasmanian devil and the Wedge-tailed eagle. In each case, our financial contribution was matched by another major donor.

Into its third year of operation, WLT Australia’s private land grants program, run in cooperation with a number of wildlife groups, has provided approximately $120,000 in support of habitat management projects on 64 sanctuaries in New South Wales. We have also provided resources to organizations helping wildlife recover from the devastating floods and cyclones in north Queensland.

WLT Australia continues to invest in the future of Indonesia’s wildlife and habitats, contributing to the purchase of over twelve hundred acres of privately owned land in the key “gateway” area that controls the main access route to approximately 25,000 acres of submontane rainforest in Sulawesi. We have also partnered with colleagues in Bali to develop wildlife education and community support programs on the Nusa Penida Island Bird Sanctuary, where WLT Australia previously purchased 13 acres of rainforest.

We are energized by the many achievements of 2010, and we look forward to expanding our protection of Australia’s extraordinary wildlife and habitat.

Best wishes,Michael Kennedy

Director, Wildlife Land Trust Australia

New Cyrtodactylus gecko species found in Tompotika

Tarsier

Sanctuaries established in 2010Sanctuaries established prior to 2010Partnerships supported in 2010Partnerships supported prior to 2010Other WLT projects

States provided with wildlife decoys

WLT AbroadHabitat loss and poaching

threaten wildlife across the globe. WLT is currently involved in land and wildlife protection

projects in Australia, Belize, Brazil, Guatemala, India,

Jamaica, Romania, and South Africa. In 2011, we will continue to expand our efforts internationally as well as in the United States.

Lake Clark and Katmai National Park, Alaska

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Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust® Sanctuaries and Partnerships in North America

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In order to advance our mission in 2010, the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust:

Established the 154-acre Greensprings Wildlife Sanctuary in Ashland, Oregon. (See pp. 14–15). [1]

Established the 25-acre Ogden Wildlife Sanctuary in Leon County, Texas. (See page 17). [2]

Established the 21-acre Miriam Reik Wildlife Sanctuary in Stone Ridge, New York. (See page 16). [3]

Established the 59-acre McLanahan Wildlife Sanctuary in Marlow, New Hampshire. (See page 16). [4]

Established the 109-acre Grace Flint Ordway Wildlife Sanctuary in Calaveras County, California. (See page 13). [5]

Completed the Greenwood Wildlife Sanctuary habitat restoration project in Lakeview, Oregon. (See page 3). [6]  

Donated robotic deer decoys to the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission for their poaching law enforcement efforts. Officers of agencies tasked with confronting poachers place the decoys in a vulnerable setting (like an open field) and manipulate them with remote controls so that they move like living animals. If a passing poacher shoots at a decoy, officials have solid evidence to support the poacher’s prosecution.

Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we have provided decoys in eleven states, facilitating cooperative arrangements with law enforcement agencies, and resulting in the arrests of several poachers.

WLT is eager to meet the needs of many other conservation officers nationwide who have expressed interest in receiving decoys. Please contact us if you are interested in helping support this successful initiative.

Co-sponsored rewards for conviction of poachers with the HSUS Wildlife Abuse Campaign. In 2010, 56 rewards were offered, totaling $140,000, to catch poachers of wildlife such as bald eagle, red wolf, and porcupine.

Improved the lives of the remaining Yellowstone National Park American bison herd by support for the efforts of the Buffalo Field Campaign to secure habitat. [7]

Supported a study to quantify potential impacts of nonnative American bison on the seeps, springs, and riparian areas of the Kaibab Plateau within Grand Canyon National Park to best inform sound management of the herd. [8]

Supported the Mountain Lion Awareness Project to improve public safety and protection of urban and suburban lion and companion animal populations. [9]

Supported the Working Dogs for Conservation program, which trains and deploys rescue dogs to do scent recognition in the scientific investigation of keystone species on property such as WLT sanctuaries. (See page 4). [10]

Provided support for prairie dog habitat improvement and an education program maintained at the Second Chance Center for Animals in Flagstaff, Arizona. [11]

2010 Conservation Highlights [Bracketed numbers refer to sites on the map.]

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by Douglas H. Chadwick

Spirit of the Wolverine

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If wolverines have a strategy, it’s this: Go hard, and high, and steep, and never back down, not even from the biggest grizzly, and least of all from a mountain. Climb everything: trees, cliffs, avalanche

chutes, summits. Eat everybody: alive, dead, long-dead, moose, mouse, fox, frog, its still-warm heart or frozen bones.

