Salt Lake City, UT: The Mule Deer Foundation has hired Steve Belinda as its new director of conservation programs. Belinda has nearly three decades of conservation and wildlife management experience having worked for federal agencies as well as the NGO community and has been working as a consultant for MDF for more than a decade. In his new capacity, Belinda will be expanding the on-the-ground habitat conservation work of the organization through stewardship agreements, migration corridor restoration, conservation policy efforts, and more.
“We are excited to have someone with Steve’s broad experience leading our conservation efforts to restore habitat for mule deer and black-tailed deer,” commented Miles Moretti, MDF President/CEO. “Steve will be spearheading our Migration Corridors Initiative as well as helping on policy at the state and national levels. He is an excellent addition to the MDF team, and we all look forward to the increased opportunities that we will have for our conservation activities.”
Belinda is a former federal biologist and spent 16 years working for the BLM and Forest Service. He earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Wyoming and a B. S. degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from the Pennsylvania State University. Steve is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and a fellow of The Wildlife Society and the National Conservation Leadership Institute. As owner of Beartooth Strategies, a private environmental consulting business focusing on public policy, public lands, energy development, and conservation of fish and wildlife resources, Steve served as a consultant to MDF working on policy, project implementation, and government affairs and leading MDF’s Migration Initiative and implementation of Secretarial Order 3362. He resides in Red Lodge, Montana with his wife, two children and two Labs.
“I’m excited to work with our excellent staff, volunteers, and partners to be proactive in conservation efforts that will impact the most important deer habitat in the West,” Belinda said. “For a number of years, MDF has been working closely with our state and federal partners to support conservation of mule deer and black-tailed deer habitat through stewardship agreements and landscape restoration projects, and our chapters have led outstanding volunteer projects. I’m looking forward to coordinating all of our work to target the areas that are most in need of our efforts and expanding our partnership opportunities to get even more habitat conservation work on the ground.”
About MDF
The Mule Deer Foundation is the only conservation group in North America dedicated to restoring, improving and conserving mule deer and black-tailed deer and their habitat, with a focus on science and program efficiency. MDF is a strong voice for hunters in access, wildlife management and conservation policy issues. MDF acknowledges regulated hunting as a viable management component and is committed to recruitment and retention of men, women and youth into the shooting sports and conservation. Get involved in your state or become a member at www.muledeer.org or call 1-888-375-3337.