perspectives on
Land
Kathryn Goldman and summer intern Rachael document new wood deposited by this spring’s flood
WOOD
is
GOOD
A t first glance, the downed tree
stretching across the river appears
to be an obstacle for fisherman and inner
tubers, but in reality it provides many
benefits to the river system, fish, and
wildlife. To put it simply: wood is good.
Removing wood from the river system
reduces fish habitat and can even de-sta-
bilize the river channel itself.
This spring, the highest water levels
ever recorded on the Big Wood River
recruited an abundance of wood into the
A publication of Wood River Land Trust
www.woodriverlandtrust.org info@woodriverlandtrust.org
Wood River Land Trust
FALL 2006
river. New log jams and woody features
appeared in the stream throughout the
valley. Wood in the system often “hangs
up” at strategic points like meanders to
slow water during high flows. Wood
jams also stabilize banks and prevent
erosion during high flows. It is this dual
function—providing bank stability and
slowing high water—that creates a stable
channel less prone to movement and ero-
sion during spring runoff. This new wood
creates points where the river scours
down to form pools. A newly felled tree
or a jam of wood may have a very deep
pool beneath it. These pools are good
places for fish to hide and provide a cold
water refuge during our hot summers.
Wood is not only good for the river
and fish but also for wildlife. Small mam-
mals like chipmunks and birds use dry log
jams for cover and nesting areas. The
productivity of the entire riparian area
(the transitional area between land and Protecting and restoring
water ecosystems) is enhanced by downed our natural lands
wood in the river system.
Continued on page 7 and healthy waters
since 1994.
 WHO WE ARE
President’s
Message
By Clark Gerhardt
W ood River Land Trust is
continually reviewing its
strategy, the center of which is to
work with private landowners to pro-
tect the valley’s open spaces, wild-
life habitat, river health, and farm
and ranch lands. In addition, we
increasingly find ourselves working
with federal, state, and local public
officials and planning staff. Local
officials and planning departments
recognize the immense value of the
lands we have permanently pro-
tected and seek to protect additional
lands, waters, and the rural lifestyle
we enjoy. To this end, elected offi-
cials and agency staff often seek the
professional expertise of Wood River
Land Trust staff. This consultation
has recently cast our work in a more
visible light than in the past, and
has sometimes brought a measure of
controversy. In questioning whether
this is appropriate, we as an orga-
nization consider where the Wood
River Valley is in comparison to
other mountain resort areas.
Fortunately, the Wood River
Valley is in a favorable position com-
pared to Vail, Aspen, Park City, and
others, and we have a unique chance
There is an eternal landscape, a
geography of the soul; we search for its
outlines all our lives. — Josephine Hart
2
Meet Our New Staff Me
Major Gifts
Officer
Robyn Watson
Robyn’s career has included
interior design, televi-
sion production, and event
coordination, but she finds
Clark Gerhardt non-profit fundraising the
most fulfilling. Originally from Oklahoma, her love of
to “get it right.” But it is a constant
the land comes from growing up riding horses on her
challenge—a challenge Wood River
family’s cattle ranch and spending her college years on
Land Trust is well-equipped to meet.
Colorado’s ski slopes. Having visited the Wood River
We have broad and active support
Valley on and off for the past 25 years, Robyn looks
from locals and second homeowners
forward to combining her passion for fundraising and
who rely on us to help protect the
nature and to making the valley home for her little dog,
places where they live, love to visit,
Dixie, and herself.
or to which they plan to retire. We
also have an excellent professional
staff who do the heavy lifting on a
daily basis and who achieve amazing
results.
Success builds upon success, and
I am happy to begin my tenure as
Board President after John Flattery’s
3 years of hard work and leadership.
But we can’t be successful in our
work without you. On behalf of the
Board, I thank you for your commit-
ment to protecting our natural areas,
healthy waters, and wildlife habitat.
I hope you will continue your sup-
port—there is more to be done than
ever. Together we can be part of a
vibrant community.
embers....
Membership
Assistant
Morgan Buckert
Morgan grew up on a ranch
in South Texas where her
interest in protecting natu-
ral resources developed. In
2005, Silver Creek brought
Morgan north to the Wood River Valley. She will
graduate with her M.A. in Environmental History from
the University of New Mexico in December and holds
B.A.s in History and Government from the University
of Texas. When not at Wood River Land Trust, Morgan
can usually be found at Lost River Outfitters, fishing on
Silver Creek, or climbing at the City of Rocks. Chris, summer intern, checking out big wood in the Big Wood River

