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Spring 2012 Newsletter

sagebrush ste

LAND TRU

Stories From the Land

One year ago, Valerie joined the Sagebrush Steppe LandTrust board. The Land Trust is working to keep SoutheastIdaho intact, both or the sake o habitat and or the sake

o Idahos cultural heritage. Being a land trust, the bulko our job entails negotiating conservation easements

with landowners, speciically in Southeast Idaho. Theseconservation easements are voluntary, legally bindingagreements between the Land Trust and the landown-ers. These agreements run with the land and protect theconservation values ound on these parcels in perpetuity

while still allowing the landowners to work their land in away that supports natural habitat.

Wendell Berry is a well-known author who writesabout the dangers to local landscapes. Much o whathe writes relative to conserving land locally is linked to

his observations o communities and people. Similarlytwo very important aspects o our conservation eortsare the ace-to-ace interactions we maintain between

the people we work with (landowners and partnershipgroups, or example), and the language we all agree uponthat is later written into law, resulting in permanent landand habitat conservation.

Berry mentions that it is the accountability o theseinterchanges between the negotiating parties that are

the critical element in determining which conservationeorts are actually implemented on-the-ground. In orderor our conservation eorts to be eective over the

long term, all parties involved must be accountable orupholding the language that is written into the conserva-

tion easement agreements. I the connections betweenthe written agreements and on-the-ground practices arebroken, then conservation ails.

This is one example o why our relationships with theindividuals we partner with are invaluable. Fortunately or

the Land Trust, we have been able to make some(continued on page 2)

Written by Sally Averette, the Land Trusts newestemployee. Learn more about Sally on page 3.

Because their liestyle and ranching practices relect genera-tions o similar living, it is strange to think o the Robertsonsas newcomers to Idaho, yet technically they are reugees. In1997, Valerie and Marvin Robertson hopped the Wyoming-Idaho border and relocatedor a third timeto Bear LakeCounty, Idaho. This time around they have made the decision

to do everything they can to protect their way o lie by keep-ing the Southeast corner o Idaho in one piece.

Located on the eastern edge o our service area, whereIdaho and Wyoming meet, is the Bar Y Ranch. The Robertsonsoperate this 5,000-acre working ranch. Here the state lineis rather indiscriminate, deined artiicially by the two-laneHighway 89 and naturally by the north-to-south runningPreuss Mountains. Simply glimpsing out o the kitchen win-dow o their ranch house, the beneits o keeping the Bar

Y Ranch and the neighboring ranches intact seem obvious.There are acres and acres o healthy sagebrush steppe habi-

tat, both on the Bar Y and in the surrounding area. Also,

there is no development within eyesight; this is a act theRobertsons dont take or granted.

Valerie and her husband Marvin met in Jackson Hole,Wyoming where Marvin grew up on his amilys homesteadedworking ranch. By the time the two married, the surroundingJackson area was no longer recognizable, or aordable. Theydecided to sell their ranch in Jackson and move urther west

to Star Valley. Here they bought a working ranch and raisedtheir two daughters.

While the Robertsons speak highly o their lie in Star Valley,their story o the place carries with it a tone o impendingdoom: the development that chopped up the habitat and

landscape o their home in Jackson eventually made its wayto Star Valley, and the Robertsons were, once again, orcedto bump urther south into Idaho so that they could continuetheir working liestyle.

The intact piece o sagebrush steppe habitat they nowreside on is important to the ranching community. It is alsoessential or the survival o many o the species ound in thesouthwest corner o the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem(GYE), such as sage-grouse and pronghorn. Elk and muledeer reside here in the winter. Additionally, because this cor-ner o the GYE is arid, the sagebrush steppe habitat is criticalor capturing sparse snow and rainall.


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On behal o the Land Trust and the Idaho Coalition o LandTrusts, this April I had the opportunity to travel to WashingtonD.C. to advocate in support o ederal programs that areinstrumental in protecting wildlie habitat and working armsand ranches. We were one o 35 land trusts rom across theUnited States who met with key members o the Agriculture,

Appropriations and tax-writing committees. The Land TrustAlliance arranged these meetings to demonstrate the wide-spread support or land conservation programs throughout

the country. Scott Boettger (Executive Director o the WoodRiver Land Trust in Hailey), Jerry Reece (Board Chairman oTeton Regional Land Trust in Driggs), and I met with Idahossenators, representatives and sta members to discuss theederal conservation programs that directly aect Idahosquality o lie.

