JACKSON, Wyo. — Whether you enjoy the breathtaking views of the Tetons while biking alongside the Walton Ranch, have enjoyed an afternoon by the pond at R Park or reveled in the valley’s abundant wildlife, we are all touched by this shared conservation effort.
The Jackson Hole Land Trust’s mission is to protect and steward our treasured landscapes to create a legacy of protected open spaces, wildlife habitat, working lands and community spaces that inspire current and future generations. This long-term work ensures that the magic of the most intact ecosystem in the Lower 48 never becomes a distant memory.
Building community through the power of open space is a top priority for the JHLT. This summer, we hosted free events including the Summer Solstice at R Park and a community concert at the Greenspace on the Block. We also hosted dozens of nonprofit partners at our open spaces, including Coombs Outdoors, Grand Teton Music Festival, Teton Science Schools and Wyoming Wildlife Federation. We worked with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to inspire the next generation of anglers at Kids’ Fishing Day. To best serve our community and nonprofit partners, improvements at R Park over the summer months included bridge stabilization, pathway work, and additional bear-proof trash cans.
For the JHLT stewardship team, summer also means pulling on boots and hitting the road to monitor and record the condition of JHLT’s 58,000 acres of conservation easements. JHLT land stewards partner with landowners to improve the ecological function of their properties, advising on fencing, restoring native vegetation, weed management and more.
With 25 new conservation projects underway, the JHLT is in an exciting season of growth. Four new staff members joined the team in 2023: Park County Open Lands Director Alex Few, Conservation Project Manager Alex St.Clair, Conservation Project Manager Emily Reed and Advancement Manager Ella Driscoll. The JHLT was also thrilled to have additional capacity for the summer months with Coombs Outdoors EMPOWER intern Nate Espejel.
This work is only made possible with community support. Please consider a gift of any size to the Jackson Hole Land Trust through Old Bill’s. Donate before September 15 at 5 p.m. and your gift will be leveraged by a partial match!
