At the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, we strive to create a safe environment for both residents and wildlife. One of our critical initiatives, as part of our Bear Wise Jackson Hole partnership, is promoting and helping to install bear-resistant fencing. This measure is vital for protecting both your property and the bears that roam our beautiful region.
Bear-resistant fencing is not just a protective barrier; it’s a lifeline for bears and humans alike. These fences prevent bears from accessing gardens, chicken coops, honeybee boxes, and livestock. When bears are drawn to these attractants, they pose a threat to property and human safety. Unfortunately, bears that become accustomed to human food sources often have to be relocated or, in some cases, euthanized. By installing bear-resistant electric fences, we can help ensure that bears stay wild and safe, allowing us to coexist harmoniously.
Preventing bear conflict at your home involves reducing access to attractants. This includes properly securing garbage, pet food, and any other potential food sources. Bear-resistant fencing is a crucial part of this effort, as it keeps bears away from areas where they might find food, thus reducing the likelihood of dangerous encounters.
Bear Safety Tips: Backcountry Encounters
When enjoying the outdoors and backcountry, it’s essential to follow specific safety guidelines to prevent bear conflicts. Seeing a bear in the wild is a remarkable experience, but it’s crucial to remember that bears are powerful and potentially dangerous animals. Here are some essential safety tips to keep in mind while enjoying the natural beauty of Jackson Hole:
Stay in Your Vehicle
If you encounter a bear while driving, please remain in your vehicle. Either pull over at a designated pullout or keep moving to avoid blocking traffic and causing stress to the bear.
Give Bears Space
Whether you’re in your car or on foot, always maintain a distance of at least 100 meters from bears. This distance ensures that bears don’t feel threatened or stressed by your presence.
Never Feed a Bear
Feeding bears can lead to them becoming habituated to humans, which often results in dangerous conflicts. A bear that becomes accustomed to human food sources is at a much higher risk of being euthanized. Always secure your food and never leave it unattended.
Carry Bear Spray and Make Noise
When you’re outside your vehicle, always carry bear spray and know how to use it. Making noise by clapping or shouting can alert bears to your presence, preventing surprise encounters.
Be Bear Wise: Get Involved and Stay Informed
Bear Wise Jackson Hole is dedicated to providing resources and education to help our community live responsibly with bears. By following these guidelines and utilizing bear-resistant fencing at home, and being mindful of bear safety tips in the backcountry, we can enjoy the presence of bears in Jackson Hole while ensuring both our safety and theirs. At the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, we are committed to promoting coexistence through education and practical solutions. Together, we can protect the wildlife that makes our region so special.
For more information on how to get involved and learn about bear safety, visit Bear Wise Jackson Hole.
By the JHWF Staff As wildlife conservation professionals, we remind ourselves to celebrate the successes. Sometimes we get so wrapped into understanding and mitigating the challenges facing wildlife that we feel frustrated. In these moments, it is sometimes in our...
By Jeff Burrell and Hilary Turner Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with beaver researcher and hydrologist Jeff Burrell and a new project for interested Nature Mappers – Beaver Project! In Beaver Project, Nature Mappers will...
By Charlie Brandin The great debate - bison or buffalo? I spent last weekend at the Wind River Indian Reservation learning how western science (which classifies the animal as bison) and indigenous knowledge (which classifies it as buffalo) come together for an...
By Hilary Turner As Nature Mapping Jackson Hole nears its landmark 1000th certified Nature Mapper, I thought it would be fun to write an article featuring a couple of newer Nature Mappers who were just trained in the last year. Many of you have participated in Nature...
This year, Vicki Morgan and Kevin Perozeni will head up our MAPS bird-banding stations at Boyle's Hill and the Kelly Campus of the Teton Science Schools. Vicki will be returning for her third summer in a row, while Kevin will be joining us for the first time! Vicki...
Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is proud to partner with Maven® Outdoor Equipment Company in a Nature Mapping Summer Challenge! Maven® has graciously donated a pair of C.1 10x42 binoculars (MSRP $425) to the JHWF to be given away to a Nature Mapper who completes the...
Nature Mapping Enews – April 4, 2022 – Written by Frances Clark “I saw my first robin!” “I saw bluebirds!” “Did you hear the sandhill cranes the other day?” “No, but I heard meadowlarks up in Antelope Flats.” “The bears are out.” “Have you seen an...
