wood river land trust newsletter fall 2006

8/8/2019 Wood River Land Trust Newsletter Fall 2006

1/12

Land

Protecting and restorin

our natural landsand healthy waters

since 1994.

WOODisGOOD

Wood Rive r Land T

on

A publication of Wood River Land Trust www.woodriverlandtrust.org [email protected]

thryn Goldman and summer intern Rachael document new wood deposited by this springs ood

F A L L 2 0 0

perspectivesperspectives

t first glance, the downed treestretching across the river appears

to be an obstacle for fisherman and innertubers, but in reality it provides manybenefits to the river system, fish, andwildlife. To put it simply: wood is good.Removing wood from the river systemreduces fish habitat and can even de-sta-bilize the river channel itself.

This spring, the highest water levelsever recorded on the Big Wood Riverrecruited an abundance of wood into the

river. New log jams and woody featuresappeared in the stream throughout thevalley. Wood in the system often hangs

up at strategic points like meanders toslow water during high flows. Woodjams also stabilize banks and preventerosion during high flows. It is this dualfunctionproviding bank stability andslowing high waterthat creates a stablechannel less prone to movement and ero-sion during spring runoff. This new woodcreates points where the river scoursdown to form pools. A newly felled treeor a jam of wood may have a very deeppool beneath it. These pools are good

places for fish to hide and provide a coldwater refuge during our hot summers.Wood is not only good for the river

and fish but also for wildlife. Small mam-mals like chipmunks and birds use dry logjams for cover and nesting areas. Theproductivity of the entire riparian area(the transitional area between land andwater ecosystems) is enhanced by downedwood in the river system.

Continued on page 7

A


2/12

Presidents

MessageBy Clark Gerhardt

ood River Land Trust iscontinually reviewing its

strategy, the center of which is towork with private landowners to pro-tect the valleys open spaces, wild-

life habitat, river health, and farmand ranch lands. In addition, weincreasingly find ourselves workingwith federal, state, and local publicofficials and planning staff. Localofficials and planning departmentsrecognize the immense value of thelands we have permanently pro-tected and seek to protect additionallands, waters, and the rural lifestylewe enjoy. To this end, elected offi-cials and agency staff often seek theprofessional expertise of Wood River

Land Trust staff. This consultationhas recently cast our work in a morevisible light than in the past, andhas sometimes brought a measure ofcontroversy. In questioning whetherthis is appropriate, we as an orga-nization consider where the WoodRiver Valley is in comparison toother mountain resort areas.

Fortunately, the Wood RiverValley is in a favorable position com-pared to Vail, Aspen, Park City, andothers, and we have a unique chance

WHO WE ARE

Major Gifts

Officer

Robyn Watson

Robyns career has ininterior design, televsion production, andcoordination, but shnon-profit fundraisin

most fulfilling. Originally from Oklahoma, herthe land comes from growing up riding horses ofamilys cattle ranch and spending her college yColorados ski slopes. Having visited the WooValley on and off for the past 25 years, Robyn lforward to combining her passion for fundraisinnature and to making the valley home for her lDixie, and herself.

to get it right. But it is a constantchallengea challenge Wood RiverLand Trust is well-equipped to meet.We have broad and active supportfrom locals and second homeownerswho rely on us to help protect theplaces where they live, love to visit,or to which they plan to retire. Wealso have an excellent professionalstaff who do the heavy lifting on adaily basis and who achieve amazing

results.Success builds upon success, and

I am happy to begin my tenure asBoard President after John Flatterys3 years of hard work and leadership.But we cant be successful in ourwork without you. On behalf of theBoard, I thank you for your commit-ment to protecting our natural areas,healthy waters, and wildlife habitat.I hope you will continue your sup-portthere is more to be done than

ever. Together we can be part of avibrant community.

2

Clark Gerhardt

Meet Our New Staf

There is an eternal landscape, a

geography of the soul; we search for its

outlines all our lives. Josephine Hart

W


3/12

Membership

Assistant

Morgan Buckert

Morgan grew up on a ranchin South Texas where herinterest in protecting natu-

ral resources developed. In2005, Silver Creek broughtMorgan north to the Wood River Valley. She willgraduate with her M.A. in Environmental History fromthe University of New Mexico in December and holdsB.A.s in History and Government from the Universityof Texas. When not at Wood River Land Trust, Morgancan usually be found at Lost River Outfitters, fishing onSilver Creek, or climbing at the City of Rocks.

