The Teton Regional Land Trust began to explore youth educational opportunities early in its conception and continues to strive to connect our region’s youth to the natural world. We strongly believe that education is an important component of our work and that by educating kids on conservation and stewardship we can sustain connections between people and land that will carry on for generations.
In 2007 we partnered with Teton Nordic Club and offered several Nordic Naturalist ski events on conserved properties in Teton Valley. Children toured the conservation easements in search of signs of wildlife with help from Teton Regional Land Trust and Idaho Fish & Game staff. Wildlife and wildlife signs observed included trumpeter swan, grouse, mice and voles, porcupine, muskrat, and moose. Each skier received a Nordic naturalist card with which they could keep track of all the wildlife signs they found while skiing. Each child who took a total of three trips and filled out their card received a Nordic naturalist pin to help them commemorate their wildlife observation work. These Nordic Naturalist skis were held each year endured until 2015.
Also in 2007, the Teton Regional Land Trust created a scholarship in honor of Michael B. Whitfield. Michael’s commitment to land conservation in Eastern Idaho has been instrumental in the protection of key landscapes in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This scholarship program ensures that students, regardless of their financial ability, can pursue a career in conservation. Candidates are eligible to receive $1,000.00 toward their educational endeavors and must show an intention to pursue a major course of study in college or vocational school in the environmental sciences, biology, ecology, environmental planning or policy, agriculture, or a related field. Applications for the scholarship are due in April each year and reviewing them is something the staff always looks forward to awarding. Maybe one of the awardees will come work with us one day!
Since 2013 the Land Trust, in partnership with Idaho Fish & Game, US Fish & Wildlife, the Wyoming Wetlands Society, and The Trumpeter Swan Society, has released a number of Trumpeter Swans cygnets on suitable, conserved wetlands. The swans are banded or tagged and the hope is that they can be tracked and that they might return each year to Teton Valley to raise their own young. Depending on when the release happens, the Land Trust tries to invite a group of students to attend the release. Students get a lesson from a staff member on swans and their ecosystem, the chance to look closely at or even hold a young swan (they’re big!), and be a part of an important project that might shape the patterns of an iconic species. Kids who attended the releases are encouraged to look out for the tagged swans and report any possible sightings.
Raptors on the Ranch, held in 2012 and 2013, was a free event held at Six Springs Ranch in Driggs, where Teton Raptor Center brought over some of their feathered advocates to give flight demonstrations and to celebrate and learn all about our region’s birds of prey.
Our Woods Creek Fen outdoor classroom is open to the public! While we are not offering formal instruction, we do have it open for groups to use.
As part of the Teton Regional Land Trust’s Valley Venture Education program in 1999-2007, children explored educational stations filled with science. In the Fall, 5th-grade students in Teton Valley visited Treasure Mountain Boy Scout Camp, while 5th graders in Fremont County visited the Chester Wetlands, as the first half of a two-part educational series that gives children a chance to explore the outdoors and learn about nature. In the spring, the same Teton County fifth grade students explored the Wood’s Creek Fen outdoor classroom. Our eastern Idaho students live in such a remarkable place and we hope their ventures encouraged understanding of their local environment and interest in future exploration of this very special place.
In addition, teacher trunks have been an effective tool to connect our local youth to our local ecosystem. The teacher trunks originated in 2009 and have been enjoyed by students and teachers for more than a decade. In 2019, Joselin and Hilary created a program, Cranes in the Classroom, that utilized a script and an art project to deliver an in-person lesson about Sandhill Cranes and why our region is so important to their long-term survival. When Covid-19 hit in 2020, we switched gears a bit and created a virtual presentation that made it easier and safer to present the materials. We realized that we could engage a broader audience by having a virtual component to each of our lessons, and we decided to revamp our teacher trunk series with new materials, Spanish translation, and an online component.
