Historic Gold Ranch Conserved

The Teton Regional Land Trust partnered with Madison County’s Gold Ranch landowners to preserve important bird habitat on the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. The 572-acre property borders the Lower Henry’s Fork for nearly one mile and also borders Texas and Mulligan Sloughs.

The Gold Ranch project is a component of a larger conservation partnership that has protected 1,800 acres of contiguous private lands surrounding the Cartier Slough Wildlife Management Area (CSWMA). The CSWMA is a wetland/riparian/ grassland complex managed by Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) and provides habitat for a large variety of wildlife including 197 species of birds. IDFG outlined in 2002 that the "most crucial, abundant and sensitive of these habitats are riparian areas and wetlands" that provide critical nesting, feeding and loafing habitat for waterbirds. The Gold Ranch Conservation Easement property adds a significant amount of protected wetland/ riparian habitat along the Henry’s Fork that is adjacent to the CSWMA and acts as an extension of available nesting, foraging and roosting habitat for waterbird species. Three additional migratory bird refuges - Market Lake Wildlife Management Area, Mud Lake Wildlife Management Area and Camas National Wildlife Refuge - lie west of Gold Ranch. Many birds that breed in these refuges depend on the Lower Henry’s Fork, including the Gold Ranch, to forage during and after breeding.

"Waterfowl hunters can expect an increase in local waterfowl production from extensive restoration that targetsenhanced nesting and brood-rearing habitat on Gold Ranch," TRLTLand Protection Specialist Matt Lucia explained. The Land Trust has been monitoring the Gold Ranch property and has seen an increase in waterfowl production due to the enhancements of habitat. "Bird enthusiasts of all kinds will enjoy the increase of non-game birds due to the conservation of this important bird habitat."

The wetlands of the Lower Henry’s Fork are critical migration stopovers, nesting grounds and foraging areas for one-half million waterfowl and several-hundred thousand other waterbird species. These areas surrounding Gold Ranch are important breeding habitat for bird species including mallard, lesser scaup, pintail, sandhill cranes, American white pelican, whitefaced ibis, black tern and long-billed curlew. Trumpeter swans are also greatly dependant on the wintering habitat found along the Lower Henry’s Fork.

Conserving Gold Ranch has added a significant measure of protection to nesting and wintering bald eagles. An active bald eagle nest lies near the boundary of the property, and open water and abundant prey provide vital wintering habitat.

The majority of the Gold Ranch property has been grazed by cattle or in grain production for over 100 years. For the past 80 years, Gold Ranch has been farmed for small grains, grass hay and alfalfa.

In 1976, the property was flooded due to the failure of the Teton Dam. Historical water channels that have been empty since the Teton Dam flood are now restored. Management of the property also provides wetland food plots such as Japanese millet to accommodate foraging areas for waterbirds. Thanks to funding through a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant, a restoration agreement assures there will be water available for waterfowl and waterbird nesting in summers. TRLT has teamed up with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to assist a Tennessee group, the 474 Club, LLC, to place their land under conservation easement. The 474 Club, represented by co-owner Bill Benton, has owned the Madison County property, Gold Ranch, since 2004.

"The easement was an important step to protecting lifelong habitat for wildlife", Gold Ranch landowner Bill Benton said. "Anytime quality property is restored back to its native state, then preserved forever, it is a plus for all things human and wild."

TRLT partnered with the BLM to fund the conservation easement. The BLM provides funding for high-priority conservation easements within a nationally designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern through Land and Water Conservation Funds, a source derived from the royalties of off-shore oil drilling.

TRLT worked with the landowner and the BLM to negotiate the conservation easement and its terms, and TRLT immediately transferred the conservation easement to the BLM once it was recorded. The BLM is the easement grantee and assumes perpetual responsibility for ensuring the terms of the conservation easement. By agreement with the BLM, TRLT annually monitors the easement property, including the performance of restored habitat.

BLM District Manager Joe Kraayenbrink expressed gratitude to the Gold Ranch landowners for choosing a conservation option for their property over developing for greater financial gain. "Conserving the Gold Ranch is a significant contribution to an assemblage of other conservation properties on the Henry’s Fork. Teton Regional Land Trust’s relationship with these landowners is keeping the Lower Henry’s Fork a wild river for all to enjoy." ■