By Frances Clark A valiant cadre of over 95 volunteers ventured out on a frigid morning to scout for moose with great accomplishment. The latest count, still to be verified, is 94 moose. This compares well with Moose Day 2021 when 109 volunteers recorded 106 moose....
We'd like to extend a special thank you to all the new participants and visitors who joined us at Rendezvous Park in sub-zero temperatures on the morning of February, 26th for Hosted Moose Day. While only one of our hiking groups spotted a moose, it's important to...
By Dr. Hannah Specht, University of Montana Citizen scientists, the world round, invest in data collection on the understanding that this effort will contribute to expanding knowledge and the hope that it will move us forward. The timeline for knowledge expansion, and...
Did you know that Teton County experiences an average of 71 human-bear conflicts per year? Sadly, in 2021 alone, six grizzly bears were euthanized because of human food-conditioning. Now more than ever, we believe bears need our...
By John Stephenson, Grand Teton National Park wildlife biologist While people flock to Grand Teton National Park for its spectacular wildlife often hoping for a glimpse of an elusive wolf or grizzly, most visitors are all but guaranteed sightings of remarkable bird...
By Morgan Graham, Teton Conservation District Growing up in Pennsylvania, I was not intimately familiar with the concept of winter range. Seasonal shifts were marked by hundreds of Canada geese gorging on leftover corn and soybeans. Over time more and more of those...
By Jeff Burrell - Hydrologist and former director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Northern Rockies Program. Cover Photo from Neil Herbert (Yellowstone National Park) There’s been a growing appreciation of the important role beavers can play in creating and...
Holy cow. I am impressed at the boldness of bear 399. She is a survivor and is imparting this skill and resourcefulness on her four cubs. How did we get from the near extirpation of grizzly bears to bears walking through Jackson? The incredible foresight of the...
By Hilary A. Turner, JHWF Neighbors to Nature (N2N) is a community science project supported by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) and our partners – The Nature Conservancy of Wyoming (TNC), Friends of Pathways (FOP), and the Bridger-Teton National Forest...
Hilary Turner | Nature Mapping Program Coordinator Fall migration is a fun time for birders and it is the only time of year we Wyomingites get to examine many members of one of my favorite groups – the shorebirds. These members of the order Charadriiformes can be...
Beaver Dam Analogs Restoring Wyoming Landscapes and Reviving EcosystemsDid you know that humans are now helping nature by building beaver dams? The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) staff recently participated in a fascinating project that involved doing just...
Dealing with Bears in Your Own BackyardAt the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, we strive to create a safe environment for both residents and wildlife. One of our critical initiatives, as part of our Bear Wise Jackson Hole partnership, is promoting and helping to...
Creating Healthier Foraging for WildlifeWhile it is always good to eat your vegetables, wildlife thrives on native plants. Invasive weed removal re-establishes a healthy foraging environment for wildlife. Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is committed to treating...
While it is always good to eat your vegetables, wildlife thrives on native plants. Invasive weed removal re-establishes a healthy foraging environment for wildlife.
Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is committed to treating invasive weeds annually, and we have “adopted” Coburn Meadows, an area wildlife frequently utilize in Jackson’s Bridger-Teton National Forest.
While a popular recreation destination, Coburn Meadows faces challenges from invasive plant species. The Forest Service relies on volunteer efforts to combat the spread of these plants to preserve the natural beauty and ecological health of this important habitat. Without volunteers assisting the long-term management of weed removal at this location, the effort would not be done effectively, if at all. JHWF returns to this exact site several times during the year to manage invasive species and maintain the indigenous landscape.
Pesky Plants: What Weeds to Remove and How to Do It
Target Species:
Musk and Bull Thistle: Remove musk thistle using a shovel to chop the root at least 1-2 inches below the soil. If the thistle has yet to flower, it is appropriate to leave the plant on the ground. If the thistle has bolted, and any purple/pink color of the flower is showing, cut the head off, bag, and remove from site.
Houndstongue: Use the same technique as above. If the flower is showing or the plant has already gone to seed, bag and remove these parts of the plant. In previous years, plant skeletons still had viable seeds attached, and they should also be removed. Houndstongue seeds have Velcro-like properties that aid in their dispersal. Check clothes, socks, hair, gloves, tools, etc. for potential “hitchhikers.”
Working Outside
We will provide a water cooler and snacks. Please bring a lunch of your own.
