WYOMINGAnnual Report 2018

It’s that time of year when we take the opportunity to proudly report to you on our work to fulfill our conservation mission. One of the things that made this year stand out is that our work took place against the backdrop of an election cycle.

Conservation has never been free of politics and mischaracterizations, often at the service of perpetuating a particular perspective, and many of you may have noticed some pointed criticism of conservation, and The Nature Conservancy, this year.

One of the things that’s great about our country is our right to express ourselves. I enjoy taking advantage of the opportunity to communicate an accurate message about who we are and how we work. Along those lines, let me share a few thoughts that, I hope, will resonate with you.

In a recent poll, more than 90 percent of Wyomingites identified themselves as conservationists. TNC shares and reflects these longstanding Wyoming values. We use our science-based approach to help conserve Wyoming’s beautiful landscapes and the habitat it provides for the wildlife we all cherish and for the quality of life that defines us.

Our 3,000 dedicated members, our talented staff and our accomplished board of trustees who, true to the Wyoming way, have made successful careers in a variety of fields, including finance and the fossil fuel industry, are devoted to keeping Wyoming wild and working. We do this by collaborating with a range of partners and using a nonpartisan, nonconfrontational approach. Indeed, it is only by virtue of this approach that we are able to report on the many successful endeavors profiled in these pages.

We deeply value private property rights. That’s one of the reasons we believe it’s important to respect the rights of landowners who choose to work with us to conserve their lands for themselves, their families and for the future. These long-lasting relationships are sustained only by acting with the utmost integrity. We believe it’s important to be truthful and accurate in how organizations like ours are portrayed.

As a fifth generation Wyomingite, I am proud to work for TNC. Conservation is important to us in Wyoming, and TNC is Wyoming through and through.

Thanks to you all for your ongoing support.

Milward Simpson, Wyoming State Director

DEAR FRIENDS,The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming

ON THE COVER BioBlitz 2018 © Dewey Vanderhoff THIS PAGE Milward Simpson © Richard Garrett

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BOARD OF TRUSTEESLenox Baker, MeeteetseSteven Buskirk, LaramieMary Anne Dingus, CodyMark Doelger, CasperFrank Goodyear, Jr., CodyKen Lay, Glenrock Mayo Lykes, Wilson Chris Madson, CheyenneReid Murchison, III, CodyPeter Nicolaysen, CasperLollie Plank, Banner J.D. Radakovich, CodyAdair B. Stifel, Dubois Margie Taylor, SheridanPage Williams, CodyDavid Work, Victor, ID

BOARD EMERITUSFrank Bonsal Barron Collier, IIRichard Davis Dennis KnightGilman OrdwayFred Whiting Anne Young

STAFF LEADERSHIP TEAM Milward Simpson, State DirectorRichard Garrett, Director of External AffairsArlen Lancaster, Conservation DirectorHeather Wisniewski, Director of DevelopmentErica Wood, Interim Director of Development

BY THENUMBERS

THIS PAGE clockwise Popo Agie River © Scott Copeland; Rendezvous Elementary School students © Lori Mathews/TNC; Mule deer © Scott Copeland; Citizen scientists © Trevor Bloom/TNC; Building beaver dam analogue © Arlen Lancaster/TNC

$6 millionFederal funding awarded to TNC and more than two dozen of our partners to improve conditions on the Popo Agie River and better secure important wildlife migration routes

4,400Observations of native

plants made by 200 Wildlife Watch citizen

scientists helping study impacts of

climate change

100Rendezvous Elementary School fourth graders who planted native grasses at Red Canyon Ranch Preserve to prevent erosion of stream banks

300Deer and elk fitted with GPS collars in a landmark study of wildlife migrations in the eastern portion of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

14Beaver dam analogue

structures built to mimic dams and

improve stream health at Heart Mountain

and Red Canyon Ranch Preserves

The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

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THIS PAGE Pronghorn hair loss © Alberta Conservation Association; TNC’s Brent Lathrop releasing captively bred Wyoming toad at Mortensen Lake © Karen Craft/TNC; Wyoming toad © U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

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THIS PAGE Ventenata (left) and medusahead (right) grasses © Gary Stone

Don’t Fence Them InPronghorn may be the second fastest land animal on Earth, but they are lousy jumpers. A fence can stop them in their tracks—unless the lowest wire is high enough to allow them to crawl under. A fence that is too tall can present an obstacle even to high-jumping deer and elk—especially fawns and calves. Loose wires can even become snares and snag an animal that doesn’t make a clean jump. For several years, The Nature Conservancy has been working on our preserves and with private landowners to make fences friendlier for wildlife with some fairly simple modifications.