Super Interns Steward

Our Local Landsood River Land Trust was lucky to have threegreat interns this summer. Ben Niffenegger, a

student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point,was tireless in his work stewarding our preservesfightingnoxious weeds, maintaining trails, and creating manage-ment plans. Chris Evelyn worked long hours ensuringour annual conservation agreement monitoring effortswent smoothly. Chris is the third graduate studentweve been fortunate to hire from the Bren School of theEnvironment at UC Santa Barbara.

Finally, Rachael Goetzelman, an AmeriCorpsMember, worked in a joint position for Wood River LandTrust and Blaine County Weed Department on a compre-hensive noxious weed mapping project.

Ben, Chris, and Rachael enabled us to have a veryproductive summer. They also made the most of theirweekendslearning to fly fish, backpacking in thePioneers, looking for frogs and amphibians, and getting toknow the Valley.

Many thanks and all best wishes to Rachael, Chris,and Ben!

Interns Rachael and Ben with staff member Kathryn Goldmanon the Big Wood River

mbers....

Chris, summer intern, checking out big wood in the Big Woo

W


4/12

Morels In MayLocals looking to get out after thesnow melted joined us for our firstMorel Mushroom Walk in May.Kathy Richmond of the SouthernIdaho Mycological Association led

over fifty rubber boot clad mushroomhunters through the soggy CedarBend Preserve in Hailey in search oftasty morels.

Richmond showed us the insand outs of searching for and iden-tifying morels and other nativemushrooms. Mushroom stories wereshared, but no secret spots wererevealed. It was too early in the sea-son for most to find morels at CedarBend, but a wide range of othermushrooms, both poisonous and

edible, were found by all.

Morel hunting at Cedar

Bend Preserve (right)

Kathy Richmond (far right)

of the Southern Idaho

Mycological Association led

the mushroom hunt

June In BloomHot-rock Penstemon and Fleabane!Scarlet Gilia! Globe Mallow andRabbitbrush! NO knapweed orDalmatian Toadflax!

These are some of the plantswe saw and didnt see on theannual wildflower hike at Lake CreekPreserve in June. Led again this year

by botanist Carol Blackburn, 16 of ustromped up and down the hill, learn-ing and identifying as we went.

Lake Creek Preserve is 16 acresof hillside and wetlands across Hwy.75 from the Lake Creek Trail Head.The Preserve has been undisturbed bygrazing so there are many varieties ofnative wild flowers in the Spring andearly Summer. The views are grandat any time of the year so plan a visiton your own, or join us next June forthe Annual Hike!

4

Learning about wildowers at Lake

Creek Preserve

CONNECTING

There are many

varieties of native

wildflowers at Lake

Creek in the Spring

and early Summer

Photocredit:

JerryW.Britton


5/12

TO THE LAND

The 3rd Annual Community Picnicat Howard Preserve was our best yet.Over 100 people joined us for an after-

noon along the river with spit-roastedlamb and a barbecue in honor ofeveryone who makes our work possibleby volunteering, becoming a member,and otherwise supporting our work.We thank the Howard family and theCity of Bellevue for helping to host afantastic end-of-summer celebration.Thanks too to all who attended despitea few raindrops!

Bellevue communitypicnic Howard

Preserve, 1950s

Enjoying our community picnic along the Big Wood River in Bellevue

2006 Community Picnic A Success


6/126

CONNECTING

he 3rd Annual Heart of theValley Contest is in full swing,

with photographs and writings com-ing in daily. Last years contest par-ticipants defined the heart of theWood River Valley in myriad ways.Some said it was the Big Wood River;some said Silver Creek; others saidBald Mountain. These we expected.

Others, however, defined the heartof the valley as the playground ofHemingway Elementary, a secret spotby River Run, and a little-known standof cottonwood forest. We at WoodRiver Land Trust believe that the heartof our valley beats not just in these spe-cial places but in the people who livehere. Our community is active, pas-sionate, involved, and vocal about theplaces that make this valley home.