Always expect to be working on uneven ground and to be working in vegetation. You should wear layered clothes, long pants, sturdy shoes, and bring a jacket. Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen lotion) and bug spray is highly recommended. JHWF will provide work gloves and shovels on site. If you prefer to supply your own garden gloves, feel free todo so. Bring your bear spray and wear it on you!
Waivers and Liability: Prior to participation we ask each volunteer for the 2024 season to please sign (once) and return our general liability waiver here.
What to Bring with You
Long sleeved pants and shirt
Jacket or raincoat
Boots
Gloves
Hat
Sunscreen
Water
Food
Bear Spray
How to get to the Meadows
Volunteers coming from north/Jackson will meet in the Smith’s parking lot (SE corner) at 8:00 AM. For those coming from other directions or who would simply rather drive directly to the project location, the directions are:
From Jackson: take Highway22 to Wilson, then turn left onto Fall Creek Road. Stay on Fall Creek Road for approximately 15 miles. Turn right into Coburn Meadow.
From south of Jackson: turn onto South Fall Creek Road off Highway 89, across the road from Pritchard Boat Ramp. Drive approximately 4 miles to Coburn Meadow making sure to veer left once there’s a fork in the road (stay on S. Fall Creek Rd.) Turn left into Coburn Meadow.
The site is recognizable by a large gravel lot, signage, and designated tent sites. The road is accessible to most vehicles, but note that it is a typical, bumpy dirt Forest Service road.
We’ll aim to start working on the project at 9:00 AM and will likely finish before lunchtime depending on the number of volunteers.
By the JHWF Staff As wildlife conservation professionals, we remind ourselves to celebrate the successes. Sometimes we get so wrapped into understanding and mitigating the challenges facing wildlife that we feel frustrated. In these moments, it is sometimes in our...
By Jeff Burrell and Hilary Turner Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with beaver researcher and hydrologist Jeff Burrell and a new project for interested Nature Mappers – Beaver Project! In Beaver Project, Nature Mappers will...
By Charlie Brandin The great debate - bison or buffalo? I spent last weekend at the Wind River Indian Reservation learning how western science (which classifies the animal as bison) and indigenous knowledge (which classifies it as buffalo) come together for an...
By Hilary Turner As Nature Mapping Jackson Hole nears its landmark 1000th certified Nature Mapper, I thought it would be fun to write an article featuring a couple of newer Nature Mappers who were just trained in the last year. Many of you have participated in Nature...
This year, Vicki Morgan and Kevin Perozeni will head up our MAPS bird-banding stations at Boyle's Hill and the Kelly Campus of the Teton Science Schools. Vicki will be returning for her third summer in a row, while Kevin will be joining us for the first time! Vicki...
Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is proud to partner with Maven® Outdoor Equipment Company in a Nature Mapping Summer Challenge! Maven® has graciously donated a pair of C.1 10x42 binoculars (MSRP $425) to the JHWF to be given away to a Nature Mapper who completes the...
Nature Mapping Enews – April 4, 2022 – Written by Frances Clark “I saw my first robin!” “I saw bluebirds!” “Did you hear the sandhill cranes the other day?” “No, but I heard meadowlarks up in Antelope Flats.” “The bears are out.” “Have you seen an...
By Frances Clark A valiant cadre of over 95 volunteers ventured out on a frigid morning to scout for moose with great accomplishment. The latest count, still to be verified, is 94 moose. This compares well with Moose Day 2021 when 109 volunteers recorded 106 moose....
We'd like to extend a special thank you to all the new participants and visitors who joined us at Rendezvous Park in sub-zero temperatures on the morning of February, 26th for Hosted Moose Day. While only one of our hiking groups spotted a moose, it's important to...
By Dr. Hannah Specht, University of Montana Citizen scientists, the world round, invest in data collection on the understanding that this effort will contribute to expanding knowledge and the hope that it will move us forward. The timeline for knowledge expansion, and...
Did you know that Teton County experiences an average of 71 human-bear conflicts per year? Sadly, in 2021 alone, six grizzly bears were euthanized because of human food-conditioning. Now more than ever, we believe bears need our...
By John Stephenson, Grand Teton National Park wildlife biologist While people flock to Grand Teton National Park for its spectacular wildlife often hoping for a glimpse of an elusive wolf or grizzly, most visitors are all but guaranteed sightings of remarkable bird...
By Morgan Graham, Teton Conservation District Growing up in Pennsylvania, I was not intimately familiar with the concept of winter range. Seasonal shifts were marked by hundreds of Canada geese gorging on leftover corn and soybeans. Over time more and more of those...
