JACKSON, Wyo. — The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) is celebrating its 30 year anniversary and the wonderful journey it’s been so far!
JHWF was founded three decades ago, when a small group of passionate citizens banded together to help ensure Jackson remain a wildlife-friendly community. These early founders were distressed to witness hundreds of animals being struck and killed by vehicles on Jackson Hole’s increasingly busy highways.
They organized first to combat that problem by purchasing signage, collecting roadkill data and advocating for speed control measures in wildlife-vehicle collision hotspots. Barriers and dangers that fences present to wildlife movement and migration became the second issue around which the organization galvanized support.
Removing or mitigating barriers to wildlife movement remains central to their work today, as volunteers have succeeded in removing or modifying over 240 miles of fence in Jackson Hole and the surrounding area, improving local habitat for deer, elk, moose and other animals.
Their current work also includes maintaining and building a community of nearly 400 citizen-scientists, who collect and share wildlife observation data to support science-based wildlife management decisions through their Nature Mapping Jackson Hole Program.
And finally, JHWF is a member of Bear Wise Jackson Hole, a partnership between them, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton National Park, to provide resources and outreach intended to keep bears wild and people safe.
Though the organization has evolved over the years, they’ve stayed true to their values: a community land ethic in action, creating a better home for our wildlife.
Today, JHWF is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary with a fundraising campaign they’re calling “30 for 30.” Between April 30 and May 30, JHWF needs to raise $30,000 to match another $30,000 that is pledged to them by a generous group of donors. Every person who donates to the “30 for 30” campaign will be entered into a raffle and eligible to win donated items from some of Jackson Hole’s well-known businesses such as New West KnifeWorks and Trilipderm.
Other ways to support JHWF during their anniversary include:
- Volunteering on a wildlife-friendlier fence project
- Attending a Nature Mapping Jackson Hole certification course
- Pitching in on their annual “Moose Day” survey each February
- Helping maintain and survey their Mountain Bluebird Nest Box Trail on the National Elk Refuge
Nothing pleases JHWF more than to dig in and work closely with their volunteers and partners to pave a future where humans and wildlife both thrive. They encourage you to email them at info@jhwildlife.org to get involved in local wildlife conservation through the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation!