This years contest asks you to cap-ture your interaction with and relation-ship to the Wood River Valley. Whetherit is the Big Wood River, our cottonwoodand alpine forests, or our agriculturalheritage, the nuances of the Wood RiverValley and the people who live hereinfluence our daily experiences.

Its our challenge to you . . . send

us your photographs and short writings(poems, essays, and memoirs) that docu-ment the ways your heart is tied to theWood River Valley. Photographs will beshowcased at the Images of Nature galleryin Ketchum during the December GalleryWalk, and we are working with localbusinesses to arrange readings of the shortwritings throughout the valley in Januaryand February. Submission guidelines and

entry forms are available on our wsite. Visit www.woodriverlandtrusand click on Calendar. You canalso stop by our office or contactHeather Kimmel at 788-3947 [email protected]

This years contest is sponsored b

Prizes for 1st - 3rd place in both

categories and one staff favorite prize

each. Prizes generously donated by S

Creek Outtters, Iconoclast, Lost Rive

Outtters, Flolos, and Phoenix Framin

Additional support provided by the

College of Southern Idaho.

Third Annual Heart of the Valley Contest

Submissions Due: November 17, 2006

T

The Fall Trailing of the Sheep by Jennifer Montgomery,

3rd place winner in Photography division, 2005


7/12

TO THE LAND

Before Riverside Pond: the site of Haileys sewage

treatment plant

Continued on page 1

Because wood is good for the river,fish, and wildlife, Wood RiverLand Trust worked with the City

of Bellevue to create an engineeredlog jam along the riverbank at theHoward Preserve. The engineeredjam acts like natural in-streamwood in a stretch of river where aman-made dike makes it difficultfor the river to recruit its own woodinto the system. Contact KathrynGoldman at 788-3947 to tour theengineered logjam.

WOOD

isGOODNew wood creates points wherethe river scours down to form

pools. These pools provide a

cold water refuge for fish during

our hot summers


8/12

THFOR HELP

VALLE

Donation Highlights

Planned Giving

OpportunitiesAn anonymous local donor has gener-ously gifted a Wood River Valley homevalued at approximately $2 million toWood River Land Trust, IdahoConservation League, and TheWilderness Society. The donorexplains that, after living in thecommunity for 35 years, it wasonly right to support financiallythe organizations working toprotect the things that make thecommunity a better place. The donorcites the tremendous growth in localreal estate as an example of unearnedincome and makes the gift hoping thatothers with similar abilities will do soas well. For more information about avariety of planned giving opportunities,contact Robyn Watson at 788-3947 [email protected].

TU Stewards

Boxcar BendThe local chapter of TroutUnlimited adopted BoxcarBend Preserve in the spring of

2004 to help us protect the riverand steward the preserve. This

summer, volunteers from theHemingway Chapter joined us for

a day of pulling weeds, delineatingpaths, and refurbishing trails leading tothe water at this popular protected areaon the Big Wood River along the bikepath. Thank you Trout Unlimited foryour love of the river and your help pro-tecting it for the community!

Trout Unlimited members at Boxcar Bend

8

Nature

She inv

her sma

view of

Nature

She inv

her sma

view of


9/12

NK YOUS PROTECT THE WOOD RIVER

PORTANT NATURAL AREAS

Bruce TidwellReceives Founders

Award For ServiceWe were happy to award Bruce Tidwell ourFounders Award this August for his longtime sup-port of our work. The Founders Award is givento an individual or group who has significantlyadvanced our efforts and who demonstrates along-standing commitment to preserving and pro-

tecting the valleys natural areas.Tidwell served on Wood River Land Trusts

Board of Directors from 1996 to 2006. Heheld the office of President in 1998 and 1999and served on the Community Relations andFundraising Committees as well as the MarketingTask Force during his tenure.

In 1998, Tidwell founded the BuildingMaterial Thrift Store to help financially supportWood River Land Trust. Along with his time andenergy, Tidwell invested his own funds to get thebusiness on its feet.