Thanks to grant support from the Community Foundation of Teton Valley Youth Philanthropy program, Battelle Energy Alliance, Intermountain Aquatics, Richard Grundler, and Nancy Winter, we have outlined a series of four new Teacher Trunk lesson plans that build on each other and that we will roll out over the next year. We are striving to create four distinct trunks that can be used by community members throughout the year. Our last teacher trunk update was in 2010 and the materials are deteriorating or have become outdated. We are currently rejuvenating our teacher trunks with exciting new materials and information, salvaging what we can from the old trunks while exploring current topics and creating a user-friendly curriculum. Each trunk will be tailored to a specific grade level, and the modules will build on the previous lesson. The trunks will include laminated images, replica animal parts, digital software, literature, printed lesson plans, and any other relevant materials, contained in a carrying case for easy and safe transport. TRLT staff will provide a video presentation of each lesson that will be on our website, as well as the necessary information for a parent or teacher to teach the materials, depending on individual needs.
Winter Ecology: Snow Science and Animal Adaptations will be followed by Spring: Healthy Ecosystems and Renewal (4th Grade). We will roll out another trunk in late summer for 1st graders, will make our Cranes in the Classroom (2nd grade) “to-go”, and we have future plans to update our Woods Creek Fen outdoor classroom for middle schoolers.
The Land Trust will continue to seek out opportunities to connect with and educate the youth in our region so that future generations may know the beauty and importance of the natural world around us, so that they may love it and protect it.
For more information about our Teacher Trunks or Youth Education, please visit our Education page here on our website or reach out to Hilary at hilary@tetonlandtrust.org.
Photo by Rick Budde (2012)
Mailing Address
Teton Regional Land Trust Announces 2022 recipients for Michael B. Whitfield Scholarship Maren Jorgensen of Ashton and Tili Anderson of St. Anthony both receive $1,000
April 27, 2022
Maren Jorgensen of North Fremont High School and Tili Anderson of South Fremont High School are the recipients of this year’s Michael B. Whitefield Scholarship. The $1,000 award is given annually by the Teton Regional Land Trust to a senior who lives in the Land Trust service area with a passion for environmental or agricultural studies. 2022 marks the first year the Land Trust has extended the scholarship award to two high school students.
Maren Jorgensen will attend Utah State University to study Agricultural Education so she can be an advocate for the agricultural industry. Sh
e has been involved with the Future Farmers of America Organization (FFA) for the past four years and currently serves as the President of North Fremont High School’s FFA Chapter. Jorgensen is a two-time FFA district champion and won a FFA state championship in Agricultural Issues. She has been a dedicated class representative for Student Council, serving as the Vice President of her junior class and President of her freshman class. Currently, she holds the position of Executive Student Council Vice President and is a member of the National Honor Society. Jorgensen has enjoyed running cross country since her freshman year and takes score for the women’s basketball team. In her free time, she loves to do anything outdoors including hiking, camping, and backpacking. Jorgensen said of the Michael B. Whitfield Scholarship, “The Teton Regional Land Trust Scholarship will be really beneficial to me as it will help me pursue my goal of becoming an agricultural education teacher and help kids realize their place in agriculture.”
Tili Anderson will attend Brigham Young University-Idaho to study Civil Engineering and plans to complete a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering. She is a National Honor Society Member and has completed almost 20 college credits during her high school career. This summer, Anderson will work as a Youth Conservation Corps intern for the Caribou Targhee National Forest doing trail maintenance at Mesa Falls. Her father, who works for the United States Forest Service, taught her the importance of preserving natural resources to maintain a balanced environment.
Teton Regional Land Trust created the scholarship in 2009 to honor Michael B. Whitfield who helped found the organization in 1990 and served as its Executive Director for 18 years. Michael’s passion for land conservation in Teton Valley and throughout the Upper Snake River Watershed, has been instrumental in the preservation of key landscapes in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. To learn more about the scholarship and how to apply please visit www.tetonlandtrust.org.
Teton Regional Land Trust Member Donates Home Sale for Conservation Fund
(December 2, 2021) Richard Grundler first came out to fish in Teton Valley in 1961 and ever since then has been drawn to Teton Valley for its skiing and fishing. In 1999, he bought his current home in Victor and moved here permanently from Vermont in 2001. He has always been enamored by the beauty of open space and farmland in the valley and feels that presently, with the increasing development pressures, there is an urgency to ensure that the land is properly protected for future generations. Richard inherited a home on Nantucket Island which he committed to donating to the Teton Regional Land Trust in 2014. This summer, his extremely generous donation came to fruition when he transferred full ownership to the Land Trust with the intent for TRLT to sell it. Once the property was sold, the proceeds of the sale established the Richard G. Grundler Teton Valley Conservation Fund to support conservation efforts in Teton Valley. “I recognized Teton Valley as a last remaining location where nature still had a chance. I want to do as much as possible to assure that that happens. I have traveled the world and realized how fortunate we are. I feel privileged that I will be able to see what my involvement in the valley results in.” said Grundler.
