Lands Protected on South Fork of the Snake River

The Teton Regional Land Trust announced today that two of the last unprotected parcels of private land along the canyon stretch of the South Fork Snake River in Bonneville County are now conserved permanently.

More than 300,000 people visit the South Fork each year to enjoy world-class fishing and floating, abundant wildlife and one of the most scenic rivers in the West. Thanks to conservation projects like this, the South Fork’s going to stay that way. The Nature Conservancy, the land trust, the Conservation Fund, the BLM and other partners have worked together to protect this river canyon.

The two projects recently completed include:

* A Bureau of Land Management (BLM) purchase of 440 acres from a willing landowner along the South Fork, with assistance from The Conservation Fund and funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) and the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA).

* A permanent conservation easement protecting 713 acres, protecting private lands adjoining the purchased property. The BLM will hold the easement on the property of dry farmers Cletus and Sharon Hamilton. The Teton Regional Land Trust, DDCF and FLTFA assisted with the project.

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Photo: The Nature Conservancy's preserve on the South Fork of the Snake River, by Sara Sheehy

Important Bird Areas--Idaho

Important Bird Areas (IBA's) were created to identify a global network of areas most important for bird conservation.

IBA programs focus on monitoring bird populations, installing interpretive signs and developing conservation plans.

But they can also point you to great birding.

Check out Idaho's Important Bird Areas newsletter to learn more about the program--and to find new places to find birds. This issue includes an article on The Nature Conservancy's Silver Creek Preserve.

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Dead Salmon: Lifeblood of Rivers

Salmon leaping up waterfalls and surging into small streams: These are the images we're used to seeing of fish migrations.

Salmon are brightly, photgenically red in their final days--and then quickly become less so.

The above photo--taken this weekend near Stanley--captures the real end of the journey for spawning salmon. But it's not the end of the salmon's impact on streams.

Dead, decaying salmon are vitally important for our waterways, forests and meadows.

Where viable runs of salmon occur, they return vital nutrients to waterways, feeding aquatic insects and fish. Studies have found that streamside vegetation in salmon spawning areas is dependent on nutrients from dead fish.

Black and grizzly bears, otters, mink, bald eagles, ospreys and other predatory mammals and birds feed directly on the salmon carcasses. Bears drag thousands of carcasses away from the river, fertilizing trees, shrubs and grasses.

Rainbow trout and other fish often follow dying salmon and feed on pieces that fall off the salmon as they decompose--unsavory to us, perhaps, but a protein feast for trout.

In short, the whole river depends on a healthy, large run of salmon. As is evidenced in watersheds like Bristol Bay, a large salmon run can feed humans, wildlife and the river--and we should be working to ensure that such watersheds remain protected.

In Idaho, for many rivers we can only guess. But by continuing to work on salmon restoration, perhaps one day we can see rivers in their full glory--rivers brought to life by dying salmon.--Matt Miller

Photo by Michael Gordon.

Hemingway and Silver Creek

"You’ll love it here, Schatz…There’s a stream called Silver Creek where we shoot ducks from canoe…Saw more big trout rising than have ever seen…Just like English chalk streams…We’ll fish it together next year."--Ernest Hemingway, 1939

Ernest Hemingway wrote the above to his son, Jack, on his first visit to Idaho--a trip that would establish a life-long connection between the Hemingway family in Idaho.

Ernest was in Idaho as a guest of the Sun Valley Company, a new resort attracting publicity through high-profile visitors. Hemingway, in the process of completing For Whom The Bell Tolls, joined Gary Cooper and other celebrities in Idaho.

At the time, Sun Valley Company was as well known for its fishing and hunting opportunities along Silver Creek as for the skiing. Ernest, of course, immediately saw the potential at Silver Creek and knew his sons would love it as well.