Anyone on staff will tell you that Bruce does

a lot more than just provide monetary supporthe assists us with jobs big and small and providesmaterials, equipment, and his much-demandedtime. Bruce has given so much of his time, ener-gy, and leadership to the Wood River Land Trustand is an unwavering and selfless advocate of ourwork. Thanks, Bruce, for all you do for us!

The Salmon River near Peach Creek

Bruce Tidwell and daughter Madison

bear the closest inspection.

s to lay our eye level with

leaf, and take an insect

ain. Henry David Thoreau

bear the closest inspection.

s to lay our eye level with

leaf, and take an insect

ain. Henry David Thoreau


10/12

OTHER NEWS

We facilitate the reuse

recycling of homes, build

materials, and larger houshold items. Proceeds fro

the sale of materials

dedicated to Wood Riv

Land Trusts preserv

tion of natural areas a

healthy waters througho

the Wood River Valley.

208-788-0014

This newsletter is published by:

Wood River Land Trust

119 East Bullion Street, Hailey, Idaho 83333

208-788-3947 (ph), 208-788-5991 (fax)

[email protected], www.woodriverlandtrust.org

Tax ID# 82-0474191

10

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Clark Gerhardt, President

Ed Cutter, Vice President

Jack Kueneman, Treasurer

Robin Garwood, Secretary

Jerry Bashaw

William Burnham

John Flattery

Heather King

Patricia Klahr

Bill LehmanLiz Mitchell

Steve Strandberg

Joan Swift

Tom Swift

Chris Thompson

Barbara Thrasher

Doris Tunney

Liz Warrick

WRLT STAFF

Scott Boettger

Executive Director

Morgan Buckert

Membership Assistant

Melanie Dahl

Executive Assistant

Kate Giese

Director of Conservation

Kathryn GoldmanProject Coordinator

Diane Kahm

Development Assistant

Heather Kimmel

Program & Membership

Coordinator

Robyn Watson

Major Gifts Officer

Advisory Committee

David Anderson

Peter Becker

Ranney Draper

Rebekah Helzel

Dave Parrish

Larry Schoen

John Seiller

Bruce Tidwell

This year we are once

again very fortunate to

have a year-end challenge

grant. This years gener-

ous two-for-one challenge

grant from anonymous

donors and our Board of

Directors is for $160,000.

Every $1.00 you donate

before December 31, 2006

will be matched by an addi-

tional $.50. Please help us

reach our goal! We must

raise $320,000 by the end

of the year to receive this

$160,000 gift.

C H A L L E N G E G R A N T 2 0 0 6

The year-end challenge provides the perfect

opportunity to make your money go even

further in the protection of our natural

lands and healthy waters. Donations are

tax-deductible.

Challenge Grant Goal = $320,000

Amount Received as of 10/9 = $79,940

Amount Still Neededto Meet Challenge = $240,060

buildingmaterialthriftstore


11/12

Check Out OurNew Website!After a lot of hard work, Wood RiverLand Trust has a new website. Visitwww.woodriverlandtrust.org to learnmore about our latest projects andresources, find out what activities andvolunteer opportunities are available,and to send us a message. You caneven donate online using your credit

or debit card.

Great News For

Conservation Donors!A new law provides added incentives for

conservation donations of land.

THE NEW LAW:

Increases the tax deduction for conservation

easement donations from 30% of landowners

income in any year to 50%;

Allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to

deduct up to 100% of their income; and

Increases the number of years over which a

donor can take deductions from 6 to 16 years.

These new rules only apply to conservation agree-

ments and land donations made in 2006 and 2007.

Silver Creek Outfitters

During December 1 - 3, 10% of all

purchases made at Silver Creek

Outfitters will be donated to Wood

River Land Trust.

Thank you Terry Ring & the Silver

Creek Outfitters staff for your support

of our programs!


12/12

119 East Bullion Street

Hailey, Idaho 83333

www.woodriverlandtrust.org

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Printed on recycled paper

NON-PROFIT

STANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 21

83333

Acres Permanently Protected

With Your Support: 4,635

Acres Permanently Protected

With Your Support: 4,635

wood river land trust newsletter fall 2006

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