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Teton Regional Land Trust is excited to announce the closing of the Darby Creek Farm through a conservation easement with the landowner, Boyd Bowles.

The Bowles family has owned this 192 acre property since 1910 and is committed to ensuring the farm remains in agriculture. This marks the 100th conservation project that TRLT has completed in Teton County, Idaho. TRLT would like to thank the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the partners named at the end of this press release for their contributions to the project.

The Darby Creek Farm sits in an incredibly scenic landscape at the mouth of Darby Canyon, which is one of the most popular and cherished destinations for recreationists in Teton Valley. Darby Canyon is an important wintering area for mule deer and a migration route for big game species. The protection of this farm will allow for the continued unimpeded movement of those species and the preservation of scenic views.

Mr. Bowles has owned the land for nearly 40 years since he acquired it from his family. The farm is currently used as irrigated farmland, much as it was at the end of the 19th century. Barley, quinoa, and seed potatoes are the primary crops grown on the farm. Approximately 70% of the Bowles Darby Creek property soils are considered prime farmland soils if irrigated, which are critically important in meeting the nation’s short-term and long-term needs for food and fiber. Conservation of these resources is important to continue the agricultural heritage in Teton Valley, and for providing produce to local and regional markets.

Teton County, Idaho, historically an agricultural community, is experiencing rapid population growth that shows no signs of slowing. Between 2020 and 2025, eastern Idaho’s population will increase by 14%. Agricultural land provides immense value in terms of food security, wildlife migratory routes, and the preservation of scenic views, but it is also among the most sought after land by developers. For many farmers and ranchers, conservation easements provide an alternative to selling their land. By limiting the size and scope of development on the property and conserving the land’s values such as prime soils and scenic open space, landowners can have more financial flexibility while retaining ownership and guaranteeing the land remains viable for agriculture. “It has been my goal not to see houses on this ground,” said Mr. Bowles. “For the past few years, I have been working with the Land Trust to preserve the ground to keep it in agriculture.”

This farm was protected by an agricultural land easement, which protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land. This is accomplished by limiting nonagricultural uses which negatively affect those values. Matching funds were delivered through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program – Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easement Program (RCPP-ACEP-ALE).

“We love working with landowners to meet their voluntary conservation goals,” said Curtis Elke, State Conservationist for NRCS in Idaho. “When they take advantage of our easement programs, it is an even bigger win for the landowner and the landscape. In working with Mr. Bowles, together we have ensured that sustainable crop production continues, and wildlife maintains access to the habitat it needs. It’s Idaho at its best.”

Mr. Bowles chose to place his farm into an agricultural conservation easement because it was important to him that the land remains well cared for. For many years, he has leased the farm to Paris Penfold, a neighbor whose family has farmed in Teton Valley for generations as well. Mr. Bowles wants to be certain this farm can continue to be used for agricultural production into the future. He hopes to sell his farm to a local producer, which is only possible due to this conservation easement. After limiting the property’s development rights, Mr. Bowles will be able to sell the property at a price that is affordable to a local farmer, while still receiving what he needs to retire. “It has been my goal to sell the development rights so I can sell the ground at a price a farmer can make a living at,” said Mr. Bowles.

The tradition of caring for this land will also be carried forward by the Land Trust, as it will be stewarded by our staff in perpetuity, ensuring the conservation values protected under the agreement are being upheld. These factors together ensure that this farm will be protected forever.

NRCS provided matching funds through its ACEP-ALE program. Additional support came from the Richard G. Grundler Teton Valley Conservation Fund, the Mithun Family Foundation’s JKL Fund, the estate of Ronald C. Rope, the Heart of the Rockies Initiative’s Keep it Connected program, and the Kendeda Fund.

Fall Message from our Executive Director

We are thrilled to share with you a momentous milestone – the celebration of the Land Trust’s 100th conservation project in Teton County, ID. This adds to another milestone reached earlier this summer, when we surpassed 40,000 acres protected in our service area here in eastern Idaho. Over the years, the Teton Regional Land Trust has been dedicated to protecting the waters, wetlands, working farms and ranches, and wildlife habitat of this unique region.

This history is a testament to the power of community, dedication, and a shared passion for conservation. It all began with a small group of farmers, ranchers, and conservation-minded individuals who saw the importance of protecting precious resources for future generations. Through their vision and your unwavering support, we have achieved incredible results.

