Snake River: Protecting Agricultural Land and Wild Havens

Over the past 18 years we have worked to conserve lands along the Upper Snake River and the canyon stretch of the South Fork Snake River, preserving wildlife habitat, the local economy, and ensuring recreational opportunities, such as fishing and boating, for residents and visitors.

South Fork

With our partners, including the Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, the Teton Regional Land Trust and willing landowners, we have worked to conserve permanently over 18,000 acres along the South Fork and the lower Henry’s Fork, including other lands conserved with Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA) funds. The level of cooperation between the federal agencies and the national and regional conservation organizations—and the number of landowners willing to conserve their lands permanently—combine to make this effort one of the most successful conservation collaborations in the country.

In 2009, we helped to protect one of the last two remaining unprotected parcels of private land along the canyon stretch of the South Fork Snake River in Bonneville County. Conserving these two properties—one now in public ownership and the other remaining in private hands—protects wildlife habitat, ensures recreational opportunities for future generations and provides great economic benefits to Eastern Idaho.

The South Fork supports the largest native Yellowstone cutthroat trout fishery outside of Yellowstone National Park and produces half the bald eagles in Idaho. These lands also 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.

Every year, over 300,000 visitors from all over the world travel to this river to enjoy the spectacular scenery, fishery and wildlife along this river. 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.

In addition, some of the most productive dry farm lands in eastern Idaho lies along the high bluffs lining the South Fork, helping Bonneville County maintain its lead statewide in barley production. Since 2000 we have assisted in placing easements on several farm properties, all in cooperation with land owners. A few properties include: 318 acres of farmland along Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, 1.5 miles of South Fork frontage on the 186-acre Gallup Farm near Yellowstone National Park, and 545 acres on Eagle Rock Ranch.

Click here to view a photo gallery of Todd Kaplan's images from Hell's Canyon and the South Fork of the Snake River