One key topic o discussion was making the EnhancedEasement Incentive permanent. This incentive helps land-owners o modest means choose to conserve their amily land

(including arms, ranches, and wildlands) by raising the maxi-mum deduction a donor can take or donating a conservationeasement rom 30% o their adjusted gross income (AGI) inany year to 50%; and allowing qualiied landowners (those

that earn their income o o their arm or ranch) to deduct upto 100% o their AGI. It also increases the years over whicha donor can take deductions rom 6 years to 16 years. This

incentive is a critical element in the many landowners dsions to place a conservation easement on their land.

In addition to advocating or the Enhanced EasemIncentive, we discussed maintaining other conservation ing programs, like the Farm and Ranchland Protection Prog(FRPP) and the North American Wetland Conservation

(NAWCA). The signiicance o these unds is huge; currewe are preparing to close a conservation easement that manently protects over 1,100 acres o working ranchlandimportant native trout habitat. Fity percent o this pr

was unded by the FRPP. This project would not have bpossible without the ederal program.

Another example o protection that is provided by a edprogramthe Land and Water Conservation Fundlies a

the South Fork o the Snake River, and in the shadows oSawtooth Range beside the Salmon River. With continsupport o this and other unding programs, Idahoans can orward to new conservation success stories rom all cor

o our amazing state!While we all understand that these are times o diinancial constraints, conservation unding comprises 1.25% o overall ederal spending. This investment supparmland and ranchland, and permanently protects open sand wild lands. We all beneit rom the protection provby these programs, now and or uture generations.

From the DirectorJoselin with Congressman Mike Simpson and other Idaho Conservation L

(stories rom the land, continued rom page 1)real and lasting relationships with individuals who arestill working the land or a living in the sagebrush stepperegion o Idaho. Valerie Robertson is one o our proudestexamples.

Valerie is a key player in her newound home o SoutheastIdaho. Her lie has been ranching. Along the way, she hascome to the conclusion that a unctioning and natural systemis the artery that keeps a working ranch working, and thati this artery is severed, her way o lie is lost. Plus, says

Valerie, theres no better pleasure and reassurance thatyour ranch works than watching it work or the wildliearound you. She is spreading the word throughout thisremote corner o our service area, and educating the LandTrust in the meantime.

While we are la great employe

the Land Trustcouldnt be m

thrilled to sup

Heidi in her adventure as a m

er! We are con

that Heidi and will instill a st

conservation eth

little William Alb

Welcome to World, William!


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See more online!sagebrushlandtrust.org

I am thrilled to be a part o the Sagebrush Steppe com-

munity, and am looking orward to exploring Southeast

Idaho.For the past nine years, Sally has been working seasonally

or the US Forest Service and the US Geological Survey in

remote areas o Idaho, Montana, and Utah. Her work hasranged rom Wildland Fireighting to Wilderness Rangering

These jobs have enabled Sally to spend time on-the-ground

living and working in some amazing country.The impact these places have made on her lie have been

the driving orce behind her proessional pursuits; not toolong ago, Sally decided to mix-up her backcountry ield

work with a graduate degree in environmental law and

policy rom Vermont Law School. She ocused on land use

speciically within large ecosystems. What she has beenable to gather rom her personal experiences is that the

permanent protection a land trust provides is critical in the

uture o conservation.

We are lucky to ind such talent in Sally. She is alreadyworking on transactions, undraising, and outreach.

Welcome to the Staff, SallyThe Land Trust welcomes Laurel Pumphrey as its newest Board

member. Laurel is a regional classical artist and vocal coach.I am a passionate musician; however, there is another side

o me that is in love with all things wild; be it herons lying by

o their evening roost, airy shrimp bizarrely thriving in theearby lavas or the symphony o an intact natural soundscape.

I have the heart and soul o a naturalist that was nurtured

s a child in the mountains and deserts o Southwest Idaho.

worked or the Idaho Conservation League while in schoolnd have more recently been looking or the right avenue to

eengage in the work o conservation. Last all I discovered theage Brush Steppe Land Trust and began volunteering with therganization. Since then I have been studying this movement

nd have learned that land trusts are an intriguing and power-

ul conservation tool. I am honored to join the Board and amxcited to contribute in urthering the eorts o preserving and

estoring lands in Southeast Idaho.