Richard grew up in western New York and went to the University of Vermont and then to the University of Buffalo School of Dentistry. He joined the Navy and spent a year in Vietnam with the Marines and upon his return set up his dental practice in Burlington, Vermont. During this time, he made his first trip to Teton Valley to camp and fish in Teton Canyon. “I caught fish for breakfast before my coffee was even done”, and he was hooked. After running his dental practice for 28 years he retired in 1990 and spent the next ten years coming out to ski at Teton Village, along with some heli-skiing and cat skiing trips to Grand Targhee before deciding to buy a home in Teton Valley. He moved in on Christmas Day in 1999. He is at home here now. He told us he enjoys watching the many different species of birds in his backyard and shared a memory of an evening having burgers and beers with friends on his deck when he spotted four mountain lions on the hillside that they were able to watch for a while.
Richard first became acquainted with Teton Regional Land Trust when he attended the annual “Taste of the Tetons” picnics at Six Springs Ranch, home of the Land Trust. He got to know the people involved and became a member. In 2014, he was invited to go fishing with the executive director at the time, Chet Work, after which Richard set up a meeting with him and told him he wanted to donate his Nantucket property to the Teton Regional Land Trust. He had realized how unique Teton Valley was and wanted to help “protect the valley’s open spaces.” Richard told us that a big concern of his is “non-harmonious, uncontrolled development, isolated parcels of land that are left behind and are not farmable any longer.” We asked him what his vision is for Teton Valley moving forward and he said, “keeping it peaceful, quiet, serene, and ‘short lift lines.”
Teton Regional Land Trust is honored and grateful for Richard Grundler’s generous gift to the Land Trust and to Teton Valley. Richard’s inspiring gift will make a lasting impact on conservation in Teton Valley, and we are beyond thankful for his vision and foresight. Planned gifts like his will benefit our wildlife and community for many generations to come, making Richard’s legacy live on through the land forever. I look forward to showing Richard first-hand the future projects that we can complete with the Richard G. Grundler Teton Valley Conservation Fund, says Jeske Gräve, Development Director. If you have named the Teton Regional Land Trust in your estate plans, or are planning to do so, please let us know so we can thank you in your lifetime. As Richard says perfectly: “Do it now when you are able to see the benefits of your donations while you are still living. You can also offer input on how best to see your donations used.
Three Regional Conservation Projects Protect Working Lands, Wildlife Habitat, and Scenic Views
(November 1, 2021) Teton Regional Land Trust (TRLT) completed three important conservation projects this summer on properties throughout our region in Teton Valley, on Pine Creek Bench in Swan Valley, and adjacent to the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area. These conservation easements add over 2,500 acres to the Land Trust’s conserved properties. “Congratulations to Renee Hiebert, Conservation Specialist and Josh Holmes, Land Protection Specialist, who led these projects that reflect the landowners’ goals for their properties while protecting the conservation values. All three projects build upon past conservation work by TRLT and our partners and help ensure the long-term ecological function of core conservation areas in east Idaho. It’s no secret that east Idaho is facing unprecedented pressures on resources. Strategic conservation of working lands that provide key wildlife habitat and habitat connectivity contributes to common goals of many people who call this area home—open space and robust wildlife populations” said Tamara Sperber, Conservation Director.
Earlier this summer, Three Forks, LLC conserved 130 acres of pivot-irrigated farmland adjacent to their existing conservation easement properties that are located in the Three Forks area of the Teton River approximately five miles west of Driggs. The property provides important foraging habitat for Sandhill Cranes and waterbirds in both spring and fall and is part of a migratory corridor for big game. The family donated the value of the conservation easement, which provides the needed private match for TRLT’s current North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant. This is TRLT’s sixth $1 million NAWCA grant that benefits Teton Valley and brings funds to local landowners interested in conserving their land to benefit wetland-dependent bird species. Each grant has been leveraged by several million private dollars in the form of both easement donations and monetary donations from private foundations and individuals, benefitting local communities, both human and wild. The Cross Charitable Foundation helped with the needed match to complete this conservation project. The recent easement meets two distinct conservation purposes: the preservation of the relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife, or plants and the protection of open space including farmland pursuant to a clearly delineated governmental policy.