In the early 1990’s, the Land Trust’s founding executive director Michael Whitfield forged a friendship with a newcomer to the valley.  Lew Mithun shared Michael’s passion for the area, and he had engaged with a realtor to find the most valuable property for nature in the valley to purchase and protect. In 1995, after months of negotiation, Lew executed the first voluntary conservation agreement with the Land Trust. Lew would go on to donate an additional easement, protecting the entirety of Six Springs Ranch, which, with another easement, spans from Highway 33 to the Teton River, protecting 850 acres along Teton Creek. In the Land Trust’s infancy, Lew’s faith in the Land Trust and the durability of conservation agreements was remarkable. The Mithuns have been some of the longest supporters of the Land Trust, and they remain some of our dearest friends in conservation. Sadly, Lew died peacefully on September 14 surrounded by loved ones. Our deepest heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Jill, and Lew’s family and friends.

Just last week, another visionary landowner worked with the Land Trust to complete a conservation agreement. With the help of the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Agricultural Conservation Easement Program’s Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP ALE), the Heart of the Rockies Initiative’s Keep It Connected program, the Kendeda Fund, the Richard G. Grundler Teton Valley Conservation Fund, the Mithun Family Foundation’s JKL Fund, and the estate of Ronald C. Rope, Boyd Bowles donated a conservation agreement on 192 acres of his property at the mouth of Darby Canyon. As land prices skyrocket across the West, reducing the development value on farmland through conservation easements can help make land more attainable for future farmers. In this case, Mr. Bowles plans to sell the protected property to a local farmer. It will forever be protected as farmland, enjoyed as open space, and provide scenic views from the Aspen Trail. This conservation agreement is the 100th conservation project completed in Teton County, Idaho in partnership with the Teton Regional Land Trust.

We invite you to celebrate with us on October 4. We will acknowledge Mr. Bowles, the vision and generous life of Lew Mithun, and dedication of all the landowners, collaboration of partners, and commitment to protect nature, agricultural lands, and open spaces that benefit everyone in our community. These milestones could not have happened without your continued generous support and for that we are so grateful. This is a direct result from your generosity and investment in our work. If you are interested in joining us for this celebration and easement tour, please RSVP here.

From the establishment of our first conservation easement to the careful stewardship of diverse landscapes, your Land Trust has grown and evolved. Each project, whether it’s safeguarding critical wildlife habitats, ensuring access to recreational spaces, or preserving the cultural heritage of our area, has left an indelible mark on the landscape and in our hearts. The protection of more than 40,000 acres across eastern Idaho through more than 150 conservation projects has only been possible with your support.

In keeping with the continued vision to protect these landscapes, the Hamill Family Foundation has generously offered a challenge to increase our impact throughout eastern Idaho. Your gift to the Teton Regional Land Trust, above and beyond your historic annual gift, will be doubled this year. We ask that you continue to support the work of the Land Trust, so we can complete the next 100 projects that will benefit this and future generations.

Let’s come together to celebrate conservation on October 4th and look ahead to the next projects with hope and determination.

With gratitude,

Kim Trotter

Executive Director

Teton Regional Land Trust

 

 

Teton Regional Land Trust presents the 6th Annual Greater Yellowstone Crane Festival

Teton Regional Land Trust (TRLT) is excited to host the Greater Yellowstone Crane Festival, which returns to Teton Valley in its sixth year. The festival coincides with the fall pre-migration staging period when Sandhill Cranes gather in Teton Valley before migrating south, and is designed to raise awareness of this iconic species and the habitat upon which they depend. In addition to learning about cranes, the festival is meant to help community members connect with cranes through artistic expression. Residents and visitors of Teton Valley alike can agree that this basin is a special place. The annual congregation of cranes serves as a reminder of how the natural alignment of resources and beauty draws both people and animals to experience it. By learning about, connecting with, and celebrating Sandhill Cranes through the Greater Yellowstone Crane Festival, the Land Trust hopes to provide an opportunity for attendees to leave inspired by the species and the natural world that surrounds us all.

“When Sandhill Cranes flock to Teton Valley, they remind us to cherish this special place,” said Kim Trotter, Executive Director of the Land Trust. “With the help of our landowner partners and generous community, the Land Trust is proud to help protect cranes’ critical habitat so that they always have a place to congregate before heading south. I hope you’ll join us at the Greater Yellowstone Crane Festival to celebrate these iconic birds!”

This year the festival is taking place from Wednesday, September 20th through Saturday, September 23rd, and features morning crane tours followed by nightly events including a paint and sip, storytelling, and keynote speaker and film screening. The festival will then culminate with a community fair on Saturday the 23rd at the Driggs City Center Plaza from 10am to 3pm. The fair will feature kids craft activities, dance performances, an art and crane sculpture auction, and artist booths in conjunction with the Teton Valley Art Market. During the festival, there will be artist-led workshops where attendees can celebrate cranes through poetry and printmaking, drawing, and photography. To register for any of these events, please visit tetonlandtrust.org/events.

