Did you know that Teton Interagency Fire personnel have extinguished 179 abandoned campfires so far this summer?
In this episode of Morgan’s Nature Notebook, you’ll learn about campfire safety and how to properly extinguish a campfire.
Also, as of August 20, 2020, fire danger is VERY HIGH in Teton County. Know before you go, check out Fire Restrictions at: https://gacc.nifc.gov/gbcc/dispatch/wy-tdc/home/
Bubbles! Carlin Girard (our Water Resources Specialist & Associate Director) and Emily Smith (our Natural Resources Technician) spotted this curious cluster of bubbles at the inflow to Karns Meadow stormwater wetland. What are these rainbow bubbles doing floating down the street? Did someone take a curbside bubble bath?
Vehicles and machinery leak gasoline, oil, and other fluids onto roadways and hardened surfaces. We’ve all seen the swirling rainbows left behind in puddles or gutters after a storm. Much of this pollution ends up running off into waterways. Also known as ‘stormwater,’ the rain and snowmelt that runs off streets and other hardened surfaces in urban areas usually carries pollutants with it. Stormwater is a primary source of contamination to Flat Creek.
We don’t know where these bubbles came from – maybe someone hosed their dog or car down in their driveway. Even though a little soap doesn’t seem too harmful, it’s a good reminder that the products and chemicals we use on our roads, driveways, and lawns, often end up in our streams. There are big stormwater management solutions, such as the Karns Meadow stormwater wetland, which captures up to 27% of stormwater runoff from the Town of Jackson and removes ~90% of the pollutant load. There are also small things you can do at home to prevent pollutants from entering waterways. For example, if you have a stream or pond on your property, you might plant a buffer of grasses and shrubs that can act as a natural filter between your property and the water. Consider that the chemicals or products we send “away” down the gutter, don’t really go away – but might end up in Flat Creek, Fish Creek, the Snake, or other local waterbody.
(In case you were wondering, Carlin does drop his phone in the puddle at the end of the video).
All thistles are weeds, right? Nope! We have a few native thistles here — one is even called the Jackson Hole thistle! Join Morgan for this episode to learn how to identify Jackson Hole thistle, and how tell it apart from the invasive musk thistle.
For more information on identifying musk thistle and other invasive species, visit Teton County Weed & Pest District's Weed ID page.
At the end of the episode, Morgan mentions this Teton Plants article about native thistles by Susan Marsh .
In the second episode of Morgan's Nature Notebook, you'll learn all about one of Morgan's favorite native plants—green gentian! Do you know how to tell the difference between green gentian and common mullein? Join Morgan to find out!
Curious about something you see while out exploring? Email us at info@tetonconservation.org and maybe we'll address it in a future episode!
By Phoebe Coburn, Communications Specialist
Many of us have spent a lot of time laying low over the past few months. But, one little creature has done anything but sit still. Weighing less than an ounce and just three to four inches in length, hummingbirds migrate sometimes thousands of miles across North America each spring, surfing a wave of blooming wildflowers on their journey north.
One unexpected perk of being quarantined this spring is that I’ve spent hours watching my hummingbird feeder. I became curious about the different species I was seeing. I’ve learned that four species of hummingbird migrate through Jackson annually. The females and juveniles of all four of these species can be difficult to distinguish—I still can’t confidently tell which is which. But I have gotten better at telling the males apart. Here are some tips:
Broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus): Males have magenta or scarlet necks (I always naively thought these were Ruby-throated hummingbirds, but they’re not). Broad-tailed males and females are identifiable by their tail—when perched, their tail feathers are longer than their wings. They hang out in Jackson from April to October.
Calliope (Selasphorus calliope): These are the tiny ones! Calliope hummingbirds are the smallest bird in North America. At first glance, Broad-tailed and Calliope males look quite alike. But, once you train your eye, you’ll notice that the Calliope males have a streaked red/purple neck, as opposed to the more solid fish-scale look of the Broad-tailed.
Calliope hummingbird by Zach Andres, taken in Wilson, WY.
Broad-tailed hummingbird by Jacob W. Frank
Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri): I’ve been lucky to spot a Black-chinned hummingbird at my feeder just a handful of times. In addition to the males sporting a noticeably darker throat—ranging from deep purple to black—Black-chinned hummingbirds are distinguishable from the others because they are a bit larger. Their pattern of movement will also catch your eye—they pump their tail almost constantly while flying and feeding. You’re most likely to spot them in May and June and they like wetter areas around ponds and creeks.
Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorous rufus): True to their name, Rufous hummingbirds are a rusty orange color—though the male’s iridescent throat can range from red to orange to green. You’re most likely to spot a Rufous hummingbird from July to September, though they don’t hang around—Jackson is just a pit stop along their migration route. They have the longest migration of any hummingbird. Some travel as far 4,000 miles from Mexico to British Columbia or Alaska (and back again!). They also sound quite different from the other usual suspects, “their wing hum is lower than a Broad-tailed’s, kind of like a Harley,” said Morgan Graham, Teton Conservation District’s GIS & Wildlife Specialist. I guess you’d need a big engine to travel that far….
Black-chinned hummingbird by VJ Anderson
Rufous hummingbird by Roy W. Lowe/USFWS
As I’ve learned to recognize these different species, I’ve also learned how to be a good hummingbird host. If you decide to hang a hummingbird feeder at your house, consider these tips:
Plant native flowers. The best nectar for hummingbirds is the real kind. Consider planting native plants like scarlet gilia, Indian paintbrush, fireweed, golden currant, huckleberry, kinnikinnick, larkspur, nettle-leaf giant-hyssop, penstemon, or really any red or orange tubular-shaped flower. You can also thoughtfully plant non-native plants that provide good hummingbird and pollinator habitat. Some good examples include honeysuckle, clover, bee balm, cat mint, and more. Be mindful that your non-native flowers don’t take over and risk infringing on native habitat.
Wash your feeder often. There is some concern that feeding hummingbirds might increase their dependency on a non-natural food source. When deciding to hang a hummingbird feeder, you might consider that thought. That said, hummingbird feeders are also a great way for people to engage with and appreciate nature. The National Audubon Society says that hummingbird feeders can be an important supplemental food source. So, if you choose to have a hummingbird feeder, it’s critical that you wash it often. Sugar water easily grows bacteria and mold. Once temps are reaching 80⁰F regularly, it’s important to wash your feeder and replace the nectar every two to three days. If we start hitting 90⁰F regularly, wash your feeder and replace the nectar every single day. When you wash your feeder, avoid using soaps that can leave a residue. Hot water is enough, but if you want to, you can also use a mild vinegar solution and rinse well.
Keep your sugar-water simple. A simple 1:4 solution of white cane sugar to tap water (¼ cup of sugar and 1 cup of water) is best. Heat your solution on the stove until the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool to room temperature before filling the feeder. Do NOT add honey or dye or brown sugar or anything else.
Keep your cat inside. Outdoor cats kill between 2.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds each year, including hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds hit windows too! Check out this blog post to learn how to prevent bird-window strikes.
Want to learn more about hummingbirds in the Rocky Mountains? Click here.
Want to learn more about how to be good humming bird host? Click here.
BIG NEWS! Our new video series, called Morgan's Nature Notebook, will explore wildlife, native plants, phenology, and natural history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In episode 1, Morgan Graham invites you to join him for a hike up Cache Creek.
Update: And the proof-reading award goes to our friend Patrick Wright for catching our typo...are your eyes as good as his? Can you find it too? Hey, we're scientists AND humans (and amateur videographers).
By Morgan Graham, GIS & Wildlife Specialist
If you’re anything like us, you’ve been savoring the opportunity to get out and scout for trout, meander for antlers, scour for flowers, prowl for owls, and eye fungi. As we wander far afield, we’ve been reacquainted with a far less desirable member of the natural world…ticks!! In a single day searching for sheds, our Associate Director, Carlin, recently found no less than a dozen ticks on his person. Well, what’s a body to do? Some of these tips are just plain common sense, however, we hope you uncover at least one new piece of information you can share with family and friends to help keep everyone healthy as we soak up the outdoors.
Classic tick habitat. Photo by Morgan Graham.
Wyoming has two species of ticks: Rocky Mountain wood tick (RMWT) and winter tick (WT). You are most likely to encounter RMWTs in Teton County between late April and early July. Activity decreases as vegetation dries out in the mid- to late- summer. Their populations are densest in shrublands, light woods, open grasslands, and trail edges. Adult ticks looking for a ride will “quest” -or-ascend to the tip of knee-high grasses or shrubs while extending and waving their front legs in an attempt to latch on to passersby. Although Lyme disease is not currently a concern in Wyoming, RMWTs are capable of transmitting several other significant maladies including tularemia, Colorado Tick Fever, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Now more than ever, we encourage everyone to take simple steps to mitigate the risk of tick-borne illness to yourself and your family, including domestic pets and livestock. 1) Treat clothing and gear with products containing at least 0.5% permethrin and/or repellents with at least 20% DEET or picaridin. If you aren’t comfortable with chemicals 2) Wear light-colored clothing that makes it easier to spot ticks 3) Wear gaiters -or- tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants 4) Make a habit of regular tick checks when out and returning from the field. Ask for help, or use a mirror, to check hard-to-reach places. 5) Do the same for children, pets, and stock. 6) Wash and tumble dry field clothes on high.