By Jeff Burrell - Hydrologist and former director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Northern Rockies Program. Cover Photo from Neil Herbert (Yellowstone National Park) There’s been a growing appreciation of the important role beavers can play in creating and...
Holy cow. I am impressed at the boldness of bear 399. She is a survivor and is imparting this skill and resourcefulness on her four cubs. How did we get from the near extirpation of grizzly bears to bears walking through Jackson? The incredible foresight of the...
By Hilary A. Turner, JHWF Neighbors to Nature (N2N) is a community science project supported by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) and our partners – The Nature Conservancy of Wyoming (TNC), Friends of Pathways (FOP), and the Bridger-Teton National Forest...
Hilary Turner | Nature Mapping Program Coordinator Fall migration is a fun time for birders and it is the only time of year we Wyomingites get to examine many members of one of my favorite groups – the shorebirds. These members of the order Charadriiformes can be...
Beaver Dam Analogs Restoring Wyoming Landscapes and Reviving EcosystemsDid you know that humans are now helping nature by building beaver dams? The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation (JHWF) staff recently participated in a fascinating project that involved doing just...
Dealing with Bears in Your Own BackyardAt the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, we strive to create a safe environment for both residents and wildlife. One of our critical initiatives, as part of our Bear Wise Jackson Hole partnership, is promoting and helping to...
Creating Healthier Foraging for WildlifeWhile it is always good to eat your vegetables, wildlife thrives on native plants. Invasive weed removal re-establishes a healthy foraging environment for wildlife. Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation is committed to treating...
The following is a story from Nature Mapping Jackson Hole. Citizen science is valuable because it engages community members in long-term data collection. Through the process of becoming involved in a monitoring project like Nature Mapping JH, folks learn more about their world, while contributing meaningful data that can have a broader impact.
In December of 2021, I received a phone call from a Nature Mapper who lives in the Rafter J Neighborhood. She was wondering if Nature Mapping data showed any strong trends in wildlife use of the area. Unfortunately, there was not enough data in the neighborhood to show any kind of trends, but I encouraged the person to continue Nature Mapping and to have her friends and neighbors email me if they were interested in contributing. So started my friendship with Gina Lipp, a neighbor of the person who had called, who soon reached out with interest in the Nature Mapping program. A resident of Rafter J since 1984 and wildlife enthusiast, Gina wanted to contribute data to further understand how wildlife use the Rafter J Neighborhood.
The Rafter J neighborhood south of Jackson was developed in the 1980s and early 90s. Wildlife corridors through the neighborhood and a thriving Flat Creek riparian habitat have made it a place that many wild animals can call home, alongside their human neighbors.
Gina took my virtual Nature Mapping training in Jan of 2022. About a week after the training, she photographed a Great Gray Owl in the neighborhood, and made one of her first Nature Mapping observations. After this, she reached out to me regularly with questions about the variety of wildlife she was seeing in her neighborhood. She had a camera, so had photos of everything and I was able to help her with identification over email. However, I am a firm believer in the “Teach a person to fish” philosophy, so I offered to meet Gina down at Rafter J and go for a walk to help with some of her bird and wildlife ID questions. As many know, my interest and skill set are geared towards birds, which are one of the most ubiquitous and accessible groups of wildlife, yet relentlessly underappreciated in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE).
Hilary and Gina began recording Nature Mapping observations in early 2022. Documenting wildlife sightings over a three-mile walking route approximately twice per month, Gina has contributed to citizen-science by making well over 700 wildlife observations in her neighborhood.
I met Gina on a chilly morning in early February of 2022. We started off on our birding walk from the Rafter J office and almost immediately spotted Green-winged Teal in the shallow sloughs of Flat Creek. Farther down the road, some small birds flushed from the ground into the willows. As I lifted my binoculars, a sense of excitement passed over me; the birds were American Tree Sparrows! These adorable songbirds nest in far northern Canada and Alaska and are only present in the GYE during winter. As hardy as they are, they can be very difficult to find during the coldest months of winter in Jackson. Yet here were three individuals, making a living in the Rafter J neighborhood in mid-February. We ended up finding 13 species of birds together that cold morning. Gina Nature Mapped everything we saw and we parted ways, happier for having enjoyed the wildlife in the suburban neighborhood together that morning.
