Project Description: As we all know, Jackson Hole is home to some of the nation’s most important and abundant wildlife habitat and public wilderness lands.  Everyone who lives in or visits the region has an unusual responsibility to protect these lands.  The outcome from this project is a user-friendly, inspirational guidebook to living in wild country and a companion website.  The Guide is intended to help people understand their part in protecting the unique qualities of this wild, beautiful landscape.  Many local organizations, non-profits and businesses provide a variety of place-friendly activities and events, but not everyone is inclined to participate in these offerings. Living in Wild Country will supplement these activities with simple, inspiring text to help people gain an understanding about what it takes to co-exist with our unparalleled wild lands and wildlife.  It will be a useful tool for people who want to comment on local environmental issues including planning efforts, private and public.  The website will be the place for interested folks to record and read stories of ‘living in wild country’.

Impact/Audience: WWA plans to target the Guide to reach a diverse audience by including chamber of commerce packets, real estate offices, hotel lobbies, airports, civic groups, schools, etc.  The Guide will become the accepted source for simple, friendly and non-partisan education and actions for living charitably with the nature of the region. The accompanying website will give us a place to track effectiveness, monitoring people’s use of the site as they record their ‘wild country’ stories and experiences.   

Description of Living in Wild Country: 

The Guide will focus on 10 basic concepts, one page each in a combination of photographs, maps, quotes and text.

The Guide’s Pages:  12 pages, 20 photos, 2 maps 

Jackson Hole – Spirit of Place

The story and history of the region’s commitment to wildness is important for every resident and visitor to understand.  Quotes and stories from Muries, Rockefellers, Craigheads, Hansens, Raynes evoke the setting for understanding the unusual qualities of this place - why this place is so unique and rare.

The Values of Wild Country

The wide array of values inherent in wild country surprises many people.  Everyone is drawn to the aesthetic qualities of the place – the beauty.  Equally important are the scientific, historic, recreational, spiritual and ethical values that inspire protection of the place.  The economic values surrounding our wild lands are complex and understanding them is vital to insuring the sustainability of the place.  A simple link between wild lands and community health is the focus.

Wildlife Needs Wild Lands

Helping people understand the fundamental relationship between habitat and wildlife is critical.  This is basic eco-literacy is fundamental in a place like the Greater Yellowstone area.  There are very simple ways to show the linkages between land, water, air, explaining that these basic ecosystem services are vital to healthy populations whether they be human or wildlife.

Public Lands as Key Wild Lands Refuges

Many locals as well as visitors are very confused by the different kinds of land bases in the valley – private, state, or federal and which agencies manage our public lands.  The Guide will provide a simple reference guide to management, oversight and protection of the public wild lands of the region.

Bridger-Teton National Forest

As one of the largest and most complex pieces of public land, the Bridger-Teton National Forest requires additional explanation.  The conflicting uses that are allowed on the forest make understanding this land base vital.  The forest plan revision is also an important process that guides the future of this place.

Why Wilderness

Wilderness is one of the most extraordinary and little understood qualities of this region.  These protected wild areas are the basis of all other wild country values.  We are lucky to have extensive wilderness land bases in the region.  The Guide will expound on the future of wilderness protection in our roadless areas.

What Wilderness Does For You

Wilderness serves local residents and visitors in many ways.  It protects users (hunters, fishers, backpackers, backcountry skiers).  It is a basis for the scientific research that allows us to understand the impacts we have on the region.  It provides the ecosystem services that benefit all.

What You Can Do to Keep the Wild Wild

There are many simple ways for residents and visitors to think about participating in this campaign to protect the place.  It is important to explain the direct link between protecting wild lands and choosing sustainable living practices – recycling, using less energy, composting, buying locally, and green products.  Leave No Trace concepts will be included.

Local References/Websites

An important part of the Guide will be devoted to space for the non-profits and businesses that support protecting this wild place to advertise their mission, purpose and available services.

Organizational/Partner Capacity and Long Term Sustainability:

Wyoming Wilderness Association’s mission is working to protect Wyoming's Wild Public Lands.  WWA staff has the experience, track record and commitment needed to produce and manage this document over the long term.  We are excited to collaborate with 1% for the Tetons and its members to commit to the long-term viability of our important public resources.  The seed money provided by 1% will leverage the first edition.  Future editions will be self-sustained by WWA and eco-friendly ad revenues.  WWA Jackson Rep Nancy Shea will oversee the project.  She has worked in education, outreach and values for 21 years in the Teton area.  She has led many projects:  The Murie Center, Teton Sustainability Project, and Teton Science School’s Graduate Program.  She also teaches in these fields for the University of Wyoming.  We are partnering with local artists and writers to complete the project.  Tom Turiano is a very well respected photographer, author and local wild lands guide.  Susan Marsh, recently retired from the Bridger-Teton National Forest after 22 years, is an author and an expert in the management and conservation of public wildlands.  Becky Woods has designed and published some the most beloved local trail guides.  She is also a designer for many local non-profits.  We are also partnering with ecofriendly businesses and non-profits that will have an opportunity to advertise in the Guide to spread the word about their services.

Statement of 1% Ideal:

The purpose of 1% is to help sustain wild resources for future generations.  This project has precisely the same purpose.  WWA is leveraging its own internal capacity with the support of a team of impressive local artists and writers to provide a long-term solution to a well supported local need:  encouraging and providing resources to local residents and visitors that allow them to participate more fully in the protection of our wild resources.  WWA’s Living in Wild Country will become an important local institution that evolves over time to continue to meet this need. 

For more information about this project, please contact Nancy Shea at nancy@wildwyo.org

Heli-skiing deal reached News Release February 9, 2007 (Palisades Helicopter Skiing update)

Company, Groups Reach Ski Accord News Release February 9, 2007 (Palisades Helicopter Skiing update)

Bridger-Teton Status of Land Acreage February 2007