He made good on his promise, returning the next year with son Jack. Jack's experience at Silver Creek mirrored that of many anglers: Trout--big trout--rose everywhere. He felt like had landed in paradise. He cast and cast. And cast. And got skunked. But he vowed to figure out the stream, an aspiration that eventually led him to move to Idaho. Over the years, the Hemingways frequented Silver Creek and the nearby ranch owned by Bud Purdy, enjoying both the hunting and fishing in the valley. In fact, many famous Life magazine photographs were taken at landmarks around Silver Creek.

When Silver Creek Preserve came up for sale, Jack Hemingway convinced The Nature Conservancy to purchase the property.

Eventually, Mary Hemingway--Ernest's widow--bequeathed his last home in Ketchum to The Nature Conservancy.

The Nature Conservancy remains committed to the Hemingway legacy at Silver Creek and the Hemingway House. Visit the links below to learn more.

Ernest Hemingway Symposium 2009 - Sun Valley

Hemingway's Last Home and the Conservancy - Learn why the Conservancy owns the Hemingway House and how we are protecting the cultural and historical features of the home.

Hemingway Memorial at Silver Creek - Reflect on the Hemingway family's connection to Silver Creek at this memorial on the preserve.

Photos: Ernest Hemingway and friends on a hunting trip at Silver Creek (TNC archive); Hemingway Memorial at Silver Creek Preserve (Sara Sheehy); Hemingway House in Ketchum (William H. Mullins).

Idaho Place Names

What's in a name? The Nature Conservancy's Idaho conservation staff often work in remote areas with colorful, and sometimes confusing, names. Where did these names originate? What stories do they tell?

Lalia Boone's Idaho Place Names: A Geographical History answers these questions for many places around the state.

Of course, many names have the usual origins: founding original settlers or soldiers (Henrys Fork, Lewiston), or settlers' children's first names (Emmett, Ada), or tribal names (Shoshone, Kootenai, Snake).

Others are just accurate descriptions: Anyone who has seen the Sawtooths knows why those mountains are so named.

But other place names have more interesting origins...

A surprising number of place names originate from misfortune and tragedy. There are no fewer than nine geographical features in the state that bear the name "Deadman," for instance. All are named after some "dead man" who met an unfortunate end by, to name a few examples, exposure, falling off a horse, forest fire and violence.

"Malade" means "sick" in French, an unfortunate name for the impressive canyon gorge and river in southern Idaho (above). The Malad River is named not for the scenery but for the fact that three separate groups of French trappers became sick in the area after eating beavers killed in the river. Presumably they didn't appreciate the scenery.

Hemingway Butte in Owyhee County might seem obvious: After all, Ernest Hemingway was a prominent Idaho resident. But Ernest was not associated with the Owyhees, and this butte is instead named after John Hemingway, a stagecoach driver mortally wounded while protecting his passengers.

Animals figure prominently in place names: Grouse Creek, Deer Creek, Moose Creek and Elk City were all named due to the abundance of their namesakes in the area.

Bears figure prominently in Idaho names. There's a Bear Valley and Bear Lake and Bear Gulch and Bear Mountain and Grizzly Creek. All attest to the abundance of bears, both black and grizzly, that early Idaho explorers found in the forested regions of the state. Some names are a little more mysterious. A nickname given to a place catches on and eventually becomes the official name. Hells Canyon is one such place. One can assume why the canyon was so named: It may have been "hell" to cross this rugged terrain (it still can be), or it may have referred to the depths of the canyon (the deepest in North America), or perhaps it was even a reference to the summer temperatures.

But nobody knows for sure. The name was first used in 1895 (before that it was often simply the Snake River Canyon), and then slowly but surely began appearing in print more and more by this name--until it became official in the 1950s. --Matt Miller

South Fork Work Day

Each summer, The Nature Conservancy's Idaho staff meets at one of our projects--to camp out, see our conservation work on the ground, discuss future efforts--and to do some field work to benefit the preserve we're visiting.

This year, we met at the Conservancy's preserve on the South Fork of the Snake River, an incredible conservation success. It's one of the West's most scenic rivers, with lots of cutthroat trout, bald eagles, ospreys, moose and other wildlife.

It's hard to believe, but at one point it looked like this beautiful canyon would be lined with houses, resorts and a golf course. But thanks to conservationists, almost the entire South Fork Canyon is protected.