Laurel lives in the mountains above Lava Hot Springs in aabin built by hersel and her husband.

Welcome to the Board, Laurel

Mary McAleeseMary McAleese

Lucinda Klein is the Land Trusts newest volunteer. She has

been working in the oice three days a week. She has helpedwith general administrative work, and special projects like

preparing the poster or Pocatellos Environmental Fair. Like

the rest o the sta, she is excited or spring and anxiousto get in the ield. In May and June, she will have plenty o

opportunities to get out on the land. A long-time Pocatello

resident, Lucinda volunteers her time or the Land Trustbecause she wants to give back to the wonderul commu-

nity she is a part o and enjoys working with great people

who care about the land and environment.

Volunteer ProfileThanks for your hard work Lucinda!

Sally Averette and Lucinda Kle



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Thunder Ridge Preserve200 acres of important winter range protectedthrough a donation from Keith and Jan Rasmu

Soda Hills Conservation Easement

The 200-acre Thunder Ridge Preserve is in Bear LakeCounty, located up Sleight Creek Canyon just outside o

the community o Paris.

Jan and I are pleased to work with the Land Trust toprotect this critical wildlie habitat. Over the years, ouramily has enjoyed observing elk, deer, moose, eagles,and sage grouse on the property during all seasons, said

Keith. The Land Trust was a pleasure to work with, and

we are happy to know the wildlie will be there or years

The Soda Hills Conservation Easement is a 120-acre par-

cel located in Caribou County, Idaho. This conservation

easement protects open space or agricultural practicesand provides winter range or local species, such as mule

deer.

The Land Trust acilitated the Soda Hills ConservationEasement between the Bureau o Land Management and

P4 Productions/Monsanto in February o 2012. Now thatthis parcel has been placed under easement, the ranch-

land is protected rom development in perpetuity, as arethe conservation values o the wildlie habitat and scenic

vistas. These values both support and allow or the con-

tinued agricultural use o this parcel, which has historicallyincluded ranching. The Soda Hills Conservation Easement

ensures the quality o these values and practices by main-

taining a seasonal closure (winter) to motorized vehicles,in addition to prohibiting grading, dumping and mining.

to come.The Land Trust holds Thunder Ridge in ee title owne

ship and will manage the property primarily or elk and m

deer winter range, grouse habitat, and scenic open spaThunder Ridge maintains other sagebrush steppe attbutes, such as bitterbrush. Additionally, the Land Trust wacilitate educational and recreational opportunities on t

Thunder Ridge Preserve in an eort to promote responsi

stewardship throughout the Bear River Watershed.

New Projects

SodaHills

Alexander Reservoir

to Sod(~

Private Land

ConservationEasement

to Lava Hot Springs(~25 miles)

BLMLand

StateIdah

Highway30/34


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Public Access

Where is it? The 435-acre Deep Creek Preserve is located inFranklin County, Idaho. It is approximately ive miles north othe Utah border. The property borders United States Forest

Service Land to the east and is an access point or the trail

systems associated with the Mt. Naomi Wilderness Area.

Why is it Protected? The preserve is protected to improvewetland unction, riparian condition, water quality, and ishand wildlie habitat. The Land Trust will sustain priority natu-

ral resource eatures or the long-term through monitoring

and adaptive management.

Where is it? The 157-acre Kackley property is located on bothsides o the Bear River in Caribou County, just downstream o

Black Canyon.

Why is it Protected? The Kackley property is managed topreserve a character o undeveloped and natural open space.The property is also managed to protect ish, wildlie, scenic,

historic, archaeological, and cultural values. Additionally, weare paying special attention to the restoration o the BonnevilleCutthroat Trout (BCT) on the Kackley Preserve. With our

partners, we have built a ish trap near the mouth o Kackley

Springs to capture ish moving up into the spring. We willmanage the trap to ensure that only BCT are able to move

upstream. This will allow the BCT to access key spawning

habitat, and as a result will reduce hybridization with othernon-native trout species.

What can I do there?To visit the property, please call the LandTrust at 208-241-4662.

What can I do there? From the Deep Creek Preserve, youcan access the Mt. Naomi Wilderness trail system, or spend

part o the day walking through the 435-acre property. In

the spring, Deep Creek explodes with native wildlowersthat make or a wonderul picture-taking opportunity.

How do I get there?For detailed directions, please call theLand Trust at 208-241-4662 prior to venturing out onto the

Deep Creek Property.