Which is why I think it’s fair to say, there’s wild, and then there’s wolverine.

One of North America’s rarest and least-known large mammals, wolverines roamed in pre-settlement times as far south as California, Colorado, and Utah and eastward into New England. Today, perhaps no more than 300 survive south of Canada.

Taking down fully grown elk or caribou, competing for carcasses with much bigger predators, and carrying out spectacular climbs that few human alpinists would dare try and none could match for speed, the 25- to 40-pound animals certainly live up to their reputation as strong and ferocious beyond all proportion to their actual size. But their portrayals as foul-smelling demons of destruction and a threat to human safety are myths that reveal a good deal about human psychology yet almost nothing about the true nature of this largest terrestrial member of the mustelid family. Their scientific label, Gulo gulo, is Latin for glutton, another in a long list of derogatory names such as “devourer” and “devil bear.”

Subject to relentless persecution, commercial trapping for their fur, and habitat loss, the wolverine faces an uncertain future: The animal is

the land-based equivalent of the polar bear in terms of its vulnerability to global warming. And when scientists and volunteers at Montana’s Glacier National Park began tracking wolverines, actual data was still so sketchy that every day was a fresh opportunity to discover new dimensions of their lives.

Astonishing climbs, unexpected mirthWhen the Glacier Wolverine Project started in 2002, only a handful of winter birthing and rearing dens had ever been reported in the Lower 48. That number now stands above two dozen, half of them located by the project team.

I joined the project as a volunteer, eager to help Forest Service biologists Jeff Copeland and Rick Yates learn more about these mysterious animals. Capture and radio-tagging helped us track wolverines’ park travels, and in April 2004, Yates and volunteer Alex Hasson located evidence of their exceptionally hardy constitution. Following the transmitter signal of a young female wolverine, they found her atop a sharp, solitary peak known as Bearhat Mountain—a monumental fang rising between two lakes. Too sheer-sided to even hold much stunted alpine vegetation, it is almost entirely bare stone, open to the weather on every side, encased by ice and snow well into May.

I can’t think of any possible prey being within 2,000 vertical feet of the summit under those conditions. Nor do I know of a route up Bearhat

A rugged and little-known species fights for survival among Montana’s peaks. Noting the wolverines’ particular vulnerability to the effects of climate change, a group of dedicated conservationists—from scientists tracking their every move to property owners protecting prime habitat through The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust—are doing what they can to save the animals.

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that leads anywhere but right down another side with even steeper, more slippery cliffs.

Was her ascent to this inhospitable locale another example of wolverine attitude, the sort of outrageous feat that might seem routine to a beast who combines a near absence of fear with a superabundance of strength? Or could this wolverine have gone up to take in the view—not through her eyes, as we would, but through her dominant sense organ, the wolverine nose? Was she up there surveying grand vistas of scents, more than prepared to cover the miles to their source with her tireless wolverine lope?

That August, I got my own glimpse into her kind’s secret world, when Hasson invited me to accompany him on a route I loved to ramble, winding through alpine meadows and weather-dwarfed subalpine fir. Thirty feet from the spot where he picked up a signal, three wolverines were drinking from a seep among yellow monkey flowers, purple penstemon, and a crimson array of Indian paintbrush. It took a moment to grasp that the smaller wolverine with silvery streaks was the mother. The two young males were a darker, chocolaty brown with bronze streaks. Mom looked gaunt beside them; she was doing all the work, hunting for her offspring while they hid at rendezvous sites among boulders. As the family descended toward a rock outcrop, the brothers acted intent on drawing their mother into a play session. They took turns jumping to put their forelegs on her back, nudging and nipping her and each other.