Rocky Mountain wood tick, photo by Morgan Graham
If you do find a tick that has embedded, bypass all the old tricks involving tape, Vaseline, or matches. Start by grasping the tick with fine-tipped tweezers as close to the skin surface as possible. Firmly and slowly pull straight up and away from the skin. Avoid squeezing the abdomen as it can cause the tick to inject pathogens into the bite site. Clean the site with rubbing alcohol and/or soap and water. Monitor the bite. See your doctor if you feel ill or develop a rash. Consider storing the tick in a sealed and dated container in the refrigerator if alive and freezer if dead, in case it is needed for future identification and testing.
While winter ticks are not known to transmit disease to humans, their environmental impact is not benign. In 1909, Ernest Thompson Seton, co-founder of the Boy Scouts of America, described the winter tick as a greater enemy of the moose than "wolves, bears, and cougars.” Winter tick larvae quest in large numbers in the fall, climbing to moose chest height, and attaching en masse to moose as well as elk, deer, mountain sheep, beavers, black bears, and coyotes. Moose are perhaps the least well equipped to remove ticks via self-grooming. Researchers have reported up to 100,000 ticks on a single moose in a season. Warmer and shorter winters are suspected for increasing numbers of winter ticks on the landscape. After developing from larvae to nymph to adult while attached to their host over the course of the winter, adult ticks detach in March or April. If adult females fall on snow, they die. If they fall on vegetation or soil, they lay thousands of eggs that hatch the following fall, and the cycle continues.
By Phoebe Coburn
World War II victory garden poster (image from Food and Drug Administration).
World War II victory garden poster (image from Boston Public Library).
Just over a hundred years ago, amidst the 1918 influenza pandemic and World War I, the “victory garden” was born. Twenty years later, during World War II, the U.S. government again rallied Americans to plant victory gardens to help alleviate food shortages and supplement rations. An estimated 20 million victory gardens were planted in backyards, on rooftops, and community green spaces across America. These plots produced about 9 to 10 million tons of food, or about 40 percent of the nation’s vegetables during that time. The effort was also considered a “morale booster” by empowering gardeners with a purpose during wartime, and rewarding families and communities and with fresh produce.
After the 2008 recession, victory gardens made a comeback. And they will again this growing season. Whether you’re new to gardening or you’re a green thumb hungry to learn more, the University of Idaho Teton County, Idaho extension is offering a free online Victory Garden course. The program was created to train individuals and families on how to “successfully plan, plant, harvest, prepare and preserve affordable and healthy food.” The self-guided class includes ten online sessions with videos, lectures, activities, and reading. The course is available to take at your own pace up until December 2020. There’s even a Facebook group where you can connect with fellow victory gardeners.
Ian McGregor, co-owner of Farmstead Cider and Farms, and Jennifer Werlin, Community Food Systems Extension Educator for the University of Idaho Teton County Extension, offered some tips on gardening in Jackson Hole. Our short growing season and wildlife (read: deer) can present unique challenges. Here are Ian and Jennifer’s tips for local gardeners:
Embrace the short season with hardy plants. The short growing season can be hard to get around without investing in an expensive greenhouse. Plant frost-tolerant greens, such as kale, chard, spinach, and arugula. Some veggies, like carrots, beets, and kale, thrive in cold weather and only get sweeter as the nights get colder in the fall.
A row cover can help extend your season without much cost. Using a row cover can help protect your germinating seedlings. Sow your seeds and then lay the row cover directly on the ground to help maintain even soil temperature and moisture.
Build a raised bed. Raised beds allow the soil to warm more quickly and can extend your growing season by weeks to months, especially if you use other season extension techniques like row covers, cloches, and cold frames. Plus, raised beds can help with weed and critter management.
