Next Pioneers Alliance Meeting April 24 at 7 pm!
Meetings are held at Carey City Hall and all are welcome. For more information contact Trish at 578-4083.
Photo by Bill Mullins
Pavilion Dedication and Field Tour Wrap up
The Boyd L. Stocking Memorial Pavilion Dedication in Carey this past Saturday was a great success! The day was started with a field tour hosted by the Pioneers Alliance showcasing the Pioneers-Craters area. The tour involved a flight over the landscape provided by Lighthawk, and later a discussion of key issues and projects in the Pioneers among the attending landowners and representatives of various agencies.
Later, the Alliance collaborated with the City of Carey, the Little Wood River Irrigation District, and the Carey Economic Revitalization Group (CERG) to put on the dedication ceremony for the pavilion. Opening statements were provided by Dustin Colton of the Carey City Council, Vonnie Olsen of CERG, and Jim Peterson of the Little Wood Irrigation District. The key speakers of the ceremony included Congressman Mike Simpson as well as county commissioners Angenie McCleary and Larry Schoen.
We were glad to be a part of such a great event, and thanks to everyone who contributed!
Lois Stocking and Congressman Mike Simpson cut the ribbon to the pavilion.
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve Awarded Grant by National Park Foundation
The Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve was recently awarded a 2012 Impact Grant by the National Park Foundation. The National Park Foundation is a non-profit organization that serves as one of the primary charities of National Parks in the US. The funding from this grant will contribute to the continued efforts of the Passage for Pronghorn project, which works to improve the pronghorn migration corridor by removing or altering fences.
Learn more about the grant here.
The unique landscape of the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve
Boyd L. Stocking Memorial Pavilion Dedication
The dedication event will take place on August 11th at 4 pm, and will feature, among others, honorary guest Governor Mike Simpson. The Pioneers Alliance has been working with CERG (Carey Economic Revitalization Group) to build the Boyd L. Stocking Memorial Pavilion in Carey.
The public pavilion, located next to the Blaine County Fairgrounds, will serve as a resting stop for travelers visiting the area. CERG is working to have the structure ready for use for the Blaine County Fair starting August 8th.
Vonnie and Brett holding the Boyd L. Stocking dedication plaque
Pioneers Alliance Hikes Friedman Creek
On Monday, members of the Pioneers Alliance, including Mike Stevens of PMG and colleagues from The Nature Conservancy, Idaho Conservation League and the Bureau of Land Management, toured portions of the Friedman Creek Wilderness Study Area. This is a spectacular and remote area in the heart of the Pioneer Mountains. The area provides superb big game habitat and we were impressed by the extensive beaver activity along Friedman Creek. We hiked for several hours along an overgrown trail along Friedman Creek – the shade and water along the creek were a welcome relief from temperatures in the 90s – and came away amazed at the scale, ruggedness and beauty of the place.
Hiking in the Friedman Creek Wilderness Study Area
Discussions on Wildlife Management and Conservation Easements
Brett Stevenson, Central Idaho Associate for the Idaho Conservation League, wrote a blog post on ICL’s website in response to an editorial in the Idaho Mountain Express. (Read IME’s article here)
Brett identifies that the newspaper took on a challenging task of “distinguishing between conservation easements and wildlife management issues” and further clarifies the difference between the two topics. We support the perspective in her blog post and encourage people to read it as well as the editorial. (Read the post Conservation Easements and Wildlife Management here)
Explore the Pioneer Mountains
There are two great opportunities coming up to explore the Pioneer Mountains through photography and outdoor adventure!
This Wednesday, June 6th at 6pm, join us at the Ketchum Community library to view breathtaking images of the Pioneers through the lens of Kirk Anderson. Mike Stevens, of the Pioneers Alliance, will also be presenting on our work.
Don’t miss the 2nd Southern Pioneers Bike Tour on Saturday, June 16th at 9am. The tour begins at the Carey Pavilion for a 40-mile loop ride in the scenic landscape. There is an out-and-back option as well. Contact Brett Stevenson at Idaho Conservation League for more details and reservations.
Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) has launched a new website
In an effort to get the word out about the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI), a new website has been created.
Highlights on the site include:
- SGI Video Collection
- SGI Success Tracker
- SGI events and News
- Funding Opportunities
- Photo Library
Browse around the new site and engage with the information provided by the Sage Grouse Initiative here: http://sagegrouseinitiative.com/
NRCS Meeting in Carey on GRP
Tonight, the Pioneers Alliance is hosting an informational session with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to discuss sign up opportunities for land owners for the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP). To learn more about this program follow this link.
The meeting will held at 6:00pm at Carey City Hall.
Pronghorn Migration Study featured in High Country News
The latest issue of High Country News features wildlife migration. One article describes the importance of private lands for sustaining pronghorn migration. This article mentions the pronghorn migration study conducted by the Lava Lake Institute, in partnership with the Pioneers Alliance.
To read the article click here.