The trio braided their way downslope like a single large furry animal with all kinds of bulging, squirming parts, separating only to test the winds rising from the vast countryside below. These were handsome, exuberant creatures, agile and strong in equal measures. And although most everything on a flower-lit day atop the continent seems to exude vitality, this wild family so unexpectedly close gave off bursts that burned an afterglow into my brain.

More mysteries unlockedI wasn’t the only volunteer who had become hooked on the animals by witnessing an unexpected side to their lives. Project veterinarian Dan Savage would drive for hours and ski high into the backcountry to

radio-tag a captured wolverine—as often as not in a subzero blizzard at night. He’d been lured by Copeland, the project’s chief scientist, and by an experience he’d had hiking to a high-elevation basin filled with zinging-cold meltwater. Exploring upstream, he’d spied three dark objects moving on a snowfield above.

Despite a lifetime of venturing through Montana’s backcountry, these were the first wolverines he’d ever seen, and Savage was surprised to find them engaged in a game of sliding down a melting snowbank. “All the mystery around wolverines, and now: play! I think watching play is one of the things that bonds us to animals. It allows us to see the qualities that we have in common more easily. More, there’s this sense of a shared spirit.”

During a study in the wilds of Idaho, Copeland made another discovery about wolverines’ gentler side. It was once thought that after their first six months, kits permanently separate from their mothers to begin a solitary life, too surly and short-tempered to tolerate others except for the brief purpose of mating. Most biologists held that a male would even kill his own offspring. But Copeland observed one adult male often traveling with his progeny. In Glacier, we recorded similar findings. After leaving their mother, young wolverines are allowed to remain within both parents’ territories for nearly another year. Though often alone, they would sometimes travel with the mother and at other times with the father in a sort of gulo version of joint custody. And adult males occasionally traveled with one or another of their mates outside the breeding season as though they simply enjoyed the company.

Our mapping of wolverines’ homes also revealed details about their fragile existence. The dozen or so dens we located high among the peaks were dug 8 to 10 feet down into a thick snowpack that would last until at least early May, when families emerged. The animals seldom spent time at warmer elevations. Copeland and a Forest Service colleague documented a close association between their range in western North America and areas where the average maximum daily temperature in August stayed below 70 degrees.

Gulo gulo has a higher metabolic rate than other mammals its size, a revved-up internal engine that generates extra body heat. Double-layered fur repels frost and moisture, holding in warmth.

With unusually large feet that spread their weight, wolverines move more easily over snow than competitors or prey, while 2-inch-long claws serve as crampons on ice and frozen crusts. All this results in a mammal so tied to a cold climate with deep, lingering snow that it becomes one of the most vulnerable animals on the planet in an age of global warming.

Saving land to save wolverinesTo fi nd enough food in that tall, snowbound topography, each wolverine must keep on the go day and night, covering rugged landscapes of several hundred square miles—another key fi nding from the study. The

1,500-square-mile Glacier Park contains just 40 to 50 individuals—the biggest population south of Canada—because that’s about all that can squeeze in, given their territorial requirements.

The wolverines of the Lower 48 don’t form a single, continuous population but rather what ecologists term a meta-population: several dozen here, a handful there, another cluster a few mountain ranges away. By itself, no single group includes enough reproductive adults to counter the effects of inbreeding or readily recover from prolonged drought, massive wildfi res, or an epidemic. But as long as the enclaves can exchange members every so often, the meta-population can adapt and endure. Together they stand; divided—cut off from one another—

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I think watching play is one of the things that bonds us to animals. It allows us to see the qualities that we have in common more easily. More, there’s this sense of a shared spirit. —Dan Savage

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they will fall over time. Therein lies the challenge. Industry’s chase after new sources of timber, minerals, and fossil fuels reaches farther into the backcountry every year, while recreational activities such as high-elevation snowmobiling keep expanding as well. As habitats are fragmented, connections between animal populations are lost, and parks and wilderness areas become more like islands in a rising sea of development and disturbance.