If the top wire is no higher than 42” and the bottom strand is at least 18” above the ground, most wildlife will be able to get under or over fences safely, and cattle will still be contained. Ideally, the bottom strand should be smooth, rather than barbed wire, to prevent it from scraping hide from an animal and leaving it vulnerable to frostbite and infection.

Of course, from the perspective of the animal, the best fence is none at all, so where possible, we’re removing fences entirely.

Over the last few years, TNC and our partners have modified or removed more than 50 miles of fence to allow safe passage for wildlife, and we’ve only just begun.

“It’s like a horror film!” That’s the way The Nature Conservancy’s northeast Wyoming program director Carli Kierstead describes the rapid spread of two invasive annual grasses. What started as a few isolated patches of Ventenata and medusahead could soon become a serious problem, with real economic consequences for Wyoming agriculture.

New Grassland InvadersThe grasses are especially problematic for ranchers who find them not just in pasture, but in their hayfields as well. Their low, wiry growth and metallic taste cause livestock to avoid eating them. Even if they ate it, the high silica content and sparse leaves mean that the plants have little nutritional value. The grasses emerge earlier in the spring than natives, which helps their rapid spread. Ventenata,

which seems to be the more problematic of the two, also hosts a fungus that can infect and harm native species.

A few years ago, the negative economic impact of Ventenata was estimated at $22 million in northern Idaho and eastern Washington alone. And the grasses are making headway in Wyoming, with the potential to cause even more economic damage than cheatgrass.

Ventenata and medusahead are well-equipped invaders. They can thrive in wet or dry conditions, and their seeds are viable for three to five years. So even if standing plants are killed, the patch will have to be treated for years to control regrowth. Land managers are experimenting with varying combinations of herbicides and application times in hopes of finding a formula that works best in Wyoming conditions.

Fortunately, Wyoming still has time to head off the kind of serious infestations seen in other places, but we must act now to contain the damage. As a member of the Northeast Wyoming Invasive Grass Working Group, TNC is helping find a solution to this problem by engaging with landowners and coordinating new experimental trials of control techniques.

The endangered Wyoming toad is better off today, thanks to the addition of 581 acres to the Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge was the last-known location where this uniquely Wyoming species was found in 1987, after populations crashed in the mid-1970s.

The Nature Conservancy purchased the additional property in 2010 with the intent of selling it to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. TNC then took care of the land until the Service secured funds to purchase the additional acres for the Refuge this past June.

This rare amphibian, also known as the Baxter’s toad (Bufo baxteri), lives only in the floodplains of the Laramie Basin in southeast Wyoming. Its dramatic decline was due to several factors, including pesticide pollution, changes in climate, the chytrid fungus and loss of habitat due to development. Things got so bad that in 1993, wild toads were collected for captive breeding to help the species recover.

Today, Wyoming toads are once again breeding in the wild and have been reintroduced through voluntary collaborative conservation efforts on public and private lands. TNC is proud to have played a role in efforts to bring this species back from the brink of extinction.

RESILIENT LANDSA Pronghorn that suffered serious scrapes while crawling under a low strand of barbed wire fence faces another crossing

Refuge for a Rare Wyoming Toad

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HEALTHY WATERS

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THIS PAGE Tongue River © Erica Wood/TNCTHIS PAGE A Lander Valley High School student restoring the river © Kirk Rasmussen

update: Tongue RiverFrom the time that it tumbles out of the Bighorn Mountains until it slows and flattens through fields and valleys, the Tongue River serves many needs. It provides drinking water, irrigates arid lands and supports wildlife. But high bacterial levels and stretches with degraded streambanks were a concern. The Nature Conservancy has been working to improve the health of the river through alliances such as the Tongue River Initiative. This is a partnership between TNC, the Sheridan Community Land Trust, and local, state, and federal agencies. We are also part of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which encourages public–private alliances to improve soil health, water quality and use, wildlife habitat and other natural resources on private land.

