Commissioners Support Redbird Purchase

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission, on Wednesday, October 4, agreed to lease property in Redbird Canyon from the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation, if the foundation were to buy it. Commissioners during a meeting in Boise agreed to the long-running effort by the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation to buy a piece of property in Redbird Canyon south of Lewiston. The foundation has proposed to buy the 2,860 acre property, which borders the north end of the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area, and lease it to the department. The commission committed the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to lease the property from the foundation, based on a purchase price of $1.295 million. The Foundation for North American Wild Sheep has agreed to help out. The land provides habitat for white-tailed and mule deer and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Commissioners also agreed to rework its relationship with the Idaho Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Department of Fish and Game. Under a revised memorandum of understanding between the agency, the commission and the foundation, no one from the commission and no Fish and Game staff would be able to serve as a voting member of the foundation board of directors. Fish and Game employees would be able to serve in staff positions, and as secretary and treasurer for the foundation's board, but not in any other corporate offices. The commission agreed that the relationship should be transparent, with the department and the commission providing some oversight over the foundation to ensure that when the agency provides facilities and staff, the foundation serves the public purposes and supports the activities of the agency. Under the revised memorandum, a member of the commission and the department director would attend foundation meetings, and the agreement would be reviewed by the commission annually.