by jhwildlife | May 2, 2017 | Blog, Wildlife Friendlier Landscapes
The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation has announced dates for its public fence projects in 2017 following its winter and spring of project coordination and site reconnaissance. The Wildlife Friendlier Fencing program reduces dangerous and challenging barriers to wildlife movement.
Public projects offer volunteers the opportunity to contribute to the removal or modification of fences that pose avoidable threats to wildlife while fragmenting vital habitat. JHWF and its “Fence Team” leaders also work on a number of private projects with landowners throughout the summer toward the same end.
Public fence projects typically occur on Saturdays usually from 9am – 2pm with a lunch break. On some projects, half-day “shifts” are available. While listed dates are subject to change or cancellation due to weather and other conditions, JHWF encourages volunteers to save the dates in order to ensure that all can participate as their schedule allows.
JHWF will require an RSVP from each volunteer in advance to ensure that we have the ideal number of volunteers for each project. Interested volunteers receive an email invitation and RSVP request about two weeks prior to the project date with the description, details and other logistics outlined. Please email jhwffencepull@gmail.com or info@jhwildlife.org if you are not currently receiving fence project updates and would like to, or if you have questions about volunteering.
Wildlife Friendlier Fencing Public Project Dates 2017:
- June 3
- June 17
- July 15
- July 29
- August 12
- August 26
- September 16
- September 30 – Public Lands Day
Photo credits: Sava Malachowski
by jhwildlife | Jul 8, 2016 | Blog, Wildlife Friendlier Landscapes
Join Us for Our August 6th Fence Project:
On August 6th, we are returning to the Gros Ventre to Crystal Creek, to remove more than one mile of barbed wire fence on Bridger Teton National Forest land. The project is average in difficulty (6 on a 1-10 scale), with most of the work on rolling terrain after a moderate hike up to the fence line. Please join us!
We will meet at three car pool sites:
- Home Ranch Parking Lot (north side) at 8:00 a.m.
- Gros Ventre junction at 8:15 a.m.
- Kelly Warm Springs at 8:30 a.m.
We will carpool from these sites to project. We plan to work from 9:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. and half-day (morning) is welcome, as well.
We will provide water and snacks. Please bring your own water bottle or hydration packs. We will provide water and Gatorade to fill your bottles, and some granola bars for a snack. Additionally we will take a mid-day lunch break. Please bring your lunch.
You should wear layered clothes, long pants, sturdy shoes and bring a rain jacket in case of storms. Sun or eyeglasses are a MUST for working with barbed wire. Sun protection (hat & sunscreen lotion) is also recommended, and will hopefully be necessary! We also recommend that volunteers check the status of their tetanus shots, in case of scratches from the old fencing material. We will provide work gloves, tools, and detailed instructions.
Please RSVP to jhwffencepull@gmail.com if you plan to attend and let us know at which meet-up point you will join us (1 of 3 locations listed above). You can also send questions to this same email address.
30 Volunteers removed 1 mile of barbed wire at Crystal Creek on July 16th.
by jhwildlife | Nov 9, 2015 | Blog, People
On behalf of us all at JHWF, we are so very shocked and saddened over the sudden passing of our amazing volunteer, Fence Program Leader Greg Griffith. We are so very grateful to have known him and be witness to his incredible passion–helping to keep wildlife safe.
Greg was a man of honor, respect, and loyalty and he was so deeply devoted to any project he was working on. What Greg valued most was the commitment of the Fence Volunteers who gave up many hours every year helping him get projects completed. On our behalf, Greg had an incredible relationship with our agency partners, private and public land owners, schools, non-profit groups, corporations, ranchers, wranglers, and so many others. His time spent in organizing on behalf of JHWF and for wildlife was endless. His passion was to always keep wildlife as the focus of his work. He never once waivered to what may be easier- he stood up for wildlife, for wilderness and for conservation. Greg remained diplomatic, working many times on two sides of a fence with his goal in the end to be a win-win for people and the wildlife they were interacting with.
He had led the Fence program to the highest standard ever, getting the materials needed, transporting equipment, collecting data, constant due diligence, site recons, and then running the project days. He educated volunteers with regard to what the project day would be, the safety steps, and so many other things, always showing us on project days how to work together and be open to learn from one another. He was passionate about his role at JHWF and it showed immensely. He was brilliant in his knowledge of wildlife and fencing and habitat and he spent so many hours prepping for a project and engineering what would have the least impact on the wildlife. Greg was truly one of a kind.
As our community and our wildlife mourn the loss of Greg, we thank you for your emotional support, especially to Greg’s family and friends. He led a very private life and in deep respect for Greg and how he chose to live his life, we ask for your prayers and thoughts to his family and friends. We would be honored to pass on any notes you may have for Greg’s family. If you wish to do so, please mail them to our JHWF office with attention to Greg’s Family and we will pass them along. The Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation Fence program will go on and we will do our best to continue the very important work that Greg dedicated his life to. We owe that to Greg and his precious wildlife.
With our deepest sympathy, Aly, Bob, Cory, Dan, Dawson, Geneva, Gretchen, Henry, Steve B., Steve M., and Sue