Over the last year, TNC has supported a range of improvements on the river. On Goose Creek, a major tributary of the Tongue, 10 homes and nearly 50 camper spaces were taken off septic systems and connected to municipal sewers—reducing the sources of bacterial contamination. We also worked to stabilize damaged streambanks, stopping erosion. Both of these activities improve conditions for brown and rainbow trout, along with other fish and various aquatic invertebrates. We’ve also begun to focus on controlling invasive Russian olive trees.

In Our BackyardOn a sun-washed day in late September, 20 students from Lander Valley High School gathered on the banks of the Little Popo Agie River. Donning gloves and rubber boots, the kids volunteered their time and energy to help restore a highly visible stretch of the river , even though many folks probably never realized that those steep grassy banks were a problem.

Because many of the willows were stripped away in years past, water scoured and eroded the exposed banks. To bring back more natural function, the kids helped us plant young cottonwood and willow trees. Once established, the trees will secure the banks, protecting them from erosion and shading the water, keeping it cool for fish.

This was more than a day out of the classroom—it was a way to give these students a real, hands-on lesson in conservation and stream hydrology and function. They also took pride in keeping this local landmark healthy.

This event was part of the Healthy River Initiative, a broad community effort to protect and restore the integrity of the Popo Agie. Funds for this project were provided through the Challenge for Charities.

Taking Back the Shoshone RiverIn the early 1900s, when landowners planted Russian olive trees as windbreaks and shelterbelts, they saw it as a tree that would grow quickly and survive harsh conditions. Little did they know that those same traits would make the trees a serious problem. It wasn’t long before Russian olives were taking over stream banks, crowding out native species and obstructing river access across the Bighorn Basin. Not only do the trees support fewer types of wildlife than do our native trees, they use significantly more water—making them even more problematic in our arid climate. They have been officially declared a noxious weed.

In 2014, The Nature Conservancy began a pilot program to eradicate the trees along the Shoshone River and restore native plants. Our work encouraged private landowners to do the same on their own land.

Tackling Russian olives is no small task. The trees are very resilient, so rooting them out requires multiple actions over several years’ time. First, the trees are cut down and their stumps are sprayed with a mixture of herbicide and bark oil. For a couple of years following initial removal, the area is treated to prevent regrowth.

So far, TNC has treated more than 400 acres along the Shoshone. We are moving into the last phase of the pilot program, completing the final year of regrowth treatment and conducting bird and mammal surveys to better understand the impact of our work.

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THIS PAGE Heart Mountain makes a great classroom for “Science Kids.” © Gina Morrison; Beaver mimicry workshop at Red Canyon © John Coffman

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THIS PAGE; Citizen scientists © Trevor Bloom; Grizzly bear © Samantha Gray; Trevor Bloom and Corinna Riginos © TNC

Citizen scientists are playing a role in this research through the Wildflower Watch project. They’re noting phenological changes in a dozen species along hiking trails in Grand Teton National Park.

Changing SeasonsDoes it really matter when wild berries are ripe? If you are a bear trying to load up on calories before hibernation, it does. With less of this natural food to eat at the time that it’s needed, bears may seek out human food closer to campsites and homes. This scenario is becoming more common as the climate changes here in the Rockies. The study of when plants leaf out, flower and fruit is called phenology and it’s the subject of research by TNC scientists Corinna Riginos and Trevor Bloom.

Two years ago, the pair began monitoring the phenology of 75 plant species growing in the shadow of the Tetons. What’s exciting is that they are following the lead of scientist Frank Craighead, who recorded his observations of these same plants, in this same area, during the 1970s and 1980s. By comparing their contemporary records with Craighead’s data, they can get an idea of how plants and wildlife are being affected by the changing climate. That understanding can lead to solutions that help plants and wildlife adapt to the change.

Keeping People and Bears SafeManaging a Nature Conservancy preserve involves many joys, as well as challenges. Many people who live near our preserves consider them to be part of their backyards. But the preserves are wild places where deer, elk and bears still have room to roam.

