Land Conservation- reprinted from Henry’s Fork Anglers blog

One of the greatest concerns we hear from our customers is the amount of development on the Henry’s Fork and other waters in our region. I was born and raised here in the farm country of Southeastern Idaho. Family farms were the foundation of our economy. These family farms over the past decade or so have been gobbled up by developers at an astonishing rate. The most valuable property is along the river corridors. It is possible for a landowner to make more money selling his land than farming would produce throughout his life.

I served on the Fremont County Planning and Zoning Commission for four years. During my tenure I was amazed at the number of subdivisions in the planning stages. Often it was very frustrating. Unless the project was not in compliance with the development code there was little that could be done to prevent the property from development. Property rights are paramount. Landowners have the right to do whatever is in their best interest with their land.

The best alternative to preserving these lands, and our way of life, is with a land trust. The Teton Regional Land Trust’s mission is to conserve working farms and ranches, fish and wildlife habitat, and scenic open spaces in Eastern Idaho for this and future generations. Their first project, completed in 1995, involved protecting a property near the confluence of Teton Creek with the Teton River. Since those first days, the Land Trust quickly expanded protection efforts to include six eastern Idaho counties (Bonneville, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, and Teton) and portions of Teton County, Wyoming, and also merged with Fremont Heritage Trust. This includes the Henry’s Fork, South Fork, Teton River and other streams and lakes we enjoy.

By working with willing landowners, the Land Trust has become a valued and trusted community institution. They have demonstrated strong leadership, as well as a voluntary and financially efficient approach to land protection. If you value the pristine qualities of the Henry’s Fork and other waters, there’s a good chance it has been protected by the TRLT. For example, most of the land across the river from the Vernon Bridge fishing access was placed into a conservation easement by John Nedrow. Sheralee and I purchased an awesome property along the Henry’s Fork below St. Anthony. Not long after we purchased it, we worked with the land trust to place it into a conservation easement. This means it will stay the way it is now forever.

I’m very proud that my wife, Sheralee, has accepted an invitation to join the board of the TRLT. Over the last 35 years, TRLT has conserved over 42,000 acres of vital wildlife corridors, agricultural lands, and healthy waterways, with another 16,000 acres of projects currently in process for conservation.

If you value the quality of our healthy rivers, open landscapes, fish, farms and ranches, and abundant wildlife, I invite you to become a member of the Teton Regional Land Trust. A foundation of their work comes from community support through memberships.  This fall they also received a matching grant focused on expanding their member base.  I’m hoping you will consider becoming a member and staying current on TRLT’s projects.  Here is a link to learn more.   Deepest thanks for your consideration.  Wishing a beautiful holiday season.

All the best,
Mike Lawson