Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Grand Targhee Resort Awards Environmental Grants to Teton Valley Non-Profits


Targhee’s Protect Our Winters Foundation Awards a Total of $5,500

(Alta, WY – April 24, 2012)  Grand Targhee Resort is proud to announce the granting of over $5,500 to Teton Valley non-profits for environmental projects benefitting the local community. The Targhee Protect Our Winters (POW) Foundation awarded four local non-profits funds for projects ranging from Teton River education to Jedediah Smith Wilderness trail maintenance.
The Targhee POW Foundation collects donations throughout the year from employees who generously donate a specified amount from each paycheck. These donations are matched 100% by the Resort. New this year was an Employee Choice, with that recognition going to Teton Valley Trails and Pathways for their project maintaining and upgrading trails in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness. “Employees not only donated to POW this year, but also had the opportunity to vote for their favorite project to receive their payroll deduction donations”, explained Brigid Sinram, Environmental Programs Manager at the resort. “Grand Targhee employees chose TVTAP’s project as their favorite. Many employees mentioned their use of TVTAP Nordic trails and their love of our local hiking and biking trails as their reason for choosing TVTAP.
The Foundation’s grant selection committee selects recipients that meet the intent of foundation’s mission: to enhance and protect the environmental quality of Teton Valley through projects that protect ecosystems, promote environmental education and foster community stewardship of natural resources. The committee selected the following grants for funding:
Friends of the Teton River        $1500
FTR will increase awareness and support for conservation of land and water resources along the Teton River by creating a natural resource guidebook and providing river user trainings. FTR will design and publish a waterproof Teton River conservation map and host outreach events to disseminate information and maps. This conservation map will educate river users about land conservation easements and river restoration projects, and will highlight efforts to conserve Yellowstone cutthroat trout and other riparian species.
Teton Valley Community Recycling    $1100
TVCR will be focusing on outreach on reduction with presentations in schools to engage school children in rethinking consumption and disposal. TVCR will launch a program to mentor Teton valley youth in the creation of short waste reduction films and host a community event with a showing of the documentary, “Bag It”, which will be accompanied by these short student films. While films are the highlight of the event, TVCR will also provide educational activities and tools for waste reduction.
Teton Regional Land Trust        $1500
TRLT will provide educational opportunities for the public about sandhill cranes and complete annual crane surveys in the Teton Valley. These public education forums and species monitoring will assist Teton Regional Land Trust’s efforts to protect priority sandhill crane habitat. TRLT will host “a night with sandhill cranes” for the community and work with area biologists and volunteers to monitor sandhill crane population numbers and document habitat utilization during fall migration. TRLT works with private landowners and federal and state agency partners to enhance and restore habitats that benefit sandhill cranes.
Teton Valley Trails and Pathways:     $1500
TVTAP’s work accomplished this summer will help to assure that visitors to the Jedediah Smith Wilderness will be greeted with trails that are sustainable, protect valuable vegetation and eco systems, and have campsites that do not impact flora and fauna.
Targhee is a proud partner with the national Protect Our Winters organization, committed to uniting the winter sports community in fighting climate change. For more information, please visit our website at www.grandtarghee.com

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