BLM>Idaho>Upper Snake>Snake River Land Conservation>LWCF
Allocations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) have allowed the BLM to conserve 68 properties along 88 miles of the South Fork, Henry's Fork and Main Snake River.  Conservation easements on 20 parcels have been granted to the BLM, and fee title for another 20 parcels was acquired.  More than $22.5 million in LWCF funding has been devoted to land transactions in the Upper Snake/South Fork Snake River Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) since 1991.  The LWCF allowed the BLM to fund title, appraisal, survey and closing expenses on another six transactions in which 3,240 acres were added to the National System of Public Lands, the official name for the public lands the BLM manages.

The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy and the Teton Regional Land Trust have facilitated these transactions acting in concert as the Upper Snake River Land Conservation Partnership.  In several cases, the effect of LWCF funding was also enhanced through landowner donation.  Money in the LWCF comes mainly from fees paid by developers of offshore oil and natural gas resources.  Part of the LWCF is available to the BLM, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA Forest Service, and the National Park Service to purchase lands with important conservation and/or recreation values.  Lands or interests in land are acquired from willing landowners at fair market value, unless the landowner chooses to donate the land or offer it at a reduced price.

Gold Ranch | conservation easement
Waterbirds take flight along a stretch of the South Fork Snake River protected through a conservation easement granted to the BLM by Gold Ranch

 

  • 572 acres
  • transaction completed in 2008, Teton Regional Land Trust facilitated
  • Henry's Fork
  • 1+ mile of river frontage in one of the most biologically rich areas of the intermountain West; lies within 3 bald eagle nesting territories
        +  landowner donation

Additional photo 1
Additional photo 2

LL Enterprises | conservation easement
Bluffs along a stretch of the Henry's Fork Snake River for which LL Enterprises has granted a conservation easement to the BLM

 

  • 104 acres
  • transaction completed in 2007, The Conservation Fund facilitated
  • Henry's Fork
  • river frontage and associated wetlands

Additional photo

Hammer | conservation easement

A two-track road through riverbottom on the South Fork conserved with a conservation easement

 

  • 160 acres
  • transaction completed in 2007, Teton Regional Land Trust facilitated
  • South Fork

McDowell | conservation easement
The South Fork bends through land protected through the McDowell conservation easement granted to the BLM

 

  • 70 acres
  • transaction completed in 2005, The Conservation Fund facilitated
  • South Fork

Brown | conservation easement
Lands along the South Fork Snake River protected with the Brown conservation easement

 

  • 644 acres
  • transaction completed in 2005, The Conservation Fund facilitated
  • South Fork
        +  landowner donation

KBL Ranch/Lundquist | conservation easement
uplands along the canyon stretch of the South Fork Snake River

 

  • 361 acres
  • transaction completed in 2005, Teton Regional Land Trust facilitated
  • South Fork

Additional photo

Scott Family | conservation easement
Wetlands along the South Fork Snake River, conserved with a conservation easement

 

  • 144 acres
  • transaction completed in 2004, Teton Regional Land Trust facilitated
  • South Fork

Clark Hill | conservation easement

 

  • 393 acres
  • transaction completed in 2003, The Conservation Fund facilitated
  • South Fork

Bybee | conservation easement
A two-track road through the Bybee conservation easement in autumn color

 

  • 573 acres
  • transaction completed in 2003, The Nature Conservancy facilitated
  • South Fork
  • facilitated an addition to the Cress Creek Nature Trail

Additional photo (winter)

Clark Farm | conservation easement
Lands in the canyon stretch of the South Fork Snake River protected through a conservation easement granted to the BLM

 

  • 829 acres
  • transaction completed in 2002, The Conservation Fund facilitated
  • South Fork
        +  landowner donation

Hamilton | conservation easement
Woodlands along the South Fork Snake River protected through a conservation easement granted to the BLM

 

  • 244½ acres
  • transaction completed in 2002, Teton Regional Land Trust facilitated
  • South Fork
        +  landowner donation

Gallup | conservation easement
the rim of the canyon stretch of the South Fork Snake River viewed from river-level

 

  • 187 acres
  • transaction completed in 2001, The Conservation Fund facilitated
  • South Fork

Eagle Rock Ranch | conservation easement 
Lands of the Eagle Rock Ranch along the South Fork Snake River, which are now under a conservation easement granted to the BLM

 

  • 545 acres 
  • transaction completed in 2000, The Conservation Fund facilitated
  • South Fork
        +  landowner donation

Goe Flat | conservation easement
Riverbottom lands viewed from the top of nearby canyon rim, along the South Fork Snake River

 

  • 151 acres
  • transaction completed in 1999, Teton Regional Land Trust facilitated
  • South Fork 

Deer Parks WMU | fee acquisition
The Deer Park Wildlife Management Unit, formerly the property of Bonneville Power Administration

 

  • 2,591 acres
  • transaction facilitated by The Conservation Fund
  • LWCF funded title, appraisal and closing expenses, Bonneville Power Administration wildlife mitigation funds covered acquisition costs
  • BLM, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and Idaho Dept. of Fish & Game collaborate in managing the WMU
  • main Snake River 

St. Anthony Greenway | Bell fee acquisition + 
                                        Carter conservation easement
a boardwalk on the St. Anthony Greenway, along the Henry's Fork Snake River

 

  • 12½ acres fee + 96 acres easement
  • transactions completed in 2000/2001, Teton Regional Land Trust facilitated
  • Henry's Fork
        +  landowner donation (easement)

Additional photo (easement)

Hamilton Pine Creek Bench | fee acquisition
South Fork Snake River view from Hamilton Pine Creek Bench property

 

  • 304 acres
  • transferred to the BLM after purchase by The Conservation Fund
  • located between Pine Creek Canyon and Conant Valley (South Fork)
  • Bench connects mountain summer range with lower-elevation winter range  for elk, moose and mule deer

Full-size photo

Campbell Farms | fee acquisition
view of Swan Valley from Campbell Farms property

 

  • 38 acres
  • transaction facilitated by Teton Regional Land Trust
  • views of Swan Valley, Conant Valley, Pine Creek Bench, Big Hole Mountains

Full-size photo

 Other LWCF Properties (year completed)

Koon | conservation easement (2010)
Wilde | fee acquisition (2006)
  Jolley | conservation easement (2004)
  Siegel/Fisher Bottom | conservation easement (2002)
  Rudd Living Trust | conservation easement (2001)
  Taylor | fee acquisition (2000)
  Carter | fee acquisition (2000)
  Walker | fee acquisition (2000)
  1991-1998 |  1 conservation easement
                        13 fee acqisitions

 

 
 
 South Fork, 191+ acres
 Main Snake, 9+ acres
 Henry's Fork, 180 acres
 South Fork, 437+ acres
 South Fork, 309+ acres
 Henry's Fork, 70.5 acres
 Henry's Fork, 17.5 acres
 Main Snake, 35 acres
 South Fork, 324 acres
 South Fork, 944 acres

An additional 649 acres in fee acquisitions granted 
to the BLM were acquired in transactions funded 
by the Bonneville Power Administration.