 Resources First Foundation (RFF) is a registered
501(c)(3) non-profit organization. RFF was formed to promote and design conservation and education tools and solutions to promote conservation and restoration activities for fish, wildlife and other natural resources primarily on privately owned lands across the United States and in Southern Africa. Today in the United States, approximately 70% of the nation’s landscape, and therefore the vast majority of our nation’s habitat for fish and wildlife resources, reside on privately owned lands. The vast majority of our public and philanthropic financial resources are focused in public land conservation, ignoring the largest segment of the market needing conservation assistance and tutelage.
In addition to our principal focus of support for private land conservation activities in the United States, RFF also supports conservation projects in Southern Africa. In particular we support the programs of the Wilderness Trust, one of the conservation market leaders for community based conservation and education programs in Southern Africa. Many community-based and private landowner conservation techniques and policies were first initiated and developed in a number of countries in South Africa.
A third and final focus area is to support the purchase of interceptory marine fishing rights, nets, and quotas to enhance the conservation of marine and anadromous fisheries such as salmon, sea trout, shad, sturgeon, and striped bass as well as sea turtles and marine animals.
Because the foundation’s financial resources are relatively small, grants will be made only upon the invitation of the foundation’s officers and board. Current areas of grant-making focus include:
- The development of the Private Landowner Network (PLN), an internet portal and service provider network designed to serve the conservation objectives of the private landowner community across the United States.
- Training and education programs for Wildlife professions and innovative wildlife restoration projects (from the tagging of marine turtles to the reintroduction of white rhinoceros) throughout the countries of Southern Africa.
- The purchase of high seas and interceptory Atlantic salmon fisheries.
| Amos Eno | President & Director | South Freeport, ME
| | Maria Gwinn | Treasurer | Portland, ME
| | Pam McClelland | Secretary | Washington, DC
| | Kenneth Berlin | | Washington, DC
| | Howard Burris | | Washington, DC
| | Donald Carr | | Washington, DC
| | Steven Quarles | | Washington, DC
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| Joan Chevalier | Lehman Brothers, NYC | Haverstraw, NY
| | James Cummins | Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation | Stoneville, MS
| | Tom Daniels | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA
| | Cynthia Lummis | Former Wyoming State Treasurer | Cheyenne, WY
| | John “Chip” Merrill | Texas Christian University | Crowley, TX
| | Tod Sedgwick | Sedgwick Publishing Company | Washington, DC
| | Lynne Sherrod | Land Trust Alliance | Grand Junction, CO
| | Tom Wright | | Freeport, ME
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