Super Interns Steward

Our Local Lands
W ood River Land Trust was lucky to have three
great interns this summer. Ben Niffenegger, a
student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point,
was tireless in his work stewarding our preserves—fighting
noxious weeds, maintaining trails, and creating manage-
ment plans. Chris Evelyn worked long hours ensuring
our annual conservation agreement monitoring efforts
went smoothly. Chris is the third graduate student
we’ve been fortunate to hire from the Bren School of the
Environment at UC Santa Barbara.
Finally, Rachael Goetzelman, an AmeriCorps
Member, worked in a joint position for Wood River Land
Trust and Blaine County Weed Department on a compre-
hensive noxious weed mapping project.
Ben, Chris, and Rachael enabled us to have a very
productive summer. They also made the most of their
weekends—learning to fly fish, backpacking in the
Pioneers, looking for frogs and amphibians, and getting to
know the Valley.
Many thanks and all best wishes to Rachael, Chris,
and Ben!

Interns Rachael and Ben with staff member Kathryn Goldman 3

on the Big Wood River
 CONNECTING
June In Bloom
Hot-rock Penstemon and Fleabane!
Scarlet Gilia! Globe Mallow and
Rabbitbrush! NO knapweed or
Dalmatian Toadflax!
These are some of the plants
Photo credit: Jerry W. Britton

we saw – and didn’t see – on the

Morels In May
Locals looking to get out after the
snow melted joined us for our first
Morel Mushroom Walk in May.
Kathy Richmond of the Southern
Idaho Mycological Association led
over fifty rubber boot clad mushroom
hunters through the soggy Cedar
Bend Preserve in Hailey in search of
tasty morels.
Richmond showed us the ins
and outs of searching for and iden-
tifying morels and other native
mushrooms. Mushroom stories were
shared, but no secret spots were
revealed. It was too early in the sea-
son for most to find morels at Cedar
Bend, but a wide range of other
mushrooms, both poisonous and
edible, were found by all.
annual wildflower hike at Lake Creek
Preserve in June. Led again this year
by botanist Carol Blackburn, 16 of us
tromped up and down the hill, learn-
ing and identifying as we went.
Lake Creek Preserve is 16 acres
of hillside and wetlands across Hwy.
75 from the Lake Creek Trail Head.
The Preserve has been undisturbed by
grazing so there are many varieties of
Learning about wildflowers at Lake
native wild flowers in the Spring and Creek Preserve
early Summer. The views are grand
at any time of the year so plan a visit
on your own, or join us next June for
the Annual Hike!
There are many
varieties of native
wildflowers at Lake
Creek in the Spring
and early Summer

Morel hunting at Cedar

Bend Preserve (right)

Kathy Richmond (far right)

of the Southern Idaho
Mycological Association led
the mushroom hunt

4
TO THE LAND
2006 Community Picnic A Success

Enjoying our community picnic along the Big Wood River in Bellevue

The 3rd Annual Community Picnic

at Howard Preserve was our best yet.
Over 100 people joined us for an after-
noon along the river with spit-roasted
lamb and a barbecue in honor of
everyone who makes our work possible
by volunteering, becoming a member,
and otherwise supporting our work.
We thank the Howard family and the
City of Bellevue for helping to host a
fantastic end-of-summer celebration.
Thanks too to all who attended despite
a few raindrops!