Wherever access to wildlands expands, pressure from trapping is likely to increase. Montana is the only place in the Lower 48 that still allows wolverine trapping and hunting. Although the killing limits have been reduced over the years, that is almost beside the point. Expert scavengers with big appetites, an indiscriminate taste for leftovers, and a nose designed to locate the faintest of scents, wolverines readily make their way into traps set for other furbearers, from otters to coyotes. One young male sought a new home almost 100 miles west of Glacier, at the border of Montana and northern Idaho. He died in steel jaws set to catch bobcats in a national forest. Game departments, which promote trapping, dismiss results like this as “incidental captures” or “non-target mortalities.” In reality, they are anything but incidental to a low-density population that reproduces fairly slowly and totals only a few hundred south of Canada.

So what steps can be taken to ensure the wolverine’s survival? Biologists and bureaucrats with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have asked themselves that lately as they debated whether Gulo gulo deserved federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, though they agreed that action is warranted, they announced in December that it is precluded by higher priorities (translation: lack of funding and personnel). But wildlife managers can still focus on other measures, starting with a blanket ban on traps within the species’ strongholds, plus a no-trap buffer zone around key populations. And they should identify and safeguard corridors between surviving groups.

Much of the mountain West is public land overseen by agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, whose responsibilities—in theory if not always in practice—include conserving wildlife resources. The owners of private lands are under no such obligation. This is where the work of The Humane Society

Wildlife Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Vital Ground, and similar groups becomes critically important. By purchasing land or arranging conservation easements to limit development in key habitats and travel corridors, these organizations help keep rapidly growing areas of the West permeable to the wealth of wildlife that is part of the reason so many folks want to live here.

A splendid example comes from the high Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana, where Anthony and Donna Demetriades and their family donated easements to The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust, restricting development on 240 acres at the headwaters of the Missouri River as it comes tumbling off the Continental Divide. Grizzlies leave fresh tracks under the streamside brush, where moose peer from among the willows. Elk and mule deer abound, and cougars stalk the rockier slopes while golden eagles and peregrine falcons wheel overhead.

The Roaring Creek Ranch alone can’t save creatures that large and far-roaming. But together with adjoining public lands and other private properties, the contribution becomes enormous and could connect the wildlife of the Centennial Range to the south, the Gravelly Mountains to the north, Yellowstone National Park not far to the east, and Idaho wilderness to the west.

Wolverines too? Yes, every so often, one coming or going through this part of the Rockies strides over the slopes of the property. Protected now, that land forms one more segment in the kind of habitat bridge that can ultimately spell the difference between disappearance and survival for Gulo gulo, animals whose inexhaustible energy, determination, and untamed spirit we have only just begun to appreciate for the natural wonders they really are.

This adaptation of the author’s recently published book, The Wolverine Way,

appears with permission from Patagonia Books. The book follows a multiyear

study of wolverines in Montana’s Glacier National Park, which received

partial funding from The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust. Learn more

about the trust at humanesociety.org/wlt.

We thank Damian Power, Wolfhound Wildlife Services, for contributing his

compelling wolverine photos for this report.

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Memorial for a Mother, Safe Haven for Wildlife Grace Flint Ordway Wildlife Sanctuary, Calaveras County, California

Small ridges and gently rolling hills give way to level savannah extending westward on a new 109-acre wildlife sanctuary in Calaveras County, California. Protected in memory of Edward Ordway’s mother, Grace Flint Ordway, the sanctuary is teeming with life. Wild turkeys forage in fields as red-tailed hawks soar overhead. Songbirds, butterflies, small mammals, and deer find food and shelter in small stands of mature oaks, and a pond and natural springs provide water for all.

Claudia Jackson, Ordway’s life partner, describes the sanctuary as peaceful and delightful, especially in summer, because of the many bird species nesting there. “You’re in another world,” she says, “away from everything, but still close to what you need.”