In early September, a conservation easement granted to TRLT by the Bradford family preserved one of the last pieces of unprotected farmland on Pine Creek Bench in Swan Valley. Overlooking the South Fork of the Snake River, this 140-acre easement is surrounded by other protected farms and land owned by Bureau of Land Management, which collectively protect the incredible scenery along the famed trout stream. “This was an exceptionally rewarding project to be a part of. Anytime you see an inholding conserved, you know the resources in the area have a greater chance of remaining intact for the future benefit of local wildlife. Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse and big game are a few of the species that rely on the open space and habitat of the Pine Creek Bench. The Bradfords have made a significant and lasting impact on conservation in the area.” says Josh Holmes, TRLT Land Protection Specialist, who worked on the conservation easement. This project builds on the 30-year effort by the Snake River Conservation Partnership to protect lands along the South Fork, adding to the more than 10,000 acres that have been preserved from development along the river. Funding was also provided by Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the JKL Family Foundation, the Cross Charitable Foundation, and a private bequest.
Most recently, one of TRLT’s largest conservation easements was granted by a family on their ranch adjacent to the Tex Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA), in Bonneville County east of Idaho Falls, preserving critical transition habitat that is vital for big game herds that winter on the WMA. Elk, mule deer, moose, Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse, and a multitude of other wildlife species will benefit from the protection of this large property. This conservation project met the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) qualification for Grasslands of Special Significance because of the sagebrush habitat, which allowed the NRCS to contribute a significant amount of funding for the easement under the Agricultural Land Easement program. An NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Agricultural Land Easement allows for farming and ranching of properties, as well as limited residential construction. It also permanently limits the amount and type of future development. “Conserving over 2,000 acres of rangeland next to the WMA couldn’t have happened without the landowners’ vision and help from our dedicated partners. The NRCS has been a wonderful partner all along the way, helping us overcome numerous hurdles to get the ranch protected. You don’t see too many ranches of this size in this area. I can’t thank the family enough for working with us to implement their conservation vision to protect such a special place.” Josh Holmes, Land Protection Specialist for TRLT. In addition to the support received by NRCS, other partners that supported the project include the Cross Charitable Foundation, the JKL Family Foundation, the local Safari Club chapter, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and private donors.
For over 30 years, the Land Trust has worked with partner organizations and willing landowners to protect more than 39,000 acres in east Idaho through conservation easements and other voluntary conservation options.
Cover Photo: Pine Creek Bench in Swan Valley
Three Forks in Teton Valley
Tex Creek in Bonneville County
Amazing Restoration of Fox Creek Ranch
The Huntsman Family generously hosted a special sold-out event for the Land Trust on September 11, 2021 at Fox Creek Ranch. In A Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild featuring classical pianist Hunter Noack, was an incredible experience made even more so by the setting. Fox Creek Ranch is a perfect example of what can be done in restoration and conservation work with committed landowners. Please enjoy this video with Nancy Huntsman explaining the work and the process.
Youth Education Programs
The Teton Regional Land Trust began to explore youth educational opportunities early in its conception and continues to strive to connect our region’s youth to the natural world. We strongly believe that education is an important component of our work and that by educating kids on conservation and stewardship we can sustain connections between people and land that will carry on for generations.
In 2007 we partnered with Teton Nordic Club and offered several Nordic Naturalist ski events on conserved properties in Teton Valley. Children toured the conservation easements in search of signs of wildlife with help from Teton Regional Land Trust and Idaho Fish & Game staff. Wildlife and wildlife signs observed included trumpeter swan, grouse, mice and voles, porcupine, muskrat, and moose. Each skier received a Nordic naturalist card with which they could keep track of all the wildlife signs they found while skiing. Each child who took a total of three trips and filled out their card received a Nordic naturalist pin to help them commemorate their wildlife observation work. These Nordic Naturalist skis were held each year endured until 2015.