Green-winged Teal photographed on Flat Creek in mid-winter. Green-winged Teal are a dabbling duck found year-round in the Jackson area. Photo: Gina Lipp.
The next year went by and Gina continued to collect data in the neighborhood, but I noticed her reports became fewer and fewer throughout the year. This reduction in reporting is typical with Nature Mappers but I had seen Gina’s enthusiasm and thought if I continued to engage with her, perhaps she would continue reporting. At the start of 2023, I emailed her about the new Nature Mapping app and asked her if she would like to walk again in Rafter J to reinvigorate her Nature Mapping. A clear morning, free of snow, finally arrived and we walked again, this time digging up 18 species. Our list included an American Dipper using Flat Creek and a flock of Bohemian Waxwings relishing the leftover fruit of a crabapple tree in the neighborhood. I told Gina that we should aim to walk again in April, to see what we could find as spring migration got underway. My goal was to understand how birds use the neighborhood during different times of year and I knew Gina was also excited about this.
The local homeowner’s association controls much of the land along Flat Creek through Rafter J, creating a defacto “development setback.” Native vegetation within the riparian zone along the creek allows the area to retain ecological functionality. Birds, mammals (including people!), reptiles, and amphibians all make use of the habitat along the creek.
April came and so did the birds. I was stoked to see what had arrived and to my delight, the Osprey pair were already fixing up their nest for another round of raising chicks atop a platform installed by the neighborhood near Flat Creek. A pair of Northern Harriers coursed low over the open space near the wetland habitat restoration area in the middle of Rafter J. I wondered aloud if they might be breeding in the neighborhood. We spotted eight species of waterfowl using the creek and ponds as stopover habitat during their spring migration. I became ecstatic when I heard a Virginia Rail kiddick-ing from the cattails of the restoration area. A Fox Sparrow sang its glorious tune from the willows along Flat Creek. Tree Swallows investigated nestboxes and I was thrilled to detect five finch species as we meandered through the neighborhood. Our three mile walk yielded an incredible 37 species of birds on April 28. I made plans with Gina to walk again in June, this time to assess the community of breeding birds present in the Rafter J neighborhood.
April sightings included elusive Virginia Rails and their chicks (left) in the habitat restoration pond and a Fox Sparrow (right) along the creek. Photos: Gina Lipp.
Gina continued Nature Mapping on her own as well. Everything she reported was easily verifiable with photo documentation. She observed a variety of wildlife using the Flat Creek Corridor and wetland habitat, including beaver, muskrat, moose, coyote and boreal chorus frog. Other members of the neighborhood community became involved as well. Local photographer and JHWF supporter Anna Knaeble became trained in 2023 and mapped Northern river otter and Western toad in Rafter J, both Wyoming Species of Greatest Conservation need and species that are Nature Mapped in relatively low densities in Teton County. Many Rafter J neighbors became excited when a group of White-faced Ibis dropped into a flooded open space of the neighborhood for a few days to refuel during spring migration. The neighbors recognized the importance of the open space in their neighborhood when they observed the birds utilizing it in this way.
White-faced Ibis and Western toad, both Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Wyoming. Some ibis stopped by to dazzle residents during its spring migration, taking advantage of flooded pasture along Flat Creek near the entrance to Rafter J. Photos: Anna Knaeble.
In June, Gina and I returned to our walking route. Indeed, the avifauna had changed again; the breeding season was now in full swing! The dawn chorus included Savannah Sparrows chiming from the edges of the neighborhood, Black-headed Grosbeaks sweetly serenading from the willows, and Bullock’s Orioles chattering from the tops of residential cottonwoods. Male Calliope Hummingbirds zipped around defending territories with their impressive aerial displays and American Robins carried food to young in nests. Many fewer waterfowl were present, as most had continued their journeys to northern breeding grounds, but we heard another Virginia Rail and Gina spotted a Sora this time. These two rail species do not usually persist outside of intact marsh habitat and their presence during the breeding season is indicative of a functioning wetland ecosystem within the Rafter J neighborhood! Willow Flycatchers sang from the Flat Creek Corridor and we watched a sweet female Yellow Warbler building her nest, low in the willows. We documented 43 bird species on this walk, confirming a robust suite of breeding songbirds in the neighborhood.
Gina and Hilary watch and photograph waterfowl on a Rafter J pond. This pond is believed to be geothermally heated which keeps portions of it ice-free throughout the winter. Waterfowl such as Trumpeter Swans, Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Mallards make use of the open water.