Ordway realized that the land’s beauty and highly desirable location meant that it would soon be developed if he did not find a way to permanently protect it. He chose to establish the land as a permanent wildlife sanctuary to honor his mother, who always loved nature, and his meaningful tribute to her life will forever help wild animals seeking safe homes in which to raise their young.

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A Win for Wildlife and Wild Lands HikersGreensprings Wildlife Sanctuary, Ashland, Oregon

Set within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, the 154-acre Greensprings Wildlife Sanctuary and its wildlife are now protected by WLT. The area is noted for its biodiversity, and the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail—which extends some 2,500 miles, connecting Canada and Mexico—traverses the sanctuary for one mile. Though high-grade logging had taken place on the property before Faye Weisler purchased it, the sweeping vistas from the summit answered her desire for space and peace and inspired her to buy the land and give it a chance to recover.

Weisler immediately felt a sense of home on the land, which she has often hiked, accompanied by her two rescued dogs. She also enjoyed encountering hikers on the trail and exchanging stories of wildlife seen along the way. The land is likewise home and a safe travel corridor for wildlife; a coyote dens near the pond; a black bear pads through the meadow; mountain lions yowl at night; and coyotes, deer, and elk use the sanctuary as a land bridge between mountain ranges.

Songbirds, woodpeckers, eagles, peregrine falcons, hawks, and great gray owls flourish here, and a seasonal pond attracts sandhill cranes—including a memorable pair that Weisler saw take to the air in unison when they were startled. Each flew off in a different direction, but by calling out and making short flights toward one another, they quickly reunited. Spring and summer wildflowers sweep over the land in shifting waves of color and composition—Douglas’s violets, Balsam daisies, Waterleaf sheltering delicate pink blossoms beneath their leaves, the pinks and purples of Wild delphiniums, Calypso orchids—attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

“I knew in my heart that I wanted to protect the land for wildlife, to know that they would have this refuge forever,” says Weisler, noting that she specifically looked for a land trust that would protect wildlife from hunting and trapping. “There are things for each one of us that rise to a certain level of importance,” she says, “This just wasn’t a choice. This land absolutely had to be protected in perpetuity for the animals, for the hikers, and for the people living close to it.”

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I knew in my heart that I wanted to protect the land for wildlife, to know that they would have this refuge forever.—Faye Weisler

Wooded Retreat to Remain a Place of Peace ForeverMiriam Reik Wildlife Sanctuary, Stone Ridge, New York

Lush forest covers most of a 21-acre property in Stone Ridge, New York, that is now a permanent wildlife sanctuary honoring Miriam Reik’s lifelong dedication to animals. “Miriam was devoted to rescuing dogs and placing them in good homes, and she loved all animals,” says her attorney, Frances Carlisle. Reik lived and worked in Manhattan and spent weekends unwinding at her wooded property. There she could be alone with nature, her dogs, and her books.

“Miriam was a great advocate for animals,” says Carlisle. “She loved watching the birds from her window, seeing white-tailed deer, bobcats, coyotes, and red fox on her walks, and simply enjoying the peace and beauty of the spot.” The sanctuary is also a stopover for migratory birds.

“It was important to her to have protection for the wildlife,” Carlisle explains, “and to know that the Trust was backed by a national organization that would be able to honor that protection in perpetuity.”

A Secluded and Hilly Safe Haven McLanahan Wildlife Sanctuary, Marlow, New Hampshire

A life-long friend of all animals, David McLanahan donated 59-acres of wildlife habitat in Marlow, New Hampshire, to WLT for permanent protection. A refuge for black bears, coyotes, and ruffed grouse, among many other species, the sanctuary borders WLT’s 320-acre Stickey Wicket Wildlife Sanctuary, protected in 1996. The white birch, American beech, and sugar maple trees on this sanctuary’s rugged terrain provide important habitat services for wildlife.

While hiking on his land and contemplating how best to protect it, McLanahan encountered a WLT sanctuary sign on the sanctuary property adjoining his. After taking time to learn about our mission and approach, he decided that WLT appropriately reflects his compassion for animals. He now has the comfort of knowing that the many birds and other wildlife living on his land are forever guaranteed peaceful refuge.

