Evaluation
of the Natural Resource Overlay in Teton
County (4/08):
Wildlife needs unbroken,
connected habitat on both public and private
lands to survive. And even though privately
owned lands make up only 3 percent of Teton
County, many are located in the best areas
for wildlife. So development activities on
private lands have both direct impacts on
native species, such as habitat loss and
fragmentation, and indirect impacts, such
as the effects of increased noise and pets.
To balance both human and wildlife needs,
it’s critical to identify where to
steer future development. To this end, we're
reassessing the Natural Resource Overlay
zone (NRO), which was established in 1994
but hasn’t been reviewed since then.
The NRO is a designation on zoning maps that
shows the location of lands with special wildlife
values that are subject to more stringent development
regulations. During 2007, the Jackson Hole Conservation
Alliance teamed up with the Conservation Research
Center of Teton Science Schools, the Wyoming
Game and Fish Department and others to compile
and map the best available scientific data on
wildlife habitat in Teton County -- the
results are available in this report.
Effects
of Energy Development in the Upper Green
on Jackson Hole (6/05):
Is it acceptable to let a species go extinct
in a national park? This pamphlet examines energy
development in Wyoming's Upper Green River Valley
and how it relates to Jackson Hole and the Teton
Park antelope herd.
Wildlife Diseases in Greater
Yellowstone:
Current
Problems, Future Threats and Solutions That Work (2/04):
As far as Wyoming's livestock herds go, brucellosis
and other existing diseases are relatively unimportant;
more important is the potential for other far more
damaging diseases that could devastate populations
concentrated on feedgrounds. It is the challenge
of 21st Century scientists and managers to protect
our wildlife, and an important first step must
involve breaking the habit of artificially feeding
our wildlife. See the executive
summary or download
the full report
in PDF.
Guidelines
for Environmentally Sensitive and Site Appropriate
Golf Course Development in Teton County, Wyoming (2002):
Fertilizers, pesticides, degradation of water
quality and loss of wildlife habitat are just
some of the concerns that arise with new golf
courses, especially in an ecologically sensitive
area such as Jackson Hole. Those concerns can
be lessened dramatically, however, if specific
guidelines are followed as golf courses are developed
and maintained. The Alliance has released a 22-page "white
paper" on
building environmentally safe and site appropriate
golf courses in Teton County. View the full
report in PDF.
Fiscal
Impacts of Growth in Teton County, Wyoming (2000):
Does growth in Teton County "pay for itself"?
Do the property taxes on houses in a new subdivision
pay for servicing the area and schooling the
kids who will live there? Does a new "superstore" complex
bring enough revenue into the community to make
up for the costs of its roads and to house its
employees? The "Fiscal Impacts of Growth
in Teton County" – and countless other
studies like it across the nation – has
found that many developments have a cost, and
taxpayers often have to foot the bill. View the executive
summary or download
a PDF version of the full
report.
The
Snake River Levee System Report (1998):
This study was initiated to address confusion
regarding the division of governmental authorities
over levee management, the permit process for
water control projects and flood plain development,
and, most importantly, the environmental effects
the levees have had on the Snake River and its
riparian corridor. Download the report
in PDF.
The
Mosquito Abatement Program in Teton County,
Wyoming (1997):
Few topics have polarized residents
of Teton County like the issue of mosquito abatement.
On one side are those who believe that mosquitoes
should be controlled by any effective means available
to protect residents, tourists and livestock
from annoyance and disease. On the other side
are those who consider mosquitoes an indispensable
component of the food web and believe that eradication
by chemical treatment is unsafe to people and
the environment. This paper explores the history
of mosquito abatement in Teton County and possible
directions for its future, presenting information
from both sides of the mosquito abatement debate
so the public may make sound, informed choices.
View the report in PDF. |