At our Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve, a growing challenge is dealing with grizzlies that are emerging from hibernation. The presence of these bruins is testimony to the health of the preserve habitat, but no one wants a visitor to run into a bear on the trail. For the past few years, that has meant keeping the preserve trail temporarily closed to hikers in the spring. It’s not an easy decision. We confer with wildlife officials and closely monitor the trail ourselves. We know the policy can be frustrating for some visitors, but it’s in the best interests of people and bears to avoid potential encounters.

We now ask hikers to carry and know how to use bear spray—at all times of the year. With our friends, neighbors and visitors working together, we can ensure that both people and wildlife remain safe.

The Nature Conservancy’s mission has changed since the days when we focused on a single species or special site. Today, we work on large landscapes and whole ecosystems—conserving wildlife migration routes and entire river systems. Here in Wyoming, our preserves remain places that connect people with nature, but they are also tools for advancing conservation beyond their borders.

The annual hike at Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve has become a tradition for nearby communities, as has the visit by members of the Crow Nation to reconnect to the mountain that they consider sacred. At Red Canyon Ranch, Rendezvous Elementary School fourth graders got hands-on lessons as they planted native grasses on streambanks to prevent erosion. We’ve hosted disabled hunters and young conservation leaders, curlew researchers and archaeologists. Red Canyon and Heart Mountain even operate as

working ranches, where TNC grazes cattle and/or offers grazing leases to other ranchers.

These spaces serve as living laboratories for innovative conservation work on stream restoration, invasive weed control and sustainable grazing. Red Canyon hosted 40 staff from state and federal agencies for a beaver mimicry workshop, where they learned valuable techniques for stream restoration. Graduate students from Yale and the University of Wyoming regularly conduct research on grasslands and sagebrush at Tensleep Preserve. And those are just a few of the researchers and educators who use our preserves.

Despite the growth in use and outreach, one thing hasn’t changed—the preserves continue to serve a key purpose, conserving important habitat for Wyoming wildlife.

SECURING THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATIONour preserves: More Than Parks

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THIS PAGE Feeling the peace © Kaylee Kenison/TNCTHIS PAGE Wind turbine © Daniel Austin/Creative Commons; Wildfire © Harry Miller

Winds of WyomingWyoming is one of the top states producing renewable wind power. That fact drew a group of California colleagues here for a tour of wind energy projects in eastern Wyoming and the Shirley Basin. The Nature Conservancy’s external affairs director for Wyoming, Richard Garrett, served as a guide to a number of projects and wind farms.

The group discussed an ongoing study of the impacts of wind farms on pronghorn. TNC and the Wyoming Migration Initiative have equipped 60 animals with GPS collars to monitor their movements in relation to the facilities.

The group also learned about a device to protect eagles from collisions. When it detects eagles in flight, the device shuts down a turbine within 30 seconds, restarting it again in half an hour. So far, initial tests show that it is 80 percent effective in its detection and response. Migrating raptors are often killed by spinning blades at wind farms. In some places, turbines are shut down for certain periods during eagle migrations.

TNC is proud of its Site Wind Right program, which provides resources that enable wind facilities to be located and operated with the least risk to the environment.

Fire Funding FixThis past summer proved to be another devastating wildfire season in the West, and the cost of fighting the blazes—both in lives and dollars—continues to escalate. In 1995, the U.S. Forest Service spent roughly 16 percent of its budget fighting wildfires; by 2015, it was more than 50 percent. As a result, Forest Service budgets, which are based on best estimates of the cost of the next fire season, regularly fall short. To make up the shortfall, the Forest Service has been siphoning off funds that were designated for forest restoration efforts, aimed at lowering the risk of extreme wildfires in the first place.

In the face of this escalating problem, Congress moved to break this cycle with passage of the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. This legislation, which goes into effect in 2020, brings wildfires more in line with the way other disasters are funded and stops the practice of draining the budget for forest restoration. The Nature Conservancy was a vocal proponent of the act which, while not perfect, is an important step.

Project Healing Waters“By learning the sport, we’ve seen participants immerse themselves in environmental education and stewardship of our rivers and streams,” says David Folkerts, chief operations officer for PHWFF.

The veterans learn more than fly fishing technique—they take another step on the path to recovery.

Brent Lathrop, director of TNC Wyoming’s southeast program, is an Army veteran and one of the VINS members who organized the Montana retreat. He says, “The therapeutic value of outdoor experience on our preserves is almost immediate and hopefully long lasting, a powerful thing to witness.”