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Save Twenty-Five Acres, and Just Add Time Ogden Wildlife Sanctuary, Leon County, Texas

Rolling hills with lovely views in all directions, an ephemeral creek, springs, and a pond—and the nearest neighbor a mile away—these are among the features Marc Ogden loves about the 25-acre property in Leon County, Texas, which is now protected as a permanent wildlife sanctuary. Before Ogden purchased this land it was used for grazing, but knowing that nature would restore the land for wildlife if given a chance, he chose to “just let it sit and grow up for the past thirty years.” Now he regularly sees deer, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, beavers, and other mammals.

Positioned on a migration flyway, the sanctuary serves as a stopover for painted buntings, hummingbirds, and others. In winter wood ducks, killdeer, red-shouldered hawks, woodpeckers, ruby-crowned kinglets, cedar waxwings, Eastern towhees, white-crowned sparrows, and many others are present, and the nesting season brings an even larger array of species. Luna moths also arrive in surprising numbers each spring, their luxuriously long wings working with the wind as they find their way to sweet gum trees in the bottomland forest.

Ogden says he could easily spend half a day just wandering around the sanctuary, observing wildlife and enjoying the views and sounds. When logging companies approached him about timber, he quickly sought permanent protection for the land. Finding that some land trusts are only interested in larger properties, he kept searching until he found WLT, a choice that also ensures protection for the wildlife he loves. “It may not be a thousand acres,” says Ogden, “but the amount and variety of wildlife here is worthy of protecting.” We couldn’t agree more.

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Heartfelt thanks go out to our dedicated volunteer sanctuary monitors who enable us to have “eyes and ears” at dozens of sanctuaries across the U.S. throughout the year, strengthening protection of both wildlife and habitat.

For our 2010 Volunteer of the year, we are pleased to honor Andrew Cabero, of Hawkinsville, Georgia. Andrew began monitoring the Opal Davis Wildlife Sanctuary for us in 2001, when his neighbor’s 100-acre property was designated as a permanent wildlife sanctuary. In addition to watching over the land and its wildlife, after Ms. Davis’s death Andrew also cared for her four beloved dogs, enabling them to roam the familiar land they had shared with Ms. Davis for all their remaining years, just as she had wanted. Andrew continues to enjoy walking the land, seeing deer, wild turkeys, and other wildlife in the woods and fields, and helping protect the land as a safe haven for wildlife. Congratulations, Andrew, and thank you for all your years of caring and devotion as a wildlife sanctuary monitor.

This year, we are renaming our Volunteer of the Year award to be the christy caswell

Wildlife Volunteer of the year award. Through this gesture, we wish to permanently honor and celebrate the volunteer service and humane spirit of Christy Caswell, our 2007 Volunteer of the Year. Before cancer tragically took her life, Christy monitored the 145-acre Roller Wildlife Sanctuary in Ardmore, South Dakota, and the 1,000-acre Wind Dancer property in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. In her brief lifetime, Christy gave generously of her time, energy, spirit, and dedication. She will always be remembered, and we know those same wonderful qualities will continue to inspire others to do what they can to help protect wildlife and wild lands.

If volunteering time as a Wildlife Land Trust sanctuary monitor is something you might like to do for wildlife, please visit wlt.org/volunteer.asp to learn more, or give us a call at 1-800-729-SAVE.

Wildlife Land Trust Volunteers Making a Difference for Wildlife

Andrew Cabero

Christy Caswell

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Leave a legacy for future generationsGive wild animals a lasting gift by designating a bequest in your will or living trust to

benefi t the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust. This simple gift can take many forms,

including cash, a percentage or remainder of your estate, securities, real estate, or

personal property. It’s never too early to make plans for wildlife’s future. Contact us

today for help getting started. Call 1-800-729-SAVE or visit wildlifelandtrust.org/help.asp.

