Three Forks LLC Protects 290 Acres of Vital Wildlife Habitat

Teton Regional Land Trust (TRLT) is pleased to announce the permanent protection of 290 acres of working farmland and wildlife habitat in Teton County through two newly donated conservation easements from Three Forks LLC, managed by Nancy Winter. Known as Horseshoe Flats I (160 acres) and Horseshoe Flats II (130 acres), these lands now join a growing network of conserved properties that anchor the western slope of Teton Valley.

Just outside of Driggs, fields of alfalfa, barley, and wheat stretch toward the Teton River, providing productive ground that helps feed communities and sustain the valley’s agricultural economy. In late summer, harvest moves across these fields. In fall, they transform into something extraordinary.

Each year, more than 1,100 Sandhill Cranes descend on Teton Valley during their pre-migration staging. They gather in open agricultural fields like these, feeding on waste grain and lifting off at dawn in rolling waves of sound and motion before beginning their long journey south. The nearby wetlands and river corridors provide safety from predators at night. Over the past 35 years, TRLT has worked with passionate landowners to protect 29 miles of the Teton River, safeguarding the very waterways and riparian areas these cranes depend on during this vital stopover. Without intact working lands like Horseshoe Flats, and the protected river corridors beside them, this seasonal spectacle would not be possible.

These properties also support migrating big game, Trumpeter Swans, and numerous bird species identified in the Idaho State Wildlife Action Plan, including Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, Long-billed Curlew, Common Nighthawk, and Short-eared Owl.

These permanently protected properties strengthen connectivity across more than 2,000 acres of already protected lands, including other conservation easements, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcels, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) lands. Together, these lands form a critical migration corridor linking the Teton River to the Big Hole range, allowing wildlife to move unimpeded across the valley as they have for generations.

“These easements are part of a beautiful conservation vision to create a migration corridor for wildlife from the Teton River to the Big Hole range; it is a very exciting opportunity for the entire valley,” said Lydia Hanson, Land Protection Specialist with TRLT.

The protection of Horseshoe Flats is not just about acreage. Thanks to Three Forks LLC’s dedication, this land will continue to support wildlife, keep migration alive, and ensure that when cranes return next fall, the same open fields will welcome them again.