For all our many uses of water—from agriculture to producing energy—there is one that is especially impressive: its power to heal souls. Who has not felt that special peace that comes with wading a beautiful trout stream or canoeing a quiet stretch of water, when early morning mist rises from its surface?

The Nature Conservancy’s Veterans in Service to Nature (VINS) recognized that special power at a retreat in Pine Butte Preserve in Montana. The Montana event followed an earlier retreat that was held in Arizona and was a partnership with Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing (PHWFF). This nonprofit organization is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities.

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THIS PAGE Photo courtesy of Judy Powers and Rex Gantenbein; Jim Nielson and Anne Young with their memorial bench © Erica Wood/TNC

WE CARRY OUT OUR WORK WITH A DEEP COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

Our conservation accomplishments this year have been empowered by sustainable financial resources. We have built a strong and effective organization in keeping with our strategic plan.

Assets At June 30, 2018 At June 30, 2017

Cash and Investments $3,234,209 $7,827,422

Endowment Funds $17,458,707 $15,841,403

Land Assets† $178,488,861 $171,916,403

Other Assets $4,206,884 $6,415,113

$203,388,661 $202,000,341 Liabilities $27,002 $67,566

Net Assets $203,361,659 $201,932,775

$203,388,661 $202,000,341

(July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018)

FINANCIAL RESULTS

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN WYOMING STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Legacy Club member Judy Powers’ relationship with Wyoming began in 1954 when her parents brought the family from Wisconsin to the Black Hills on the first of what would be many trips to our state. Her husband Rex Gantenbein’s enchantment with Wyoming came during a road trip through the West in the 1970s. When he was looking for places to live after his graduation from the University of Iowa, Wyoming was at the top of the list. In 1985, he

Expenses

FY 2018 Total Expenses

$3,912,317

INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE

and Powers made the move to Laramie, where they both began teaching at the university.

Powers started following The Nature Conservancy’s work as a young graduate student. She was caught up in the emerging environmental movement and became intrigued with TNC’s unique approach to addressing environmental challenges. As Gantenbein puts it, he “more or less married into the organization.”

“We have appreciated TNC’s emphasis on preserving and protecting habitat as well as its nonconfrontational approach. It works to find common ground with partners in business, government and with private landowners who have a stake in a healthy environment,” explains Powers.

Not long ago, they became members of the Legacy Club by making the Wyoming chapter a major beneficiary of their will. Powers says it’s a gift that will endure.

“We believe that our decision is responsible and forward-looking and will best allow us to leave a legacy that reflects and furthers our lifelong commitment to the environment and * Total revenue includes land gifts and investment income that are not part of operating cash.

Leave a Piece of Your Heart at Heart MountainYou can join Jim Nielson and Anne Young in expressing your love for someone special with the purchase of a commemorative bench at our Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve. You might use a bench to memorialize a special anniversary or create your own special place to contemplate nature. Besides leaving a lasting legacy, you’ll be helping keep the preserve healthy and vibrant for generations to come. Find out how you can make this very special contribution by contacting Erica Wood at 307-673-0992.

RevenueContributions71%

Government Grants & Contracts 2%

Investment Income20%

Other Income 7%

FY 2018Total Revenue*

$3,222,322

biodiversity. Our investment in this work is an investment in a better environmental future.”

As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Legacy Club, we want to thank Powers, Gantenbein and everyone who has made a lasting gift to TNC in Wyoming.

† This figure includes our conservation easements. The value of these easements, which cannot be sold, make up the majority of the conservation lands on our balance sheets and reflect the generosity of Wyoming landowners who, to date, have granted 184 easements to TNC.

DONOR PROFILE: Judy Powers and Rex Gantenbein

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Conservation71%

General and Administrative10%

Fundraising19%

THANKS The following donors made gifts/pledges to the Wyoming program or live in Wyoming and made gifts/pledges to other Conservancy programs between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018.