Also in 2007, the Teton Regional Land Trust created a scholarship in honor of Michael B. Whitfield. Michael’s commitment to land conservation in Eastern Idaho has been instrumental in the protection of key landscapes in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. This scholarship program ensures that students, regardless of their financial ability, can pursue a career in conservation. Candidates are eligible to receive $1,000.00 toward their educational endeavors and must show an intention to pursue a major course of study in college or vocational school in the environmental sciences, biology, ecology, environmental planning or policy, agriculture, or a related field. Applications for the scholarship are due in April each year and reviewing them is something the staff always looks forward to awarding. Maybe one of the awardees will come work with us one day!
Since 2013 the Land Trust, in partnership with Idaho Fish & Game, US Fish & Wildlife, the Wyoming Wetlands Society, and The Trumpeter Swan Society, has released a number of Trumpeter Swans cygnets on suitable, conserved wetlands. The swans are banded or tagged and the hope is that they can be tracked and that they might return each year to Teton Valley to raise their own young. Depending on when the release happens, the Land Trust tries to invite a group of students to attend the release. Students get a lesson from a staff member on swans and their ecosystem, the chance to look closely at or even hold a young swan (they’re big!), and be a part of an important project that might shape the patterns of an iconic species. Kids who attended the releases are encouraged to look out for the tagged swans and report any possible sightings.
Raptors on the Ranch, held in 2012 and 2013, was a free event held at Six Springs Ranch in Driggs, where Teton Raptor Center brought over some of their feathered advocates to give flight demonstrations and to celebrate and learn all about our region’s birds of prey.
Our Woods Creek Fen outdoor classroom is open to the public! While we are not offering formal instruction, we do have it open for groups to use.
As part of the Teton Regional Land Trust’s Valley Venture Education program in 1999-2007, children explored educational stations filled with science. In the Fall, 5th-grade students in Teton Valley visited Treasure Mountain Boy Scout Camp, while 5th graders in Fremont County visited the Chester Wetlands, as the first half of a two-part educational series that gives children a chance to explore the outdoors and learn about nature. In the spring, the same Teton County fifth grade students explored the Wood’s Creek Fen outdoor classroom. Our eastern Idaho students live in such a remarkable place and we hope their ventures encouraged understanding of their local environment and interest in future exploration of this very special place.
In addition, teacher trunks have been an effective tool to connect our local youth to our local ecosystem. The teacher trunks originated in 2009 and have been enjoyed by students and teachers for more than a decade. In 2019, Joselin and Hilary created a program, Cranes in the Classroom, that utilized a script and an art project to deliver an in-person lesson about Sandhill Cranes and why our region is so important to their long-term survival. When Covid-19 hit in 2020, we switched gears a bit and created a virtual presentation that made it easier and safer to present the materials. We realized that we could engage a broader audience by having a virtual component to each of our lessons, and we decided to revamp our teacher trunk series with new materials, Spanish translation, and an online component.
Thanks to grant support from the Community Foundation of Teton Valley Youth Philanthropy program, Battelle Energy Alliance, Intermountain Aquatics, Richard Grundler, and Nancy Winter, we have outlined a series of four new Teacher Trunk lesson plans that build on each other and that we will roll out over the next year. We are striving to create four distinct trunks that can be used by community members throughout the year. Our last teacher trunk update was in 2010 and the materials are deteriorating or have become outdated. We are currently rejuvenating our teacher trunks with exciting new materials and information, salvaging what we can from the old trunks while exploring current topics and creating a user-friendly curriculum. Each trunk will be tailored to a specific grade level, and the modules will build on the previous lesson. The trunks will include laminated images, replica animal parts, digital software, literature, printed lesson plans, and any other relevant materials, contained in a carrying case for easy and safe transport. TRLT staff will provide a video presentation of each lesson that will be on our website, as well as the necessary information for a parent or teacher to teach the materials, depending on individual needs.
Winter Ecology: Snow Science and Animal Adaptations will be followed by Spring: Healthy Ecosystems and Renewal (4th Grade). We will roll out another trunk in late summer for 1st graders, will make our Cranes in the Classroom (2nd grade) “to-go”, and we have future plans to update our Woods Creek Fen outdoor classroom for middle schoolers.
The Land Trust will continue to seek out opportunities to connect with and educate the youth in our region so that future generations may know the beauty and importance of the natural world around us, so that they may love it and protect it.
For more information about our Teacher Trunks or Youth Education, please visit our Education page here on our website or reach out to Hilary at hilary@tetonlandtrust.org.