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Board of DirectorsAndrew N. Rowan, Ph.D. Chair and PresidentJohn W. Grandy, Ph.D. Vice ChairG. Thomas Waite III TreasurerWayne PacelleHolly Hazard, Esq.Barbara Birdsey

Board of AdvisorsBill WisemanMichael KennedyIrene Crowe

StaffRobert W. Koons Executive Director Peter Bender Senior Resource Development Coordinator Theresa S. McNulty Web Content Manager/Editor and Assistant SecretaryAndrew C. Page Director, Wildlife ProtectionJames M. Reed, M.S. Director of StewardshipStephen W. Swartz, Esq. General Counsel and SecretaryElise H. Traub Manager, Wildlife ProtectionMarla S. Wilson Director of Public OutreachLinda A. Winter Executive Assistant

We would like to thank Thomas Mangelsen and John Swallow for contributing their beautiful wildlife photographs to this report.

The Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust® is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charity incorporated in the District of Columbia and an affiliate organization of The Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037. For further information, call 1-800-729-SAVE, or visit wildlifelandtrust.org. • ©2011 Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust®. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint any portion of this material will usually be granted if appropriate credit is provided. Please contact info@wlt.org or call 1-800-729-SAVE. • Writer/Editor: Debra Firmani. Designer: Kevin Cross. Photos—front cover, p. 8, p. 11: Damian Power; inside front cover, p. 14, back cover: John Swallow/swallowphotography.com; p. 2 (r.), p. 13 (inset), p. 15, p. 16, p. 17 (top), inside back cover: Tom Mangelsen; p. 1 (l.): ©iStockphoto.com/PaulTessier, p. 1 (r.): Kathy Milani; p. 2 (l.): Hilary Schwab; p. 3: ©iStockphoto.com/twildlife; p. 4: ©iStockphoto.com/wsebastian, WDC (inset); p. 5: Umilaela, Steve Caldwell (inset); p. 13: ©iStockphoto.com/wwing; p. 17 (bottom): ©iStockphoto.com/tshortell; p. 18: ©iStockphoto.com/PaulTessier, Stephanie Cabero Beall (inset l.), Rich Forbes (inset r.); p. 19: ©iStockphoto.com/KenCanning • Printed on New Leaf Reincarnation Matte, 100% recycled/60% post-consumer waste, processed chlorine-free, and manufactured with electricity that is offset with Green-E© certified renewable energy certificates.

Financial Overview

In 2010, the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust® continued to be an administratively lean organization that focused most of its resources on wildlife and habitat protection activities. We also maintained robust assets totaling over $4.8 million, including cash, property and equipment, and receivables.

2010 Revenue 2010 Expenses

This report had not been audited at press time. The report will be updated when the audited numbers are available.

Contributions $5,114,763Bequests $24,939Grants $64,332Investment Income $106,278Other Income $57,997Total $5,368,309

Contributions: 95%Bequests: 0%Grants: 1%Investment Income: 2%Other Income: 1%

Program Services: 85%Fundraising: 12%Management and General: 3%

Program Services $4,727,745Fundraising $687,294Management and General $160,329Total $5,575,368

Ways to Help

WLT’s ability to protect wildlife and habitat depends on your generosity. Please support our work by:

Creating a sanctuary by permanently protecting your land with WLT.

Donating cash or securities as a monthly giver or by making a special gift— see wildlifelandtrust.org for details.

Making a bequest to WLT in your will or living trust.

Establishing a charitable gift annuity using cash, real estate, or securities.

Making a gift of life insurance by taking out a policy owned by WLT, naming WLT as a beneficiary, or transferring a policy to WLT.

Donating property that may not be suitable as wildlife habitat but that can provide WLT with funds to support our mission.

Offering time as a volunteer sanctuary monitor at a sanctuary near where you live.

In addition to helping to save wildlife, your gift to WLT may generate significant tax benefits for you. Please call 1-800-729-SAVE or visit wildlifelandtrust.org for more information.

Saving Lives by Saving LandSM 1-800-729-SAVE