Working in cooperation with local land trusts, we have helped to safeguard Idaho’s working landscapes and popular recreation destinations, including more than 32,250 acres within the Greater Yellowstone ecoregion and more than 20,000 acres in the Upper Snake River area. In total, we have helped protect more than 131,000 acres across the state.
From the mountains of Yellowstone National Park, the mighty Snake River begins its journey to the coast as two smaller rivers: the Henrys Fork and the South Fork. This upper part of the Snake River in Idaho is one of the most important and popular wildlife and recreational areas in the country. However, in recent years, both the South Fork and the Henrys Fork areas have garnered mounting attention for residential subdivision and development. Recognizing this threat to the landscape, The Conservation Fund has mobilized partnerships to protect critical, privately-owned properties along the Henrys Fork and South Fork, with a goal of maintaining the watershed’s open, agricultural character for the long-term benefit of wildlife and recreationists.
The Conservation Fund is working with key landowners to protect critical, privately-owned properties along both the South Fork and the Henrys Fork. Already, the partnership has permanently protected over 20,000 acres along the Snake River from development, including the conservation purchase of a 440-acre tract with over two miles of frontage within the magnificent South Fork canyon, which had been approved for a 25-homesite subdivision.
Much work remains, however. Other families with land that is high in conservation value wish to follow the example of our partner landowners and protect their magnificent land permanently. Our success will ultimately hinge on the generosity and conservation vision of potential new funding partners.
As part of our conservation efforts along the Snake River, in September 2009 we were part of a conservation partnership, including willing landowners, that worked to protect two of the last unprotected parcels of private land along the canyon stretch of the South Fork Snake River.
We assisted the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with the purchase of 440 acres from a willing landowner along the South Fork. In addition, a permanent conservation easement was placed on 713 acres of land adjoining the purchased property. Owned by dry farmers Cletus and Sharon Hamilton, the Teton Regional Land Trust was the lead on the easement and the BLM will hold the easement on the property. Key funding for these projects was provided by The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) and the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA).
Conserving these two properties—one now in public ownership and the other remaining in private hands—benefits citizens of Idaho who enjoy hunting, fishing, beautiful scenery and wildlife viewing. These lands will provide migration routes for big game like elk and mule deer, as well as habitat for imperiled species like the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. The South Fork also supports the largest native Yellowstone cutthroat trout fishery outside of Yellowstone National Park and produces half the bald eagles in the state.
Eastern Idaho also benefits from the economic impact of the fishing and boating industry along these two waterways. Every year, visitors from all over the world travel to this river to enjoy its spectacular scenery, fishery and wildlife. According to estimates by Dr. John Loomis, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, the use of the South Fork and Henry’s Fork of the Snake River by anglers and other visitors generates 1,214 jobs and over $41 million in income. Some of the most productive dry farmland in eastern Idaho lies along the high bluffs lining the South Fork, helping Bonneville County maintain its lead statewide in barley production. Keeping this productive land in farming, wheat and barley primarily was one of the main reasons Cletus Hamilton decided to protect his land. “We thought this was good to do for ourselves and our family, for society and for the land,” Hamilton said.
“This effort shows that private working lands can still remain productive while providing assurance that future generation of Idahoans will have the same opportunity to enjoy these lands.” said Senator Jim Risch.
Tens of thousands of Japanese Americans were forced to spend the World War II years in isolated internment camps out West. As part of our Japanese American Internment Camp Preservation Initiative, we are working to preserve one of these camps, south-central Idaho’s Minidoka National Historic Site, adding more than 228 acres to date. Most recently, we worked with the Idaho congressional delegation, the Friends of Minidoka and the National Park Service to protect 100 acres at the site’s entrance. Marking a painful chapter in U.S. history, Minidoka attracts many visitors every year.
The rolling sagebrush-covered ranges of the Boise Foothills entice the city’s growing population of outdoor enthusiasts and provide a scenic backdrop to the state’s capital. We acquired 160 acres here and transferred the land to the city, thus creating new recreation lands and protecting valuable wintering habitat for big game.
The striking landscape of City of Rocks attracts rock climbers from around the world. The Castle Rock Ranch became the newest addition to this National Reserve thanks to a complex land exchange involving the National Park Service, the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Fund. The 1,240-acre ranch will now be open to climbers, hikers and horseback riders who visit the reserve and the adjacent Sawtooth National Forest.
Read about more conservation in City of Rocks >>
We have completed multiple projects securing more than 75,000 acres and some 30 miles of river frontage in the Hells Canyon area of the Upper Snake River. In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Fish & Game Department, US Forest Service and the Bonneville Power Administration, these properties will be managed to maintain recreational opportunities and to protect vital habitat for Bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, mountain lion and a variety of upland game birds. Undeveloped river frontage has been protected on the Snake River as well as the Lower Salmon and Grande Ronde Rivers, all of which are among the Northwest’s more important waterways for threatened salmon and steelhead.
Click here to view a photo gallery of Todd Kaplan's images from Hell's Canyon and the South Fork of the Snake River
We help farmers work more sustainably. With our support, Mr. Moye launched an organic dairy farm.
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See beautiful images of the Snake River by acclaimed nature photographer Todd Kaplan and learn more about our conservation work along the river.
Click here to learn about the lands, trails and historic sites we've helped protect through our partnership with the National Park Service.
Banner image: Grand Tetons/Latham Jenkins, Circumerro Stock/Flickr
Powered by: Phase2 TechnologyThe Conservation Fund National Office
1655 N. Fort Myer Drive, Suite 1300
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2156
Phone: 703-525-6300
Fax: 703-525-4610
Email: postmaster@conservationfund.org
