A letter from Interim Executive Director Dawn Webster
If you’re like most people I know, your mind is reeling from all the change in the valley. Some of it you may see as good, some as bad. And your neighbor may think the opposite about the very same things. Sometimes it’s overwhelming – where to begin? Can we really make an impact and effect positive change? Can we come together, even when our views are often miles apart?
One thing we can all agree on is that Jackson Hole is special. We have such a fierce desire to protect it and hold such strong opinions about how to do so because we each recognize how amazing and rare this place is. Every day, I feel gratitude for the work of the many before us that helped preserve this magnificent valley. At the Alliance, we feel privileged to be able to continue this important work.
With the impacts of higher levels of visitors and residents, it is more important than ever to protect the wildlife, wild places, and community character of Jackson Hole. That can seem daunting, impossible even. But we must continue fighting the good fight – to influence the future through civic engagement, help residents reduce conflicts with wildlife, protect our public lands, keep quiet skies over our national parks, and advocate for responsible development that considers both our wildlife and local workers.
Many of you have supported the Alliance through our 43-year history, while some of you are newer friends. Each of you is important because of your shared passion to protect this valley. No matter your background, what political party you affiliate with, or what neighborhood you live in, that shared passion is what unites us. The writer Alice Walker once said, “the most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” Together, we are powerful. Together, as an Alliance, we can protect what we love.