August rolled around and once again I contacted Gina. This time, I wanted to see what was starting to move south. Fall is my favorite time to go birding in the West and believe it or not, late August is the start of peak fall migration. I knew our walk was going to be great this time. Following the breeding season, there is simply more avian biomass on the landscape and because so many of the birds are young, the likelihood of finding something unusual increases by quite a bit. We met on August 28 and it was foggy to start. Initially, I was bummed at the conditions, but as the sun started to cut through the fog, Rafter J came alive with activity. A Lincoln’s Sparrow skulked in the willows, popping out to allow us brief looks. A Western Wood-Pewee sallied out over Flat Creek, capturing insects and returning to its perch long enough for Gina to photograph it. We encountered six warbler species, a decent number for a single location-outing in Jackson. A Swainson’s Hawk circled overhead, preparing for its annual journey to Argentina. Ruby-crowned Kinglets alerted us to their presence with their chiddit call notes and Cedar Waxwings swirled throughout the neighborhood with their newly fledged young. It was the best outing yet – we detected 54 species throughout the neighborhood that day!
In August, Hilary and Gina record six warbler species on their walk, including this Yellow Warbler. Yellow Warbler is the most common warbler in Jackson during summer months, and can be found without too much work in a variety of habitats, from willows, to wet thickets, to open woodlands. Photo: Gina Lipp.
During our five walks, Gina and I documented a whopping 83 bird species in Rafter J! Even better for me, however, was watching Gina become a keen observer of nature as she grew her knowledge of Jackson’s wildlife. She improved vastly in her wildlife identification skills since our first outing and she also found some amazing things. In mid-July, she witnessed a Virginia Rail emerge from the cattails in the habitat restoration area and then another, followed by two small black fuzzballs – baby Virginia Rails! We suspected they were breeding at the site, but now had ironclad evidence. Since Jan 2022, Gina has made over 700 wildlife observations in her neighborhood. Mapping her three-mile walking route approximately twice per month, her wildlife observations have exact locations, showing where wildlife use the landscape in the neighborhood. Her hard work over the last two years has breathed new life into the Nature Mapping database in the Rafter J neighborhood. Although Gina is dedicated, she is not alone. Since 2016, Rafter J residents have Nature Mapped 118 species in the neighborhood, including 20 Species of Greatest Conservation Need, a state-level designation by Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WSGCN).
Occurrences of Wyoming Species of Greatest Conservation Need (WSGCN) near Rafter J are shown with colored dots (left). Trumpeter Swans (right) are an example of a WSGCN and utilize the Rafter J pond and nearby wetlands as seasonal habitat and during migration (SEE SWAN SIGHTINGS MAP). Photo: Gina Lipp.
As more development occurs to meet the needs of the growing community, we have a responsibility to consider those who have no voice. Nature Mapping data can give wildlife a voice. The picture we now have of landscape use by wildlife in the Rafter J neighborhood can inform responsible development along Flat Creek, such as Northern South Park, and other areas. Through the data Gina and others have collected in Rafter J, we see that robust development setbacks from Flat Creek and wildlife corridors through the neighborhood have made it a place that many wild animals can call home, alongside their human neighbors. Nature Mapping data show that the neighborhood’s riparian corridor and wetland complex are healthy enough to sustain a very nice suite of riparian breeding songbirds during the summer and make it one of the most bird-rich areas in Jackson Hole in the winter.
Emergent wetland of the habitat restoration area adjacent to Flat Creek form a valuable habitat type for species like Northern Harrier, Sora, and Virginia Rail, all of which Hilary and Gina spotted here. Sora and Virginia Rail rarely occur outside of intact marsh environments such as this one.
Rafter J residents are fortunate to live alongside such a healthy community of wildlife, but this also comes with the responsibility of stewardship as neighbors to wildlife. Young wild animals are extremely vulnerable to predation by domestic animals like cats and dogs. Keeping cats indoors and leashing dogs while walking through the neighborhood are simple ways to protect the wildlife that also call this space home. Both grizzly and black bears have been documented in Rafter J. Use of bear-resistant trash containers and securing other attractants can be the difference between life or death for these animals. Making conservation-minded decisions, even in a small neighborhood, can have many far-reaching and positive impacts!
A Red-tailed Hawk perches on a nesting platform on the east side of Rafter J (left). A secretive Sora was a surprise find by Gina in the habitat restoration pond in the summer of 2022. Photos: Gina Lipp.
