The open space at Tribal Trails is a critical habitat in our valley, home to a unique and important wetland type that supports a range of local biodiversity. This area must be protected as development pressure grows.
The Tribal Trails open space, which is a large area situated between the developed areas of Wilson and the Town of Jackson, is a refuge for local wildlife and plant species. The area benefits from little human traffic other than the bike path and a few homes in the area. Most importantly, it is the site of a fen – a rare type of wetland that takes millennia to form. Fens provide habitat for abundant wild species, play a significant role in improving water quality, and are a natural carbon sink for the community.
Wildlife species such as coyote, fox, mule deer, and moose have all been observed utilizing the Tribal Trails open space, and birds and smaller creatures are seen traversing the area daily.
This fall, a large herd of over one hundred elk was seen feeding along the bike path in the Tribal Trail open space. The elk remained there for a couple of days to forage before migrating to their next feeding spot as winter quickly approached. In that same month, residents at Indian Springs and Tribal Trails were paid an unexpected visit from another cherished species: grizzly bears. Grizzly 399 and her four cubs, in their journey south from Grand Teton National Park meandered through the Tribal Trails open space. Residents captured the famous bruin family feeding on shrubs throughout the wetlands and landscape just outside of their homes.
Elk migrating through Indian Springs this fall.
Unfortunately, this ecologically important site is currently at risk of being permanently harmed. Local officials are considering constructing a road that would connect the end of the existing Tribal Trails Road to Highway 22. Teton County is exploring this option and modeling the traffic impacts that this road would have. The benefits are mixed; although traffic might initially ease in certain sections, overall, more traffic will be added to roads and an additional intersection on Highway 22 would add to the delay and congestion we are already enduring. Building a road over the Tribal Trails open space would displace wildlife and could negatively impact a valuable ecological and community resource – a fen wetland. Due to the slow process of peat-forming wetlands, fens cannot be easily restored once destroyed or altered. With increased traffic through this known wildlife movement area, wildlife– vehicle collisions could increase as well.
We agree that we must address our transportation issues. With a growing population and increasing visitation, we need sustainable, long-term solutions that reduce traffic and improve mobility. Let’s focus on the excellent language in Teton County’s Integrated Transportation Plan and increase transit ridership, implement a Transportation Demand Management program, and utilize other innovative approaches to improving our transportation network before we spend millions of taxpayer dollars on road infrastructure that won’t alleviate our traffic problems during peak tourist season.
Our abundant wildlife and pristine natural environment are two of our community’s biggest assets. If we sacrifice them in the name of growth and development – as so many other western communities have unfortunately done – what will it say about us?