Bellevue community
picnic Howard
Preserve, 1950’s

5
 CONNECTING
“The Fall Trailing of the Sheep” by Jennifer Montgomery,
3rd place winner in Photography division, 2005
Third Annual Heart of the Valley Contest
T he 3rd Annual Heart of the
Valley Contest is in full swing,
with photographs and writings com-
ing in daily. Last year’s contest par-
ticipants defined the heart of the
Wood River Valley in myriad ways.
Some said it was the Big Wood River;
some said Silver Creek; others said
Bald Mountain. These we expected.
Others, however, defined the heart
of the valley as the playground of
Hemingway Elementary, a secret spot
by River Run, and a little-known stand
of cottonwood forest. We at Wood
River Land Trust believe that the heart
of our valley beats not just in these spe-
cial places but in the people who live
here. Our community is active, pas-
sionate, involved, and vocal about the
places that make this valley home.
Submissions Due: November 17, 2006
6
This year’s contest asks you to cap-
ture your interaction with and relation-
ship to the Wood River Valley. Whether
it is the Big Wood River, our cottonwood
and alpine forests, or our agricultural
heritage, the nuances of the Wood River
Valley and the people who live here
influence our daily experiences.
It’s our challenge to you . . . send
us your photographs and short writings
(poems, essays, and memoirs) that docu-
ment the ways your heart is tied to the
Wood River Valley. Photographs will be
showcased at the Images of Nature gallery
in Ketchum during the December Gallery
Walk, and we are working with local
businesses to arrange readings of the short
writings throughout the valley in January
and February. Submission guidelines and
entry forms are available on our web-
site. Visit www.woodriverlandtrust.org
and click on “Calendar.” You can
also stop by our office or contact
Heather Kimmel at 788-3947 or
hkimmel@woodriverlandtrust.org.
This year’s contest is sponsored by
Prizes for 1st - 3rd place in both
categories and one staff favorite prize for
each. Prizes generously donated by Silver
Creek Outfitters, Iconoclast, Lost River
Outfitters, Flolo’s, and Phoenix Framing.
Additional support provided by the
College of Southern Idaho.
TO THE LAND

WOOD Continued on page 1

Because wood is good for the river,

is
fish, and wildlife, Wood River
Before Riverside Pond: the site of Hailey’s sewage
treatment plant Land Trust worked with the City
of Bellevue to create an engineered New wood creates points where
log jam along the riverbank at the the river scours down to form
pools. These pools provide a
Howard Preserve. The engineered cold water refuge for fish during
jam acts like natural in-stream

GOOD
our hot summers
wood in a stretch of river where a
man-made dike makes it difficult
for the river to recruit its own wood
into the system. Contact Kathryn
Goldman at 788-3947 to tour the
engineered logjam.

7
 Donation Highlights
THA
FOR HELPING
Planned Giving VALLEY’S I
Opportunities
An anonymous local donor has gener- TU Stewards Nature wil
ously gifted a Wood River Valley home
valued at approximately $2 million to
Wood River Land Trust, Idaho
Boxcar Bend She invites
Conservation League, and The
Wilderness Society. The donor
The local chapter of Trout
Unlimited “adopted” Boxcar
her smalles
view of its p
explains that, after living in the
Bend Preserve in the spring of
community for 35 years, it was
2004 to help us protect the river
only right to support financially
and steward the preserve. This
the organizations working to
summer, volunteers from the
protect the things that make the
Hemingway Chapter joined us for
community a better place. The donor
a day of pulling weeds, delineating
cites the tremendous growth in local
paths, and refurbishing trails leading to
real estate as an example of “unearned
the water at this popular protected area
income” and makes the gift hoping that
on the Big Wood River along the bike
others with similar abilities will do so
path. Thank you Trout Unlimited for
as well. For more information about a
your love of the river and your help pro-
variety of planned giving opportunities,
tecting it for the community!
contact Robyn Watson at 788-3947 or
rwatson@woodriverlandtrust.org.
Trout Unlimited members at Boxcar Bend

8
ANK YOU
G US PROTECT THE WOOD RIVER
IMPORTANT NATURAL AREAS

ll bear the closest inspection.

us to lay our eye level with
st leaf, and take an insect
plain. — Henry David Thoreau
Bruce Tidwell and daughter Madison