More than 300,000 people visit this river each year, to fish and float. The beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife are now protected by conservation easements throughout the canyon. How awesome to see such a conservation success--and to know it's going to stay this way.

Of course, even at a successful conservation project, there is always work to be done. Some staff devoted time to building a fence at the preserve entrance. We welcome walk-in visitors to the preserve who come to hunt, fish, hike, watch wildlife and explore. However, unauthorized, off-road vehicle use can damage habitat, so we need to fence off these illegal trails.

The steep terrain meant that some of us dug the fence holes by hand...

While others found that a power auger requires a bit of effort, especially when it hits buried barbed wire or rocks.

Of course, you couldn't ask for better scenery. Not a bad place at all to spend a few days.

Associate state director Lou Lunte and East Idaho conservation manager Chet Work--both of whom have played key roles in conservation along the South Fork--put the finishing touches on the fence.

Our staff at the South Fork. It was gratifying to meet in a place where our work is having such benefits for people and for nature. We hope you have the chance to visit the South Fork yourself and enjoy its scenery, wildlife and world-class recreational opportunities.

Photos by Sara Sheehy.

Egrets and Conservation History

If you're walking along a river or wetland in southern Idaho this fall, you may notice a very large, white bird stalking along the bank: a great egret.

I saw two yesterday along the Boise River. They are never a common sight in Idaho, but you can often find one or two in wetland areas.

Egrets may not be regularly spotted in Idaho, but in many areas--from the Atlantic coast to the large wetlands of South America--egrets live in huge flocks. In many areas, they're expanding their range.

But the egret plays an important role in conservation history--mainly because in the late 1800's, many people believed that egret species would go extinct.

Egrets at that time were hunted relentlessly for their feathers. Bird feathers, at that time, represented the height of fashion. Stylish ladies wore hats made of egret plumes and other bird feathers; some even wore whole birds on their heads. Frank Chapman, ornithologist for the American Museum of Natural History in New York, once took a stroll in Manhatten during which he noted 40 species of birds--all on hats.

Efforts to stop the feather trade were met with hostility and even violence--Guy Bradley, one of the first game wardens in Florida, was murdered by plume hunters who were killing egrets.

But the loss of egrets was one of the first events to mobilize the United States conservation movement. George Bird Grinnell, a conservationist more people should know, organized the National Audubon Society to protect bird populations.

Citizen groups around the country began speaking out about the feather trade.

This led to President Theodore Roosevelt establishing Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge--the first such refuge in the country--to protect egret populations in Florida.

Conservation history is full of stories about things that have gotten better. We have more egrets today than we did 100 years ago. We need to tell these stories more.

We don't have to lose tigers or rhinos or other wildlife, even if their futures seem grim. We just need people who care enough to do something, as they did in the early 1900's to protect the egrets.--Matt Miller

Cowboys and Conservation

Idaho is blessed with huge tracts of public lands, yet private working lands--like ranches--are disproportionately important for wildlife. They provide migration corridors for big game, spawning habitat for salmon on tributary streams, nesting habitat for grassland birds and many other benefits.

That's why the Conservancy has a long tradition of working with ranchers, not only in Idaho, but around the world.

Watch a slide show illustrating the Conservancy's work with ranchers on 5 continents--and how this work is benefiting both people and wildlife.

Photos by Kirk Keogh, first2laslight at Meadow Vue Ranch, site of a Conservancy easement in the Henry's Lake area of eastern Idaho.

Silver Creek Twinterns

Working as summer interns at the Silver Creek Preserve was an amazing experience. During this time, we, Meredith and Alli, came to know and love the area. With 883 acres to tend to, there is a lot of maintenance work and we were never at a loss for something to do. Daily work for us included irrigation, trail and fence maintenance; watering; weed control; office work; water and fire monitoring; running the visitor center and more.

At the Preserve, the bigger picture is always in sight. It’s clear how important it is to help conserve these special places. It might be repetitious doing chores such as cleaning outhouses or entering data, but other times you get to enjoy interacting with Nature Conservancy members and donors.