CONSERVATION EASEMENT DONORSEleanor F. Prince

$1M+AnonymousBarron Collier, II*Knobloch Family FoundationPatten Davis Foundation

$100,000—$999,999Anonymous Dr. Lenox Baker, Jr.* & Dr. Frances W. Baker Lisa CarlinMary Anne* & Bill DingusAnne & Charles W. Duncan, Jr.Mary Ann & Thomas JonesPaul H. Klingenstein & Kathy BoleLOR FoundationNancy-Carroll Draper Charitable FoundationNion Robert Thieriot FoundationGil* & Marge OrdwayRocky Mountain Elk Foundation

$10,000—$99,999Anonymous (4) Andrew Allen Charitable FoundationFrank Bell, Jr. & Ranlet BellRobert & Carol BerryPeter R. BoermaCommunity Foundation of Jackson HoleCumming FoundationThe Ester Johansson Murray TrustFrank Goodyear, Jr.* & Elizabeth GoodyearDoug Gouge & Jeannette SchubertRalph & Louise HaberfeldRobert Keith, Jr. & Michele Keith Kenneth & Kathleen LichtendahlForrest E. Mars, Jr., Sheridan Charitable FoundationMerit Energy CompanyMule Deer FoundationLinda & Reid Murchison, IIINational Geographic SocietyScott & Kacy O’Hare

Mrs. Mary Paulette Orbin & Dr. Ronald OrbinAnne PendergastLollie Benz PlankProspect Land & Cattle Co., LLCBart & Liz ReaRocky Mountain PowerJames & Christine ScottTucker FoundationPaul* & Darby UlrichNicholas & Whiteley WheelerDavid* & Susan WorkWyoming Community FoundationAnne N. Young* & James Nielson

$1,000—$9,999Anonymous (8)The A. C. & Penney Hubbard Foundation, Inc.Paul Asper & Nancy WeidmanWilliam & Terri BaasDaniel R. & Patricia T. Baker Leslie Gay BollnDr. Donald BoydThomas BrantleyThomas BrundageDr. Steven Buskirk* & Mrs. Elizabeth BuskirkJames CampbellBrown & Mardi CannonJeff & Lynne CarltonAnn & Charles CatlettChristine Gempp Love FoundationShawn & Vicki CookF. J. Cornwell, Jr. & Ann CornwellRichard M. Davis, Jr.* & Tami DavisJ. D.* & Elizabeth Radakovich Mark* & Nancy DoelgerDr. David Doll & Mrs. Sarah DollDavid E. & Nancy DonovanEarthShareThomas M. Evans, Jr. & Tania G. Evans Fidelity CharitableCarol & Philip Fortuna Ashley & Roderick Gagne

Bob GiurgevichMolly & Bruce HamptonStanley E. HartmanMichael & Sarah F. HealyHomer & Mildred Scott FoundationEric K. HuberLieutenant Colonel Charles Huff

& Ms. E. A. MacGuirePaula* & George HunkerN. J. JenningsScott & Candice JohnsonDr. Thomas A. KlotzDr. Dennis Knight* & Mrs. Judy KnightLander Community FoundationGloria & James LawrenceCarol & James LintonDavid & Catherine LoevnerPaul Lonac & Peggy KeigherL. Patrick Lupo & Judith MingstMayo* & Susan LykesDavid & Sally MikkelsenLois C. Mottonen (deceased)National Wild Turkey Federation - SD/WY ChapterRita Neill* & Michael KotrickPeter C. Nicolaysen* & Pamala M. BrondosDebra L. ParkPatagonia Environmental GrantsLeigh & Annie PerkinsPheasants Forever - Bighorn Basin ChapterJoseph Quiroz & Andrea Erickson QuirozDeborah de la RegueraKathleen & Keith RittleThe Robert S. & Grayce B. Kerr FoundationStephen & Lisa RobertsonRoberta RossetterFintan RyanNancy SchifferDr. Eddie T. Seo and Mrs. Alice SeoSeven C FoundationJohn A. Sherman, Jr.Michael J. Shonsey

Daniel M. SmithJames & Polly SpencerAdair* & Arnold StifelCatherine SymchychNaoma TateTrillium Family FoundationMary W. VaughanFred Whiting*Wild Iris Mountain SportsJeffrey WillemainDr. Steve E. Williams and Dr. Karen C. WilliamsTimothy Wilson & Amy E. AndersenWyoming Wildlife FoundationYonder StarReed Zars

