Our work in the Greater Yellowstone area focuses on working ranches, public recreation areas, river corridors and large-scale wildlife migration. We’ve protected tens of thousands of acres in this region, making significant progress in the conservation of the most intact temperate ecosystem in the world.

Our Role

Building upon our landscape-level conservation work in the Greater Yellowstone area, we partnered with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to protect Teton River Confluence Ranch in Idaho. This 762-acre ranch sits at the confluence of the Teton River and two tributaries, Badger Creek and Bitch Creek.

The property provides spawning habitat for Yellowstone cutthroat trout and serves as a crucial link for the elk and mule deer migration from the Teton Mountains' summer ranges to the canyon’s protected winter range. Its canyons also support peregrine falcon eyries, while its rolling meadows and stands of Douglas fir and aspen groves harbor Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, bald eagle, golden eagle Swainson's hawk, flammulated owl and trumpeter swan.

Funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund allowed the BLM to acquire the property, which will be incorporated into an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, protecting the natural and scenic values of the area for wildlife and recreation.

Why This Project Matters

BLM lands border Teton River Confluence Ranch on three sides, and its protection opens public access to more than 1,500 acres of public land and three miles of waterways that are currently inaccessible. Situated at the heart of the Greater Yellowstone area, just 45 miles from Jackson Hole, the Teton River Confluence Ranch greatly enhances the fishing, hiking and hunting opportunities that the region is known for.

In 2016 alone, more than 7.5 million people visited nearby Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park and spent more than $1 billion. From outfitters and guides, to restaurants and lodging establishments, outdoor recreation is clearly demonstrating the value that protected natural areas play in driving local recreation economies.

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Where We Work: Greater Yellowstone Area