Photo by Rick Budde (2012)
Land Trust and longtime Teton Valley family protect scenic farmland and wetland habitat
(March 23, 2021) Teton Regional Land Trust (TRLT) and the Kearsley family recently closed on an 80-acre conservation easement that protects the family’s farm and preserves scenic open space, important wetland habitat, and a portion of two streams within the Teton River watershed. Thanks to the Kearsley family, the iconic scenic view as you enter Teton Valley coming over Pine Creek Pass on Highway 31 will remain that way. The property has been farmed by the Kearsley family for more than 100 years and this will allow them to continue that tradition. David Kearsley worked closely with the Land Trust on the easement. “We appreciate working with TRLT on this project. Funds received through the conservation easement will allow us to keep the property in the family and keep the agricultural usage. There have been five generations of family members who have operated the farm. We look forward to having many more.”
The farm is surrounded by other private lands that were previously protected by conservation easements, making the Kearsley farm an important piece of the conservation puzzle in the Teton Valley’s south end. Significant ecological connections tie the farm to more than 12,340 acres of other TRLT conserved properties in Teton County, as well as a number of other protected properties and public lands. Protecting the wetland and riparian habitats on the farm adds to the conservation of resources that are important for native plants, fish, and wildlife in Teton Valley, including the Greater Sandhill Crane, Long-billed Curlew, and Swainson’s Hawk.
“The Kearsley family is leaving in place a conservation legacy on the landscape that will be intact for many more generations to come.” said Josh Holmes, TRLT’s Land Protection Specialist who led this project to completion, “I can’t thank them enough for that.”
The property’s wetland attributes and the streams that flow through the farm are important contributors to the health and function of the Teton River. These features join other water sources to form the headwaters of the Teton River, which provides habitat for native fish such as the Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The wetland, floodplains, and riparian habitats within the Teton River watershed are vital to the protection of wildlife populations, nutrient cycling, water quality, erosion control, and groundwater discharge. Protection of the Kearsley farm, as well as other lands within the Teton River corridor, is an important part of securing long-term conservation of these precious resources. “Well-managed family farms and ranches play a critical role in protecting and conserving clean water, healthy streams, and a thriving wild fishery in the Teton River Watershed. Friends of the Teton River is thrilled to have been able to help bring funding support to this project”, Amy Verbeten, Executive Director of Friends of the Teton River.
In 2017, TRLT, Friends of the Teton River, and LegacyWorks Group succeeded in acquiring funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Idaho to support conservation work in Teton Valley as part of the NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Within the RCPP, the NRCS made federal matching funds available to support conservation easements in Teton Basin through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). Because the Kearsley farm met the conservation goals of the Teton Basin RCPP by protecting farmland and natural resources beneficial to the health of the Teton River and wildlife species, TRLT was able to secure NRCS support through ACEP.
“NRCS is excited to welcome this parcel into ACEP,” said Wade Brown, Easement Coordinator for NRCS Idaho. “It provides a long-term grazing management program that will, in turn, improve wetland and riparian habitat. That, along with its location within the Teton Basin made it a perfect fit for our easement program.”
Conservation of the Kearsley farm builds on the protection of already conserved valley habitat and working lands that benefits both people and wildlife. For 30 years, the Land Trust has worked with partner organizations and willing landowners to protect more than 37,000 acres in east Idaho through conservation easements and other voluntary conservation options. An ACEP conservation easement allows for farming and ranching of properties, as well as limited residential construction. It also permanently limits the amount and type of future development.
Wray & Lani Landon and the Wray Landon Legacy Fund
Honoring our close friend and coworker Wray Landon IV, a memorial fund has been created to extend the conservation and stewardship work he loved. Wray passed away while skiing on the South Teton Sunday, February 21, 2010. Teton Regional Land Trust lost a valuable employee and friend that day. Honoring the wishes of Wray’s family, the Land Trust created the “Wray Landon Legacy Fund.” Gifts made to this fund go towards furthering the great work Wray did with the Teton Regional Land Trust.