NEW LEGACY DONATIONSPeter BoermaCarol GrahamJohn & Dawn LotshawWillard MayoAnne PendergastHeather* and Chris WisniewskiDavid* & Susan WorkAnne N. Young*

IN-KIND DONATIONSAIC Investment Properties, LLCDavis & Cannon, LLP

COLLABORATION IS KEYAlbany County CommissionersAmerican Bird ConservancyAnadarkoAudubon of the RockiesBoise State UniversityCheyenne Crow Creek RestorationCheyenne High Plains AudubonCity of CheyenneCity of Cheyenne Board of Public UtilitiesCity of Cheyenne Parks & RecreationCity of Cheyenne Public WorksCity of Lander

City of LaramieThe Conservation FundCurt Gowdy State ParkEnvironmental Defense FundFremont County Weed and PestGaylor Warnock Ditch CompanyHeart Mountain Wyoming FoundationIndiana UniversityJackson Hole Land TrustLaramie County Conservation DistrictLaramie Rivers Conservation DistrictLarimer County Colorado Open SpaceLarimer County, COLittle Snake River Conservation DistrictMedicine Bow Conservation DistrictMinnesota State UniversityMuley Fanatic FoundationNational Fish & Wildlife Foundation   Northeast Wyoming Invasive Grasses

Working Group Northern Great Plains Joint VentureNorthern Rockies Conservation CooperativeNorthwest CollegePark County Weed & PestPeabody Museum, Yale University Popo Agie AnglersPopo Agie Conservation DistrictRocky Mountain Elk FoundationSandstone Ditch CompanySaratoga-Encampment-Rawlins

Conservation DistrictScience KidsSheridan Community Land TrustSheridan County Conservation DistrictSheridan County Public LibraryState University of New YorkSublette County Conservation DistrictSublette County Weed & Pest DistrictSyracuse UniversityThunder Basin Grasslands Prairie

Ecosystem AssociationTrout UnlimitedTrout Unlimited, Curt Gowdy ChapterTrust for Public LandUcross High Plains Stewardship InitiativeUniversity of WyomingUniversity of Wyoming – Biodiversity Institute

University of Wyoming – Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and the Ruckelshaus Institute

University of Wyoming – Wyoming Natural Diversity Database

U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture –  United States Forest Service

U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Land Management

U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of ReclamationU.S. Department of Interior – Fish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Department of Interior – Fish & Wildlife

Service’s Partners for Fish and WildlifeThe Wilderness SocietyWyoming Association of Conservation DistrictsWyoming Conservation CorpsWyoming Department of AgricultureWyoming Department of Environmental QualityWyoming Disabled HuntersWyoming Game & Fish DepartmentWyoming Geographic AllianceWyoming Migration InitiativeWyoming Office of State EngineerWyoming Outdoor CouncilWyoming Plant Materials CommitteeWyoming Prescribed Fire CouncilWyoming State Forestry DivisionWyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land TrustWyoming Stock Growers AssociationWyoming Water Development CommissionWyoming Wildlife & Natural Resource Trust FundWyoming Wildlife FederationYale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

And thank you to 2,000+ supporters who also contributed amounts up to $999.

*Wyoming board member, emeritus board member, staff member or volunteer. We have made every attempt to provide accurate information and we apologize for any unseen errors. Please contact Sara Deur, at sdeur@tnc.org if you note any inaccuracies.

For more details on giving opportunities and to donate, please visit

nature.org/wyoming/waysofgiving or contact Erica Wood at erica.wood@tnc.org

or 307-673-0992.The Nature Conservancy cannot render tax or legal advice. Please consult your financial advisor before making a gift.

Something to CELEBRATE!

The Legacy Club is a special group of supporters who have made a life-income gift to TNC or named us as a beneficiary in their estate plans. Members receive exclusive benefits such as a semiannual newsletter, TNC’s annual report and invitations to special trips and events. But the real benefit is knowing you’ve helped keep Wyoming wild and working.

We thank all our Legacy Club members for your gifts to future generations.

For more information:

Erica Wooderica.wood@tnc.org(307) 673-0992nature.org/legacy

Happy 25th Anniversary to the Legacy Club

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NATURE THANKS YOU

The Nature ConservancyWyoming Chapter 258 Main StreetLander, WY 82520

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