Public

Access

ParkingBear River

Black Canyon

Kackley

Preserve

Deep Creek Preserve

Kackley Preserve

To Grac(~5 mile

Cove

PowerPlant


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Thanks!$5,000 - $25,999Anonymous Donor

Heart of the Rockies Initiative

Ifft Foundation in the Idaho

Community Foundation

Intermountain West

Joint Venture

Land Trust Alliance

Pacificorp

P4/Monsanto

Keith and Jan Rasmussen

Wilburforce Foundation

$1,000 - $4,999

Tim and Jessica Lindstrom

Garry and Terry Ratzlaff

$500 - $999

Bob and Betti Bohus

Bob and Judy Flandro

Jim FrancfortAlvin Kackley

Mike Thomas

and Alissa Salmore

Scaup & Willet, LLC

Jim and Bonnie Shaw

$250 - $499

Allen and Mary Eng

Randy and Keri Fowler

Frank and Judy Harmon

June Heilman

Tom Lucia

Matt Lucia

Joselin Matkins

Rick Nordseth

Matt and Hannah Sanger

Babette Thorpe

$100 - $249Lance and Karen Bethke

Margaret Hudson

and Bernd Beutenmuller

Bob Bloxham and Kate Delate

Randy and Becky Budge

Tim Flandro

Robert and Sheri Frasure

Craig Groves and Victoria Saab

H. Hilbert

Geoff Hogander

Patty Isaeff and Tim ReynoldsPaula Jones

Mike Katsilometes

Matthew Lewis

Marilynne Manguba

Kevin Marsh and Erika Kuhlman

Deb Mignogno

Michelle Pak

Marvin and Valerie Robertson

Gene and Cherryl Rose

Stella and David Sandquist

Pete and Sarah SavageMark and Beth Stenberg

Craig Groves and Victoria Saab

Rick Williams

and Rosemary Smith

Angier Wills

$50 - $99

Victoria Abrams

Fred Belzer

and Theresa Kaufmann

Thomas and Nancy Burkhart

Richard and Peggy Garvin

Sallee Gasser

Melissa and Daniel Green

Betty and Brent Holbrook

Laurel Pumphrey

Every eort has been made to ensure accurate representation o contributions between

October 15, 2011 and April 30, 2012. I you fnd an error, please let us know.

$50 - $99 continuedRay Lappan and Cathy Kriloff

Michael and Dorothy Lower

Matt MacMillan

Dave and Pam Maguire

James and Sharon Manning

Robert Marcinko

Jane Matkins

Peter and Sandra McDermott

Johnny Mendive

David and Sheila Mills

Greg MladenkaRuth Anne Moorhead

Porter Office Products

Peggy Stolworthy

Stanley and Floreen Thyberg

Coby and Linda Tigert

up to $49

Anonymous Donor

Bill and Jean Davidson

Pat HarrisMelinda Jahsman

Kathleen and Joe Lehman

Ralph and Jackie Maughan

Jerry and Wendy Ransbottom

Norman Showalter

Guy and Doreen Smith

Richard and Judy Wabrek

Lee Purser

Betty and John Sigler

Bill Waterfield

and Hollie Beckman

Memorial Donation

In memory of Mike Delate

Recent Grants

ROCKY MOUNTAINPOWER OUTREACHThe Rocky Mountain PoFoundation awarded a$4000 grant to SagebruSteppe Regional Land Tto increase awareness ovoluntary land conservaopportunities facilitated

the Land Trust.

INTERMOUNTAINWEST JOINT VENTUThe IWJV awarded a se$5,000 grant to continuworking in the Bear LakValley. The grant will hethe Land Trust work wilandowners to protectcritical wetlands and birhabitat.

IDAHO COMMUNITFOUNDATIONThe Ifft Foundation Funin the Idaho CommunitFoundation awarded $5to SSLT. The Land Trusdevelop and install intertive signage to describerestoration process andcate visitors on river heand water quality.

LAND TRUST ALLIAThe Land Trust Allianceawarded $10,000 to SSfor a strategic organizational advancement proover the next year to hus develop our 2013-20Strategic Plan that integour Conservation Plan, raising goals, and visionthe next 5 years.