Wray was a skilled naturalist and biologist who developed an impressive understanding of the natural systems of the Upper Snake River Watershed. He applied his knowledge with fervor and skill towards the stewardship of conservation easement lands. His field work and knowledge of the resources helped guide the permanent projects in partnership with landowners to protect their land. His good sense and courtesy endeared him to the landowners with whom the Land Trust worked, helping build strong relationships essential to the conservation of private lands. His surveys of Yellowstone cutthroat redds, Sandhill Cranes in Teton Valley, song-birds on the South Fork, and waterfowl along the Henry’s Fork, added to the knowledge of wildlife resources in eastern Idaho.
To Date (Feb 2020), $130,046 has been raised in honor of Wray’s Legacy:
$62,308 from the fund has supported the following activities and projects:
$67,738 of the fund is held to advance special opportunities.
“We are so very grateful to everyone who has donated to Wray’s Legacy Fund in the past and to those who continue to remember Wray every year. It puts a smile on our faces and gives us a big lift when we hear someone has donated again. We think of Wray every day and miss him dearly. It’s so important to us to have something so positive as his Legacy Fund to help continue the work he loved so much at the Land Trust. We know he would be excited to see the completion of the Teton Creek Corridor Project.
The Land Trust has been wonderful to partner with on Wray’s Legacy Fund. They consistently target meaningful projects and activities for support by the Fund.
In the past ten years, we have met so many wonderful people who knew and worked with Wray. He lived a simple life in Teton Valley but he was happy and rich in his friendships. This makes us feel very good.” – Wray and Lani Landon
Wray and Lani were recognized with our 3oth Anniversary Volunteer Appreciation Award.
Wray Landon Legacy Fund Supporters
Kira Appelhans
Kristi & Tony Appelhans
Jessica Avizinis
Laura & Ralph Belleville
James & Susan Berkenfield
Ellen & Nicholas Besobrasov
Kim & Zahan Billimoria
Jim Bjorken
Trish & Mike Boyd
Niel & Sue Bratton
Tim & Wendy Brockish
Anne Bryant
Tom Carmody
Rob & Katie Cavallaro
Kim & Joyce Childs
Clifford & Dot Coddington
Justin Coleman
Janelle Constantino
Catherine Crowder
Tracy Delamater
Joe Dennis
Jim & Karin Desser
Glenn Devoe
James & Sherry Dokos
Kathy Dolan
Harold & Kaye Dunn
Marty & Patricia Edwards
Constance & Gary Forney
David & Debbie Fosdick
Steven & Barbara Frank
James & Joan Garza
Lisa Gaskey
Anthony Gould
Van Gould
Frederick & Neccia Hahn
Hamill Family Foundation
Lisa Hamilton
Glen & Barb Hayes
Michael & Margaret Hinman
Susan & Lynn Holt
Evan & Anita Honeyfield
Idaho Falls Ski Club
Idaho National Laboratory
Glenn Janss
Kelly Canyon Ski Team
LeeAnne Landon
Bruce & Atsuko Landon
Jane Landon
Wray & Lani Landon
Miles La Rowe
Bill & Deborah Leake
Christine Leusch
Alex & Francine Lheritier
Betty Ann Limpert
Dennis & Shelly Lowe
Matt Lucia
Bob & Anna Lugar
Veronica Lujan
Bob & Debbie Malheiro
Sandy & Mary Mason
Roger & Pamela Mayes
Ken & Barbara McIntosh
Faith McKinney
Anne Meade
Sylvia Medina
Connie Mohr
Loretta Moses
AJ & Jeff Mousseau
Carolyn Neblett
David & Marcia Nigg
Mary Noble
Brett Novak
Brian & Beverly Novak
Cheryl & Barry O’Brien
Donald & Cathy Ormond
Anne Pagenstecher
Carol Perry
Gary & Jen Price
Jerry & Barbara Reese
Dave & Linda Reinke
Tim Reynolds & Patty Isaeff
Karen Rice
David & Marjorie Robinson
Clint & Sherrie Rohner
Thomas & Elise Rothamel
Wayne Sander
Dean & Mimi Scofield
Bonnie & Doug Self
DL & JB Sharp
Bill Smith & Adonia Henry
Kathy Smolik
Soderquist Family
Tamara Sperber
Peter & Lenore Stepanishen
Teton Valley Trails & Pathways
Mike TenEyck
Babette Thorpe & John Rice
Clyde Toole
John & Tiff VanOrman
Clint & Gini Van Siclen
Anne Voilleque
Kimmon Richards & Douglas Whatmore
Kent & Jen Werlin
Ethan & Anne Winter
Nancy Winter
David & Susie Work
Dave & Pam Worthington
Felix & Joyce Zajac
Monica & Richard Zimmerman
Wrun for Wray Supporters
460 Bread
Broulim’s
Brownings Honey
Casual Custom Graphics
Cottonwood Dental Care
Get Baked Prepared Food Emporium
Grand Targhee Resort
Grand Teton Brewing
Grand Teton Distillery
Great Harvest
Guchiebird’s
High Country Bloomers
Idaho Falls Arts Council
Idaho Mountain Trading
Kathy Dolan
Knotty Pine