Working conditions and our work schedules varied and we are glad! Following three solid weeks of rain in June, came the hot and sunny days of July and August. As weeks progressed, we were fortunate to observe the natural shift in trout, bird, floral and agricultural patterns. A flexible work schedule benefits TNC and us; the variety of tasks and the scheduling gave us opportunities to express and grow in the areas of discipline, responsibility, and efficiency.

Living in a rural setting was a refreshing break from the fast-paced college life with its more constant social and media distractions. We will always value Silver Creek outdoor experiences: early foggy mornings with yackety or musical birds, evening walks in the company of coyotes and owls, friendly meet-ups with locals, and the not-so-friendly interactions with mosquitoes!

We gained an understanding of why Silver Creek Preserve draws people back again and again. Jumping off the bridge into the water after a sweaty day, finding hiding spots of a great blue heron, watching baby birds learn to fly, or patiently attempting to catch the crafty trout, we are taking with us great memories of moments on the Preserve. Next year we, too, will be itching to return to this beautiful preserve and experience again the natural beauty it has to offer.

As summer interns, we continually experienced opportunities to appreciate the balancing acts necessary to reach compromises between/among the public, donors, fishermen, and landowners.

Here’s hoping our paths will cross. Thank you to Dayna Gross and family, Ginny and Dave Glasscock, Sarah and Jack Blumenstein, John and Elaine French, Brianna Schultz, Stephanie Hansen, Taylor Pasley, Debbie Fowler, and all the other staff, volunteers, and public who helped make the summer such a wonderful experience!

Thank you!
Meredith and Alli Stewart,
Silver Creek Preserve Summer Interns 2009

Herds, Flocks and Swarms

There are still astounding herds, flocks and swarms of wildlife on Earth--but can we protect them?

Read the post at Cool Green Science, The Nature Conservancy's global blog.

Above, ten million bats emerge for their nightly feeding at Frio Cave in the Texas Hill Country.

Below, macaws gather at a clay lick at Manu Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon.

Don't Move a Mussel

Zebra and quagga mussels--non-native species that have spread rapidly in other states--are not in Idaho. Yet.

The above video gives a good overview of the problem, and what it could cost Idaho if these species were introduced to our state's waters.

Non-native mussels were unintentionally introduced into the Great Lakes in the 1980's. Since then, they have spread to many parts of the country, including California, Nevada and Utah.

If they become established in Idaho, the estimated cost of control is $91 million.

Of course, as the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

In this case, the prevention came in the form of new legislation that requires a boat sticker for all boats in Idaho, to fund Idaho's mussel prevention program.

Since mussels aren't here yet, it may seem like they pose little threat. But just this summer, a citizen spotted a boat on the interstate in Idaho encrusted with invasive mussels. Fortunately, authorities were notified and the boat could be stopped before it entered the water.

The boat stickers will make it easier to prevent the introduction of mussels, protecing fish habitat, hydropower, agriculture and clean water. Watch the video to learn more. --Matt Miller

Hummingbird Video

Hummingbirds are amazing birds to watch as they zip around wildflowers or backyard feeders. These little birds actually are quite diverse--with more than 300 species found in the Americas (they aren't found on other continents).

Idaho has three species. But South America is the real haven for hummingbirds. Ecuador is home to 131 species, many of them found in the cloud forest. Hummingbirds in South America display a surviving a diversity of colors, beak shapes and sizes. And some--like the marvelous spatuletail in the video above--have really bizarre display behaviors.

This video was on the Conservancy's Cool Green Science blog today, and comes via the American Bird Conservancy, an organization that is calling attention to the loss of habitat for Peruvian wildlife including the marvelous spatuletail .--Matt Miller

Deer Sign

Idaho has many large mammal species with large home ranges, and increasingly, their migrations and movements put them onto roads at some point during the year.

Roads obviously aren't going away. But there are ways we can reduce the number of animals killed on the highways.

