Wood River Land Trust

Annual Report 2007 - 2008

woodriverlandtrust

Protecting the heart of the valley...nowand for the future.

Annual Report2007 - 2008

Cover photo: “The Sun Sets on Quigley Canyon” by Larry Barnes, irst place winner photography division, 2007 Heart o the Valley Contest

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ear Wood River Land Trust Friend,The other day I was asked what had been my great-est accomplishment since becoming the ExecutiveDirector o Wood River Land Trust. I thought back over the last 5 to 10 years to recall some long ago project, but I quicklyrealized that the “greatest” accomplishment wasn’t something rom longago but was the entirety o this last year. Hands down, 2007 was thebest year, on all ronts, Wood River Land Trust has ever had.Early in the year, with the generous support o donors, we wereable to purchase a home or sta housing. The historic building nextdoor to our oice is currently housing one employee, but plans areunderway to expand, restore, and rehabilitate the old building to house two additional employees or interns year round.The Draper Wood River Preserve was completed in 2007, tying together many past river and riparian projects in the heart o Hailey tocreate a protected corridor along the Big Wood River. The trade with the State o Idaho, which protected 80 acres and ½ mile o Big WoodRiver rontage to create the Preserve, also included a 40-acre parcel that became a link or urther river protection and public access down-stream. The 40-acre parcel is adjacent to the 103-acre Colorado GulchConservation Agreement that was donated at the end o the year.This partnership brought the number o voluntary conservation agree-ments received by Wood River Land Trust in 2007 to six—the mostever received in one year. With these six agreements protecting nearly4,000 acres, Wood River Land Trust closed the year having protected9,343 acres in the Wood River Valley and its surrounding areas.2007 also saw unprecedented successes in our undraising andmembership eorts, ensuring a secure and sustainable means o protecting and stewarding lands in perpetuity. I eel this increasedsupport is in direct correlation to our continued eorts to educate,inorm, and sometimes just remind everyone in the Valley—residentsand visitors alike—about the majesty o this valley and how vital it is to protect the natural values, oten indescribable but deeply elt, o the land that surrounds us and give us a home.Some o the events and programs this past year included our Trout Friendly Lawn program and the Heart o the Valley Contest, two programs that reach dierent audiences throughout the Valleyand show the diversity o our ocus and reach.The momentum o 2007 has carried over into 2008. TheSheep Bridge Canyon Project, which we completed in April, yieldedour largest riverront purchase to date and protects wildlie, scenic views, public access, and river resources well beyond its 306 acres.These may be the best o times or Wood River Land Trust and,correspondingly, or all the residents o the Valley—both human and wild. Golden opportunities lie ahead!My best,Scott Boettger Executive Director