Bruce Tidwell
Receives Founders’
Award For Service
We were happy to award Bruce Tidwell our
Founders’ Award this August for his longtime sup-
port of our work. The Founders’ Award is given
to an individual or group who has significantly
advanced our efforts and who demonstrates a
long-standing commitment to preserving and pro-
tecting the valley’s natural areas.
Tidwell served on Wood River Land Trust’s
Board of Directors from 1996 to 2006. He
held the office of President in 1998 and 1999
and served on the Community Relations and
Fundraising Committees as well as the Marketing
Task Force during his tenure.
In 1998, Tidwell founded the Building
Material Thrift Store to help financially support
Wood River Land Trust. Along with his time and
energy, Tidwell invested his own funds to get the
business on its feet.
Anyone on staff will tell you that Bruce does
a lot more than just provide monetary support—
he assists us with jobs big and small and provides
materials, equipment, and his much-demanded
time. Bruce has given so much of his time, ener-
gy, and leadership to the Wood River Land Trust
and is an unwavering and selfless advocate of our
work. Thanks, Bruce, for all you do for us!

The Salmon River near Peach Creek

9
 OTHER NEWS
CHALLENGE GRANT 2006
This year we are once
again very fortunate to
have a year-end challenge
grant. This year’s gener-
ous two-for-one challenge
grant from anonymous
donors and our Board of
Directors is for $160,000.
Every $1.00 you donate
before December 31, 2006
will be matched by an addi-
tional $.50. Please help us
reach our goal! We must
raise $320,000 by the end
of the year to receive this
$160,000 gift.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Clark Gerhardt, President
Ed Cutter, Vice President
Jack Kueneman, Treasurer
Robin Garwood, Secretary
Jerry Bashaw
William Burnham
John Flattery
Heather King
Patricia Klahr
Bill Lehman
Liz Mitchell
Steve Strandberg
Joan Swift
Tom Swift
Chris Thompson
Barbara Thrasher
Doris Tunney
Liz Warrick
10
Challenge Grant Goal = $320,000
Amount Received as of 10/9 = $79,940
Amount Still Needed
We facilitate the reuse or
to Meet Challenge = $240,060 recycling of homes, building
materials, and larger house-
hold items. Proceeds from
the sale of materials are
The year-end challenge provides the perfect dedicated to Wood River
opportunity to make your money go even Land Trust’s preserva-
further in the protection of our natural tion of natural areas and
lands and healthy waters. Donations are healthy waters throughout
tax-deductible. the Wood River Valley.
208-788-0014
buildingmaterialthriftstore.org
WRLT STAFF Advisory Committee
Scott Boettger David Anderson Larry Schoen
Executive Director Peter Becker John Seiller
Morgan Buckert Ranney Draper Bruce Tidwell
Membership Assistant Rebekah Helzel
Dave Parrish
Melanie Dahl
Executive Assistant
This newsletter is published by:
Kate Giese
Director of Conservation
Kathryn Goldman
Project Coordinator
Diane Kahm
Development Assistant Wood River Land Trust
119 East Bullion Street, Hailey, Idaho 83333
Heather Kimmel
208-788-3947 (ph), 208-788-5991 (fax)
Program & Membership
Coordinator info@woodriverlandtrust.org, www.woodriverlandtrust.org
Tax ID# 82-0474191
Robyn Watson
Major Gifts Officer
Great News For
Conservation Donors!
A new law provides added incentives for
conservation donations of land.
THE NEW LAW:
• Increases the tax deduction for conservation
easement donations from 30% of landowners’
income in any year to 50%;
• Allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to
deduct up to 100% of their income; and
• Increases the number of years over which a
donor can take deductions from 6 to 16 years.
These new rules only apply to conservation agree-
ments and land donations made in 2006 and 2007.
Silver Creek Outfitters
During December 1 - 3, 10% of all
purchases made at Silver Creek
Outfitters will be donated to Wood
River Land Trust.
Thank you Terry Ring & the Silver
Creek Outfitters staff for your support
of our programs!
Check Out Our
New Website!
After a lot of hard work, Wood River
Land Trust has a new website. Visit
www.woodriverlandtrust.org to learn
more about our latest projects and
resources, find out what activities and
volunteer opportunities are available,
and to send us a message. You can
even donate online using your credit
or debit card.
11
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119 East Bullion Street

Hailey, Idaho 83333
www.woodriverlandtrust.org

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Acres Permanently Protected

With Your Support: 4,635