Lani & Wray Landon
Liquid Hardware
Liquor Market
MD Nursery
Momentous
O’Rourke’s
Papa Murphy’s
Peaked Sports
Play Clean Go campaign
Post Register
Roadhouse Brewing Co
Sam’s Club
SIBBZ Industries LLC
Smith Honda
Snake River Printing
Streubel Physical Therapy
Teton Thai
Teton Trail Runners
Teton Valley Health Care
Teton Regional Land Trust
Victor Emporium
Victor Valley Market
Westside Yard
Yostmark Mountain Equipment
A Conversation with Michael Whitfield
Reflecting Back Looking Forward
Expressing gratitude for the people, partnerships, and places that have made our work possible.
Lower Henry’s Fork Conservation
Mike and Sheralee Lawson were recognized as Ed Hill Conservation Award recipients this year during our 30th Anniversary Celebration for their Henry’s Fork conservation easement. You can watch their interview with Jeske Grave, our Development Director, below. Teton Regional Land Trust and Mike and Sheralee Lawson partnered to complete a conservation easement on Friday, December 28, 2018. This 44-acre property in Parker, Idaho includes ¾ of a mile of Henry’s Fork river frontage and an upland bench which is in agricultural production. The property lies in a complex of protected property bordered by the Bureau of Land Management and Idaho Department of Fish and Game owned lands. It is also across the river from other privately-owned conservation easement properties. The property’s farmland, grass meadows, cottonwoods, and willow riparian areas provide habitat for a wide variety of big game, water bird, songbird, raptor, and wild and native trout species. Notable species that will benefit from this land protection include Sandhill Cranes, Bald Eagle, Wild Turkey, cougar, moose, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo-which is listed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act.
As the founder of Henry’s Fork Anglers 42 years ago and current general manager, Mike Lawson is an avid fly fisherman who values conservation of the Henry’s Fork River. Lawson said, “It’s the right thing to do. It’s about maintaining a way of life. Ensuring farming and ranching remains part of the landscape. We wanted to conserve the property to be a part of maintaining the character of the area. Having grown up in the area, I’ve seen the development happen slowly over time, but in recent years I’ve really come to see how much of the farmland, ranchland, and wildlife habitat has been lost to development.”
Mike and Sheralee both grew up in the Parker area. The property is special to them both as individuals and as a couple. For Sheralee, a fourth-generation area resident, the property has a significant meaning. Her dad grew up in Parker and would often spend time fishing the area river bottoms. She likes to think that maybe her dad walked across this very property in his youth. Mike has floated this section of the Henry’s Fork for over 40 years and he has long admired this stretch of the river for brown trout fishing. Just downstream of the property at the Fort Henry monument, Mike proposed to Sheralee along the Henry’s Fork many years ago. When they saw the property listed for sale, they knew it was important to conserve this special place to ensure the wildlife habitat remains intact and not developed. Mike and Sheralee’s kids are also supportive of their parent’s decision to protect the property with a conservation easement.
“It was wonderful to work with the Lawsons. Their family history in the region and lifelong love of the Henry’s Fork make it especially meaningful to work with them to protect this special property for generations to come,” said Joselin Matkins, Teton Regional Land Trust’s Executive Director.
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a qualified organization, such as the Land Trust, that limits certain uses of the land, like large scale development, in order to conserve the natural and traditional values of the land. Landowners grant conservation easements to protect the resources of their property for perpetuity while retaining the rights of private ownership. Conservation easements stay with the land forever. This conservation project was accomplished through a partnership between the Land Trust and the landowners. Funding for this project came from the Teton Regional Land Trust’s Eastern Idaho River Conservation Fund and a donation from Mike and Sheralee Lawson.