The ubiquitous "deer signs" around the state and country do not reduce road kill. As explained in Tom Vanderbilt's Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do, we see those signs so many times that they don't register.

Perhaps signs like the one above (located near Woburn in rural England) could have more affect on certain roads. I think that if such signs were posted on Highway 21 near Boise and Highway 95 near MacArthur Lake in North Idaho, it would be eye opening for many--and could very well convince people to slow down.

Wildlife overpasses and underpasses have proven very effective in places like Banff and Jasper national parks in Canada. Such projects may be expensive, but so too are the insurance costs and risks to life associated with collisions with elk and moose.

And such wildlife crossings work--check out Patagonia's excellent videos for examples.

Idaho still has populations of migrating, wide-ranging mammals. Conservationists must find creative solutions to get those species across roads. We know what works: a combination of passageways, new signage, fencing and habitat protection. Now we just need widespread support to protect wildlife--and people--on the roads.--Matt Miller

Bear Beware

You know the old saying: A fed bear is a dead bear.

Whenever bears become acclimated to humans, bears lose. There are a number of educational efforts that teach people how to be "bear aware." But sometimes bears still start hanging around towns, farms or residences.

Enter the Karelian bear dog. This breed was developed on the Finnish-Russian border to hunt wolves, bears and moose. Today, they're also being used to scare grizzlies away from people, thus teaching the bears to avoid humans.
Jewel (pictured above) is the ambassador for Karelian bear dogs. Jewel lives at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, where her demonstrations educate the public on the importance of keeping grizzlies wild and away from people.

Jewel worked for four years with the Wind River Bear Institute, an organization using Karelian bear dogs to change the way wildlife managers deal with bears. Instead of automatically relocating or killing problem bears, managers use dogs like Jewel to drive them away.

You can meet Jewel at 10 AM Saturday, August 15 at The Nature Conservancy's Flat Ranch Preserve. The program is free to the public. Stop by and learn about bears, dogs and how we can all work, play and live in the same environments.

The program is part of Flat Ranch Preserve's summer program series. Check out other activities at the preserve this August. --Matt Miller

Photos courtesy the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, West Yellowstone.

Deer With Tusks

It's the time of year when the males of Idaho's deer species--whitetail, mule deer, elk, moose and caribou--wear impressive, velvet-covered antlers.

But there is one deer species in the world that does not carry antlers: the water deer.

This strange beast, instead, has tusks. Yes, tusks.

The water deer (pictured above) never grows antlers, but males rapidly grown large canine tusks that can protrude two inches. (The tusks are present in females but not visible). The tusks can be drawn backwards so they're out of the way when the buck is eating, or they can be pulled forward to make them appear more formidable.

Water deer use the tusks for displays of dominance and fighting rival males--much as members of Idaho's deer family use their antlers.

The water deer is native to Korea and China, where it lives in dense forest. In the late 1800's, water deer were released on the large estate at Woburn Abbey in the British countryside (pictured above). From here and other deer parks, the water deer spread to many parts of England.

Water deer are quite easy to see on Woburn estate and surrounding areas (where these photos were taken).

The deer family (Cervidae) includes 44 living species, ranging from the 12-inch high Andean pudu to the massive moose that roams Idaho's wetlands. Members of this family include some of the most common large mammals on earth. But many other species are secretive and little known.

And only one has tusks. --Matt Miller

The Search for the Giant Palouse Earthworm

Photos courtesy the University of Idaho.

My dad sends me this story of one of Idaho's most little known (and little seen) creatures, something that seems from the realm of science fiction.

The giant Palouse earthworm reportedly grows up to three feet, secretes a lily-like smell and spits at predators.

But it's only been seen four times.

Thought extinct in the 1980's, it was "rediscovered" in 2005. Currently, researchers and graduate students at the University of Idaho are leading a search.

The worm only lives in the Palouse country of Idaho and eastern Washington. The search has obvious challenges, like the fact that the worm can live 15 feet deep.

It's a great quest, and serves as yet another reminder that the great natural mysteries are not Bigfoots or other mythical beasts, but little known creatures that are right under our feet.--Matt Miller

Out-Foxed

Red fox photo by Phares Book.