Gina’s work in the Rafter J neighborhood shows that with commitment and dedication, Nature Mapping can illustrate the complete annual cycle of wildlife – even in developed areas! And if data are rigorously collected, they can sometimes be used to inform responsible development and aid in wildlife conservation.
I asked Gina to speak to the importance of Nature Mapping and this is what she said, “Living in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is a blessing and a responsibility. With all its beautiful wildlife, there is no other place like it in all of North America. Nature Mapping is so important to help us recognize, learn, appreciate, and protect the wildlife and their habitat.”
Since 2020, the owners of this land have been engaged with local government and community groups regarding the development of their private property in Northern South Park (NSP). The landowners’ intent is to subdivide and develop a 200+ acre section south of Jackson. An option currently being considered would develop the area densely to accommodate as many as 1,800 housing units (the majority of which would be deed-restricted). Alternatively, the landowners could decide to split the land into 35 acre lots. While exactly how the development plays out is still a bit complicated, what can be expected is the future landscape of NSP is likely to resemble something much different than it does in its current layout of cattle pastures and cottonwood-lined irrigation ditches.
A schematic from the 2022 Neighborhood Plan shows a version of how “passive open space” (light green) might be configured to allow wildlife to move through the development.
How might future development impact wildlife?
Even in scenarios of highest density housing development we anticipate wildlife will use NSP in similar ways to nearby neighborhoods. Although open space will certainly be lost, as agricultural fences come down (including a current 6′ woven and barbed-wire fence which parallels High School Road from the high school to South Park Loop Road) deer and moose will have easier access to the NSP property. New landscaping may increase attractants and potential phasing-out of elk feedgrounds and the termination of elk hazing in NSP may also encourage new movement patterns through the area. Then there’s Flat Creek on the eastern boundary of the proposed development area. Even within the Town of Jackson, Flat Creek serves as an important movement corridor and habitat for everything from beavers, fish and songbirds, to ungulates and other large mammals. Mule deer wintering on the butte across Highway 89 often access this section of Flat Creek for food, water and cover and we expect they will continue to use the creek, even after the buildout of NSP.
So can Northern South Park be developed in a way that reduces the impact on wildlife?
We believe the answer is yes! Currently, Teton County Planning staff are drafting site-specific Land Development Regulations (LDR) and a new zoning overlay in anticipation of NSP buildout. We joined many of our partner organizations in submitting letters to the Planning Commission. While you can read our full letter here, it essentially covers three main recommendations: 1) the application of wildlife-friendly fencing standards, 2) defined Flat Creek setbacks, and 3) protect open space within the developed area to accommodate wildlife movement.
Wildlife-Friendly Fencing Standards: We encouraged the alignment of wildlife-friendly fencing standards in NSP with the current Teton County LDRs to avoid confusion. We also suggested that open spaces and parks remain clear of fencing so as not to entrap wildlife that happens to wander in.
Since 2021, 18 Wyoming Species of Greatest Conservation Need have been reported by JHWF’s Nature Mappers in the Rafter J neighborhood. These data show that the HOA-owned parts of the Flat Creek corridor, as well as the habitat mitigation area, are important for these species. Ideally, NSP would be developed in a similarly responsible way, which would allow for the continued use of the creek corridor by wildlife.
Flat Creek Setbacks: We advised that development not occur within at least 150′ of Flat Creek. A good example of responsible development near Flat Creek is the Rafter J neighborhood. Rafter J’s Flat Creek setbacks, often hundreds of feet in width, are owned and maintained by the Rafter J homeowner association and this protected area supports breeding populations of Wyoming Species of Greatest Conservation Need (WY SGCN) such as Willow Flycatcher and Calliope Hummingbird, along with a large suite of other riparian-associated species. Rafter J also has a habitat mitigation area which supports an impressive community of wetland birds. If NSP can be designed in a similar way, water quality would benefit, as would flood mitigation. This would also help preserve a north to south movement corridor through some of NSPs most valuable habitat.
Open Space: Our recommendation is that NSP design accommodate for wildlife movement through and out of the neighborhood though the preservation of linked, “passive” open space. The NSP Neighborhood Plan, released in 2022, contains sketches of how this open space might be connected and used to allow wildlife passage through the developed area. Ideally, open spaces would maintain a 200-meter minimum width (and larger outside of bottlenecks) based on local research by (Wachob and Smith, 2003). However, if this isn’t practical given the density of the development, these corridors could be combined, to increase width, or laid out near existing open space along the Flat Creek Corridor or southern end of the development area to adjoin with existing open space.