All proceeds from the Crane Festival events go towards the Greater Yellowstone Sandhill Crane Initiative at Teton Regional Land Trust. The Initiative’s purpose is to secure and actively manage habitat in Teton Valley in order to sustain the largest pre-migration staging population of Sandhill Cranes in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

As part of the Initiative, the Land Trust runs the Grain for Cranes program. This is an effort to establish annu­al food plots to ensure adequate crane food resources across the valley. To achieve this, we partner with landowners to grow, cut, and leave barley for the cranes to forage on strategically located land near roosting sites.

Historically, over 5,000 Sandhill Cranes spent the fall in Teton Valley, fueling up before migrating to the south for the winter. Due to habitat degradation and fragmentation caused by increasing development and disturbances, numbers fell to as few as 500 birds in the 1980s. Thankfully, efforts to protect their habitat and provide them with accessible grain to forage have helped the population rebound dramatically. In 2022, the Land Trust was happy to report that we recorded 1,025 Sandhills in a single day and 5,040 total cranes were counted over an 8 day period in Teton Valley.

Festival attendees can be a part of this successful program by participating in workshops, bidding on auction items, and purchasing Crane Festival merchandise. The community can also support the Initiative and the Grain for Cranes program by visiting tetonlandtrust.org or calling our office at 208-354-8939. The Land Trust looks forward to celebrating the return of Sandhill Cranes to Teton Valley with this wonderful eastern Idaho community.

Since 1990, the Land Trust has worked with partner organizations and willing landowners to protect over 40,000 acres in eastern Idaho through conservation easements and other voluntary conservation options.

Teton Regional Land Trust partners with landowners to conserve 140-acre property near the Teton River

Teton Regional Land Trust (TRLT) and the Gailey family recently completed a 140-acre conservation easement near the “Two Forks” section of the Teton River, downstream of the Teton Creek (Nickerson) river access in Teton County. There is a rich history to this property, as the Gaileys are just the third family to own it since it was homesteaded at the turn of the 20th century. This working farm is bordered by conservation easements to the east, adding to the mosaic of protected lands that lie in proximity to the Teton River, a refuge for wildlife and recreationists alike.

“While we don’t live in the area, our family has been visiting and enjoying the Teton Valley for over 50 years,” said the Gailey family. “We were lucky enough to become landowners in 2000. We’re thrilled to be a small part of the conservation efforts with the Teton Regional Land Trust in protecting the Sandhill Crane habitat and preserving open spaces in the valley. We felt a conservation easement was the best way to be good stewards to our land and to guarantee that its habitat and scenic qualities are enjoyed by future generations. We appreciate the work and efforts of Renee Hiebert and everyone at the Teton Regional Land Trust and their donors in making it happen.”

The Land Trust would like to recognize the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Agricultural Land Easement Program, the Richard G. Grundler Teton Valley Conservation Fund, the estate of Ronald C. Rope, The Cross Charitable Foundation, the East Idaho River Conservation Fund, and support through the Land Trust’s Legacy of Land campaign for contributions toward this project.

“We love working with landowners to meet their voluntary conservation goals,” said Curtis Elke, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Idaho. “When they take advantage of our easement programs, it is an even bigger win for the landowner and the landscape. In working with the Gailey family, together we have ensured that sustainable crop production continues, and wildlife maintains access to the habitat it needs. It’s Idaho at its best.”

The Gailey property possesses several qualities lending it conservation value. Its proximity to other protected lands means that wildlife will remain able to move freely between the fields and the Teton River. That open space also provides scenic value for the public, as it can be viewed from Teton County Road West 1250 South, as well as by recreationists floating the river, a portion of which flows through the northern end of the property. Finally, it holds agricultural value, as 87% of the soils are considered prime soils of statewide significance for agriculture.

This property is also unique in that it holds historical value. Enoch “Cal” Carrington homesteaded this land in 1897 after arriving via the old Mormon Trail from Utah to the Teton Basin, driving a light iron-tired wagon with three head of horses. Land Trust member Earle Layser has written a biography about Carrington titled I Always Did Like Horses and Women: Enoch Cal Carrington’s Life Story. Layser chronicles Carrington’s life working as an outfitter and “bronc buster” as he spent ten years meeting the requirements to establish a claim on this land through the Desert Land Act. To this day, the cabin that Carrington built still stands on the property’s west side. Since Carrington’s death in 1959, the two subsequent owners have chosen to farm around this structure rather than remove it. “Teton Valley history has deep ties to the old cabin and its original owner,” writes Layser.