How could two fox species be so different?

This is a tale of two foxes, one that thrives alongside humanity and one that was almost lost forever--and now needs human help to rebound.

The red fox is no doubt familiar to most Idahoans. You are quite likely to see it trotting across a farm field, hunting along the Boise Greenbelt or just strolling around dowtown Ketchum.

The red fox's former world is one inhabited by all manner of fearsome predators--wolves and bears, lions and cheetahs. To survive, it had to eke out a living in the shadows, eating what it could and surviving by eluding--out-foxing, if you will--the larger carnivores.

Such habits have served the red fox well in the human-dominated world. Its unfinicky eating habits--berries or mice or chickens or unattended dog food or roadkill--and sneaky habits allow it to thrive alongside humans. Farms, suburbs and city parks are much better suited to a red fox than the most pristine wilderness.

Today, the red fox is the world's most widely distributed carnivore. In some environments, it got there due to deliberate (and ill-considered) introductions by people, as is the case in Australia.

In Idaho, evidence exists that the red fox lived the most precarious existences in pre-Columbian times. But it quickly colonized the state as larger predators were eliminated.
The Santa Cruz island fox, on the other hand, was always the largest predator in its environment. Granted, this fox is the size of a small house cat, but in the Channel Islands off the coast of California--where it evolved--it is top dog.

Or was.

People released sheep and pigs on the island, which became feral. These in turn attracted golden eagles, which began hunting foxes in addition to feral livestock.

The island fox did not flee from the eagles, as it had never dealt with aerial predators before. It had not dealt with any predators before.

Unlike the red fox, the island fox was not very sneaky, or adaptable, as it had no need to be either of these things. As such, its population on Santa Cruz plummeted from 1500 to less than 100 in less than a decade.

The island fox is rebounding. But unlike the red fox, this success requires pretty intensive human efforts. Feral pigs and sheep have been eliminated, golden eagles relocated to the mainland and captive breeding efforts instituted for the fox. Read more about The Nature Conservancy's efforts to conserve the fox.

And so it is many species in our world. Some--the red fox and whitetail deer, the gray squirrel and feral hogs--will thrive in new habitats, in farm fields and suburbia. But do we want these to be the only species?

As with the island fox, many other species can coexist in our world; we just need the will and focus to preserve them. --Matt Miller

Otters

This morning while jogging along Boise's Greenbelt, I was lucky enough to see a river otter swimming in the Boise River. (It was just downstream from the Highway 21 bridge if you want to look for it).

Otters are one of the most fun animals to observe, as they seem to always be active: swimming, diving, fishing, playing.

A few weeks ago, I had an even closer otter encounter at Yellowstone National Park, where a family of them intercepted cutthroat trout migrating from Trout Lake to a very small stream to spawn. The hundreds of trout packed into the stream was an incredible sight on its own.

Of course, wherever large concentrations of prey congregate, you'll undoubtedly find predators.
The otters feasted on this bounty . They bit, ripped and teared, smacked their lips, and then soon swam away to find another trout. It was an excellent opportunity to observe these animals from just a few yards away. It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone.

River otters were once found over much of North America. They thrive in a variety of habitats, from rivers to coastal wetlands. They do not thrive, however, with pollution. The presence of otters is an indication of good water quality.

In Idaho and surrounding states, you can see otters in a variety of waterways. The Henry's Fork, Main Salmon River, Middle Fork of the Salmon River, Boise River and Silver Creek are just a few of the places you may encounter this interesting animal. --Matt Miller

Trout in the Owyhees

I recently wrote on this blog about the extensive river and wetland restoration projects underway at the 45 Ranch deep in the Owyhees. Owners Charles Conn and Dennis Fitzpatrick have the goal of providing the best habitat for a variety of desert wildlife.

Charles Conn now sends this photo of an unexpected species from the South Fork of the Owyhee River as it flows through the 45 Ranch: a redband trout.