Virginia Rail, another Wyoming Species of Greatest Conservation Need, has been documented breeding in the Rafter J habitat mitigation area. These wetland specialists do not persist outside of intact wetland ecosystems, indicating the health and importance of the Rafter J habitat mitigation area.
If you’re interested in following the development of this issue, the next planning commission meeting is on January 8th! Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about the process and we’ll answer them to the best of our ability. We are optimistic development can occur in a manner consistent with values outlined in our community’s Comprehensive Plan!
As wildlife conservation professionals, we remind ourselves to celebrate the successes. Sometimes we get so wrapped into understanding and mitigating the challenges facing wildlife that we feel frustrated. In these moments, it is sometimes in our best interest, our community’s best interest, and the best interest of the ecosystem to also tally up and celebrate the successes we have achieved. By doing so, we rediscover the wind in our sails. By sharing our observations of our successes, we hope to provide inspiration for our colleagues and friends (all of you!) to continue your conservation efforts!
Volunteers after a successful fence pull in Teton Valley. We scheduled 8 public fence project this year, each taking plenty of time and effort to pull off!
We are happy to recognize a list of recent achievements that we and our colleagues have made happen. Did you follow the hard work that the County did to update the Wildlife Feeding Land Development Regulation (LDR) this spring? Did you know that the LDR does not include land in the Town of Jackson? Jackson manages wildlife feeding concerns separately from the County and they have embarked on discussions about their Wildlife Feeding Ordinance.
At a recent Town Council meeting, staff and Council members were unanimously in favor of improving the language in the ordinance to provide better security for bears and other wildlife. Councilman Rooks aptly summed up the sentiment in the meeting, “We are blessed to live in bear country and we need to act like it.” The Town will go through two more iterations of reviewing the ordinance language before they approve tighter restrictions on wildlife feeding, whether intentional or not.
A mule deer uses one of our “levee ramps” to avoid dangerous riprap and access the river.
Do you remember when JHWF installed ‘wildlife ramps’ on the Snake River levee? That project fledged circa 2013 under the leadership of Greg Griffith with help from Gene Linn from the nearby Linn Ranch. The goal was to make it easier for all wildlife, but especially hooved animals, to access the river by giving them a path though riprap (large, uneven rocks) in which an ungulate could easily break a leg. Three ramps were built and trail cameras immediately captured images of elk, moose, deer, and even coyotes drawn to this new, preferred access to the Snake River.
This summer we worked the with Teton Conservation District to install additional wildlife ramps along the levee system near the Wilson Bridge. The additional ramps augmenting the impact of the existing ramps by increasing the number of easy access locations on the many miles of riprap along the levee Our trail cameras are currently in place, collecting images of wildlife using the ramps. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve found!
You can help keep wildlife off the highway by keeping the pedestrian gates closed!
Another win for wildlife in our community has been the system of exclusionary fencing and wildlife underpasses on S. Hwy 89, between Melody Ranch and Hoback Junction. Preliminary data has already shown a reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions (especially involving mule deer) as animals are learning to use the underpasses to move beneath the roadway.
Last month, we worked with our partners at WYDOT, Teton Conservation District, Wyoming Game and Fish and Teton County to design, order, and install signage on the many pedestiran gates along this stretch of roadway. When these gates are accidentally left open, wildlife are able to access the highway instead of being funneled by the fencing to the underpasses. Ensuring the gates stay closed is important in order to allow the fencing and underpass system to do its job moving forward.
Of course, there are staffing successes to report too!
Charlie on the Mosquito Creek fence pull
We can’t say enough about the work ethic and positive attitude of our summer intern Charlie Brandin. Charlie played such an important role supporting our bird-banding team in action this summer. She also eagerly pitched in on several fence pulls and helped us collect data on existing fences in Grand Teton National Park as part of a major fence inventory project we’re undertaking with both the Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest.
While Charlie recently departed to begin her junior year of college on the East Coast, we are now looking forward to filling a new, full-time position of “BearWise Jackson Hole Program Manager.” This position will allow JHWF and our BearWise Jackson Hole partners to better address the persistence of human-bear conflict here in Teton County. Our goal is to have the new Program Manager out in the field helping to reduce conflicts by mid-November!
In recognition of all of this and more, won’t you join us in celebration?