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On behal o the amily o Michael Birdman De

(Kate DeLate, Bob & Skyler Bloxham) we would

to oer our sincerest appreciation or the donatreceived in his name. The Sagebrush Steppe Land T

has set up a und in his memory to acknowledge B

connection to Southeast Idaho. Donations are bdedicated to strengthening the partnership between

Sagebrush Steppe and the Teton Regional Land Trust

the objective to increase protection o bird habitat.

organizations are working together to strengthen tpartnership and protect important avian habitat in Gr

Lake and the Blackoot River Watershed where tservice areas overlap.

Bird was very proud o the advances the Sageb

Steppe Land Trust had made in the past ew years. passion and excitement or the outdoors is well re

sented by the memorial und created.

Thanks so much to those that donated in Birdm

memory.

A Legacy of Conservation

FIND USwww.sagebrushlandtrust.org

[email protected]

(208) 241-4662

Ofce: 123 N Main, Ste 4, Pocatello

Mail: PO Box 1404, Pocatello, ID 83204

AND TRUST BOARDance Bethke

Bill Davidson

Bob Flandro

essica McAleeseaurel Pumphrey

Garry Ratzla

Valerie Robertson

Martha Wackenhut

XECUTIVE DIRECTORoselin Matkins

PROGRAM ASSOCIATEally Averette

The Land Trusts mission

is to protect and enhance

natural lands, wildlie habi-

tat, and working arms

and ranches in

Southeast Idaho,

now and or uture

generations.

dar Creek Restoration Workdayurday, June 2 rom 8:30am-1:00pmunteers and local Boy Scouts will participate in the 4th Annual Res-ation Workday along Cedar Creek, a tributary o the Blackoot River.

e began this restoration project in 2006, and have since recreated otretch o Cedar Creek that had been flled and diverted into a ditch.e stream was restored to improve habitat or Yellowstone cutthroatut and other native species. Call (208) 241-4662 or more details.

h Annual Summer Fundraiserednesday, July 25 rom 5:00-9:00pmlp maintain our high quality o lie by attending our 4th Annual Fund-ser. This community event raises unds to keep the Land Trust work-or you -- protecting our regions irreplaceable wildlie, wild land, and

rking arms and ranches. Dont miss great ood and riends and newivities like garlic planting, ly casting, and a wildlie treasure hunt!

her Activities (date to be determined, check the website)ant to volunteer in the feld? email: [email protected]

e will be in the feld nearly every week this summer monitoring ournservation easement and managing the land we own in ee title. Weed all sorts o skill sets in the feld including map reading, GPS, speciesntifcation, and photography. Call (208) 241-4662 or send an email

the address above.

it www.sagebrushlandtrust.org/events_calendar.php or updates

Volunteers enjoying the view of the Blackfoot River

pcoming Activities

nless otherwise noted, photos in this newsletter were taken by SSLT sta.


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NON-PROFIT ORg

U.S. POSTAgE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 51

POcATEllO, ID

Acres Permanently Protected With Your Support: 2,260

PO Box 1404, Pocatello ID 83204

sagebrush steppe

LAND TRUST

Mark Your Calendar!

Land Trust FundraiserWednesday, July 25

Buddys RestaurantButcher BlockCoHO Coffee HouseCourtesy FordCynthia Louise BoutiqueDel Monte MeatDL Evans BankDr. Michael FlandroElectric ServiceEngelson, Capell, & EngelsonFish off the Old BlockHailey PaintHanson Supply

Heinz Frozen Food CompanyHenrys Hair DesignISU Outdoor RecreationJuniper Hills Country ClubKruse InsuranceKZBQ 93.7 and KORR 104LadyBird FarmsLive Water PropertiesMama Inez

Meyers Law OfficeMyers Anderson ArchitectsPacific Steel & RecyclingPartner Steel CampingPhil Meador ToyotaPinehurst Nursery and FloralPocatello Co-OpPortneuf Valley BreweryPortneuf Healthcare FoundationPro BuildersRemosScotts Lock and KeyScotts Ski and Sports

SimplotSnugfleece Inc.Steve Wallace ArchitectsTEC Distributing of IdahoThe Bag LadyThe GoldsmithThe Paperwork PlaceThe Ravens Nest

Thanks Again 2011 Business Sponsors!

Also, see us online at www.sagebrushlandtrust.org, visit us on

IN THIS ISSUE:Policy Update

...Page 2Meet our New Sta

...Page 3

On the Land

...Page 7

New Projects

...Page 5

ssrlt spring 2012 nwslttr

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