Desert redband trout can actually be found in many parts of the Owyhees. They are adapted to survive at temperatures that would kill most trout.

However, many of the larger rivers no longer contain redband trout, due to a variety of factors including dams and loss of riparian habitat. But it's also due in part to introductions of smallmouth bass to the dammed rivers. The bass have traveled out of reservoirs into rivers like the South Fork of the Owyhee. An agressive, fish-eating species, the bass quickly consume and out-compete the trout.

Redband trout remain in many smaller Owyhee rivers, like the Jarbidge, Big Jacks Creek and Little Jacks Creek.

It's great to find one in the South Fork as well. With the 45 Ranch's river conservation efforts, hopefully trout like this one have a bright future in the bigger Owyhee rivers as well.--Matt Miller

Brief Thoughts on Buying Local

At last night's entertaining Ignite Boise 2, a recurring theme was the importance of thinking and buying local. Several presenters suggested the current economy provides an opportunity to return to a more local economy. They advocated bartering, growing your own food and buying from Idaho businesses.

Of course, eating (and buying) local has become trendy--but often, would-be "locavores" get excited about buying local foods, but then lose steam when it seems too difficult or expensive.

I love Idaho foods, and it's not unusual for our meals to be 100% local. The quality and variety available is amazing.

But I also recognize that there are some common pitfalls when consumers start out with buying local.

Here are some tips for beginning locavores that will help you avoid those pitfalls.

1. Don't start at 100%. There's a common belief that if you're eating local, you have to commit 100%. But that is difficult, and makes what should be fun stressful. Buying 10% of your food from local farmers and producers makes a huge difference. Start small.

2. Don't get hung up on the details. Some folks decide they want to make a local meal, but then get caught up on some small ingredient, like salt. You won't find locally produced Idaho salt. And it doesn't matter. Trade has been a part of humanity for millenia and that's not going to change. While there is not Idaho salt, we can buy excellent Idaho lamb, Idaho potatoes, Idaho duck eggs and many other products.

3. Try new recipes. One of the real pleasures of eating local is trying new foods. Vary up your recipes and incorporate kale, or blue potatoes, or fava beans. You'll soon realize there's more actual diversity at the farmer's market than crammed into all those aisles at the supermarket.

4. Enjoy it. Buying local isn't doctrine. Don't approach it as a set of rules you must follow. Instead, find high-quality food and enjoy it. Rediscover what a tomato is supposed to taste like. Try grilling grass-fed beef. Stroll around a farmer's market. Plant your own veggies.

In short have fun--while benefiting Idaho's economy, rural heritage and wildlife habitat.--Matt Miller

Summer Reading

Looking for a good summer read? Here are some great conservation and nature books you may want to pack along on your next outing. When wolves returned to Yellowstone after being absent for decades, how did prey react? Did elk and moose know wolves were dangerous, or did they have to relearn fear? Questions like these form the premise for Joel Berger's The Better To Eat You With: Fear in the Animal World. Berger, a biologist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, examines predator-prey relationships around the world and reveals some surprising insights. Bison, for instance, show no concern when they hear wolves or humans, but become alert when they hear the roar of lions--quite possibly an innate response left over from the time when lions roamed the North American continent. Berger's review of the research leads him to wonder what is lost for prey species--and whole landscapes--when they're missing large predators.

John Frederick Walker provides an excellent overview of the ivory trade and its implications for elephant conservation in Ivory's Ghosts: The White Gold of History and the Fate of Elephants. Humans have long been fascinated with the aesthetic properties of ivory, a fascination that led to the decimation of elephant herds in Africa and Asia. That changed with a ban on ivory in the early '90s, but Walker wonders: Is an ivory ban really benefiting elephants? A seasoned reporter, Walker thoroughly covers the extremely complex web of "ivory politics" and avoids the too-easy answers that many well-meaning conservationists propose. Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time: My Life Doing Dumb Stuff with Animals by Richard Conniff recounts the author's wildlife travels both near--examing hair mites that dwell on his (and your) scalp under a microscope--and far--radio-tracking wild dogs in Botswana. The book is a nice mix of humorous pieces and serious conservation reporting. He visits with a biologist who has developed a pain index (based on personal experience) for stinging insects, surveys ant populations in Madagascar, and, yes, swims with piranhas at feeding time.