The conservation of the Gailey property will benefit numerous species, including most notably Sandhill Cranes. The property sits in the heart of the highest concentration of crane roosts in Teton Valley.  The land has seen extremely high crane counts in its barley fields over the years and is considered the top land conservation priority by the Greater Yellowstone Sandhill Crane Initiative partners due to its importance for Sandhill Cranes. Trumpeter Swans also rely upon the stretch of river that runs through the northern end of the property for wintering habitat. Both of these species are considered Species of Greatest Conservation Need according to the State Wildlife Action Plan adopted by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game in 2017. Other Species of Greatest Conservation Need that use the property include Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse and Long-billed Curlew. Extensive willow vegetation along the river provides habitat for big game such as moose and white-tailed deer, as well as many raptor species.

“We appreciate the Gailey family’s vision to conserve Teton Valley farm ground as well as Teton riverfront and Valley homesteader history,” said Conservation Project Manager Renee Hiebert.

Conservation of the Gailey property builds on the protection of already conserved habitat and working lands that benefits both people and wildlife. For 33 years, the Land Trust has worked with partner organizations and willing landowners to protect over 40,000 acres in eastern Idaho through conservation easements and other voluntary conservation options.

This conservation work is not possible without community support. The Teton Regional Land Trust leverages each dollar of private contributions three times to secure conservation easement funding like NRCS’s Agricultural Land Easement Program. Right now, thanks to a generous match from the Hamill Family Foundation, donations to the Teton Regional Land Trust will be doubled for conservation. To take advantage of this opportunity to protect eastern Idaho’s wild and working lands, make a tax-deductible gift to the Land Trust at tetonlandtrust.org or send a check to P.O. Box 247, Driggs, ID 83455.

Wrun for Wray Targhee Hill Climb to return for 11th Race, honoring a legacy and impacting community

Teton Regional Land Trust (TRLT) and the Landon family are excited to partner once again to hold the 11th Wrun for Wray on June 24 at Grand Targhee Resort. The 2.9 mile hill climb race honors Wray Landon IV, an avid adventurer and naturalist who was a Land Steward at the Land Trust. The event serves as an opportunity to remember Wray and connect with those who were closest to him.

“Wray loved to run and loved to race uphill,” said Wray’s mother, Lani. “This always surprised us because he had no interest in running until his college days. Wray grew up skiing at Grand Targhee. He raced and coached there. Those are two reasons why the Wrun for Wray Targhee Hill Climb is such an appropriate memorial for him. He was a quiet and shy guy who would be embarrassed to know an event is named after him.”

“It’s always special to see Wray’s friends returning to the Wrun,” said Wray Landon, Wray IV’s father. “It’s especially nice to hear their stories about him. We’ve met friends of Wray we never knew at the Wrun. He was truly rich with friends. Lani and I hope to see or meet more of them this year.”

All funds raised through the Wrun for Wray go to the Wray Landon Legacy Fund, which supports projects that Wray himself would have enjoyed. These funds have been used for summer intern salaries, land protection projects, fence removals, ecological monitoring, habitat restoration, the Teton Basin Trumpeter Swan Project, and the Greater Yellowstone Sandhill Crane Initiative, among many other projects. To date, over $194,000 has been raised for Wray’s legacy.

Each year, a raffle is held to raise funds for the Wray Landon Legacy Fund. This year, prizes include a season pass at Grand Targhee Resort, backcountry skis from Yostmark Mountain Equipment, a longboard from Sibbz, and many more gift certificates and prizes all valued at a minimum of $50 from local businesses. Raffle tickets are $30 each or four for $100.

Race entry fees also support the Wray Landon Legacy Fund, and there are guaranteed prizes for the top three male and female racers. First place will receive a Grand Targhee Resort season pass, second place will receive a three month membership to Orangetheory Fitness, and third place will receive an endurance supplement courtesy of Momentous. All age group first place winners receive great prizes.

We hope you will join the Landon family and Teton Regional Land Trust on June 24 at 10AM at Grand Targhee Resort for the Wrun for Wray. Runners and walkers are welcome to join in the fun. The first 100 entries receive a runner’s packet. To purchase raffle tickets or to register for the Wrun, please visit the event page.

Greater Yellowstone Crane Festival

Wrun for Wray Targhee Hill Climb