I'm often bothered that much of what passes for "nature writing" is too often somber, preachy or pseudo-philosophical, so it's refreshing to read a book that is as entertaining as Bill Schutt's Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood Feeding Creatures. I find myself repeating strange stories from this book way too often. Schutt, a biologist, delves into the evolution and bizarre behaviors of those species that feed on blood. You'll encounter vampire bats that mimic chicks so they can get close to hens (and then feast), the reasons why bed bugs are spreading to a hotel near you and the near-mythic (and exaggerated) feeding habits of the candiru (you'll have to look this one up on your own). My vote for the most fun and best-written "nature book" of the past several years. --Matt Miller

"Green" Grilling

It looks to be a beautiful summer weekend throughout much of Idaho--the perfect weather for a backyard barbecue or picnic.

Actually, across the country, some 60 million people will barbecue this summer. As Darci Palmquist points out on nature.org, this has considerable environmental consequences: These millions of BBQs release some 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, burn the equivalent of 2,300 acres of forest and consume the same amount of energy as the city of Flagstaff, Arizona, uses in a year.

But there are easy ways to make your grilling more green. Check out the The Nature Conservancy's ten tips for an eco-friendly barbecue.

So grill up some local, Idaho-produced food, grab an organic beverage and have a great summer weekend.--Matt Miller

Photo courtesy Alderspring Ranch, a grass-fed, organic beef ranch that works with the Conservancy on salmon conservation in Idaho's Pahsimeroi Valley.

July Activities at Flat Ranch Preserve

The Nature Conservancy's Flat Ranch Preserve offers a variety of summer activities and lectures at the preserve's visitor center.

The preserve is located just off Highway 20 in Macks Inn, about 15 miles west of West Yellowstone.

All events are free to the public. For more information, phone (208) 558-7629 or email Flat Ranch intern Stevenson Bunn.

The following is a list of upcoming activities in July. Check back soon for August's schedule.

1 pm Saturday, July 11 - Flat Ranch Canoe Trip. Canoe the Henry's Lake Outlet through the preserve. Staff will lead the trip while offering some history, wildlife viewing and maybe some laughs. Seats are limited, so contact staff to reserve your space today.

10 am Saturday, July 18 - Bear Safety and Food Storage. Join bear education specialist Lynn Dickerson of Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Forest Service for an informative program on how to stay safe in bear country. Great program for kids.

7 p.m. Wednesday, July 22 - Leave No Trace Camping. Brandon Burke demonstrates the essential and proper techniques of low-impact camping and keeping Idaho's wildlife wild. Great program for kids.

10 a.m. Saturday, July 25 - Weed Management with Goats. Come join the Goat Mountain Ranch for a demonstration on the use of goats for weed management.

7 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 - Wolverines. Bon Inman, director of the Greater Yellowstone Wolverine Program, presents a look into the lives of this intriguing and elusive wilderness animal. Great program for kids.

Silver Creek: A Guide's Perspective

Fly fishing guide Greg Loomis has spent more than 20 years figuring out the wary trout on Silver Creek. This month on nature.org/Idaho, Greg offers his perspective on the creek and gives an angling primer for those heading to the preserve. Read more.

And Greg has done more than fish the creek. In 2003, he realized that there is not one readily accessible resource for extensive research completed at Silver Creek, research that covers a span of thirty years.

He created a web site, SaveSilverCreek.com, a comprehensive, user-friendly web site featuring everything from water temperature statistics to brown trout studies.

"A lot of people make guesses about the creek, and I wanted to provide unbiased factual information," Greg says. "I don't have editorials or interpretations. I just put up the sutdies so that everyone can have the facts."

It is conservationists like Greg Loomis who make Silver Creek a conservation success. Check out his web site and expand your own knowledge of Silver Creek. --Matt Miller