Plant a little more densely than the packaging recommends. Ian likes to plant his veggies a little closer together than packaging recommends. This helps build a dense canopy quickly and will help soils stay moist that otherwise tend to dry out quickly in the intense Rocky Mountain sunshine. But, one thing to keep in mind with dense planting is that the plants will take up more nutrients, so adding ample organic matter is important. Jennifer adds compost to the top three to four inches of soil once or twice a year (spring and fall).
Start some seedlings inside and sow some directly into the ground. Ian likes to start some greens inside and sow some directly into the ground. “It’s like an insurance policy, if something doesn’t come up, I’ll have another crop,” he says. You can start head lettuces, kale, chard, and herbs in trays inside right now. In late April or early May, sow another batch of seeds straight into the ground. Parsley and dill take well to direct seeding outside, as well as cucumbers and peas. Root crops, like carrots, beets, and radishes, are best seeded directly into the garden. With real heat-loving plants, like tomatoes and eggplant, you can get a head start on the growing season by buying those as starts from a nursery. Jennifer has also had success planting her tomatoes from seed. She saves her favorite non-hybrid/open-pollinated tomato seeds that do well in our climate. She’ll then use “wall o’ waters” (another season-extender technique) and movable containers/planters, so the plants can be brought inside if there’s a mid-season frost.
Companion planting. Ian likes to mix certain veggies in the same row together. For example, mixing carrot and radishes is a good trick. The radishes germinate quickly, within just a few days, which helps mark your row so you can begin weeding without mistaking your baby veggies for weeds. The carrots can take around two weeks to germinate, at which point the radishes have grown quite a bit and provide the carrots with shelter. Then, as you begin to harvest your radishes, you’ll loosen the soil around the carrots, which the carrots like. Arugula and kale are also good companions.
Plant a crop later in the season too. Consider doing a second or third round of planting later in the season. Frost-tolerant leafy greens planted in July can make some good eating as late as October. This also gives you an opportunity to freeze or can some of your produce to enjoy over the winter.
Plant some low-maintenance perennials. Perennials, such as rhubarb, sage, thyme, oregano, lovage, and tarragon, grow well in Jackson and will come back with little maintenance year after year. You can also dry these herbs and enjoy them through the winter. Ian recommends considering where you plant your perennials wisely though, as they can be troublesome to work around when you’re tilling your soil.
Try smelly soap or an electric fence to deter deer. In the past, Ian has had some success deterring deer and elk for short periods of time by stringing chunks of a strong-smelling soap up around the perimeter of the garden. He says this can be a good tactic if you find that you only have problems with deer or elk a few days or weeks of the year as they’re migrating through your area. Another approach is planting deer-resistant veggies, like garlic and onions, around the perimeter of your garden. If you’re really struggling with uninvited guests in your garden, you might consider an electric fence.
We’d love to hear about your victory garden and share your photos on our social media pages throughout the season! Send your stories, gardening tips, and photos to phoebe@tetonconservation.org.
Professor Harry Nelson of San Francisco transplants some vegetables with his daughter and her Girl Scout friends, circa 1943 (photo from National Archives and Records Administration).
By Phoebe Coburn, Communications Specialist
Morgan Graham, Teton Conservation District’s GIS & Wildlife Specialist, started counting mule deer when he moved to Jackson in 2006. Since then, he has observed more than 3,650 deer over a series of 450 observations.*
Morgan Graham enjoying an afternoon counting mule deer.
Morgan now counts mule deer on the southern slopes of East Gros Ventre Butte about once a week. He records the number of deer observed, their activity (ex. eating or bedding), their approximate location, general weather, and other information. He compiles that data into a geodatabase, which can help us visualize where and how many deer are spending their time on the butte from year to year.
I tagged along with Morgan last week and we spotted 130 deer! Well, I spotted about 10 and Morgan spotted 120. I’ve lived in Jackson nearly my entire life, and the astounding part of this experience was that we didn’t have to hike anywhere or hide out in secret blinds—we spotted all 130 deer in under two hours from Morgan’s “very secret” observation stations: parking lots around town!
This Winter Mule Deer Observation Study builds upon efforts conducted by Biota Research and Consulting (from 1981 to 1992) and subsequently the Conservation Research Center of Teton Science Schools (from 2004 to 2009). With a recent perceived decline in mule deer populations, Morgan decided to pick the observation study back up again. “We have a general idea of the size of the Jackson deer herd based on Wyoming Game and Fish Department harvest counts, but those counts lump in animals from the Wyoming Range. This long-term dataset isn’t perfect. However, it gives us the best idea of the number of deer utilizing winter range adjacent to the town of Jackson,” said Morgan. So far this year, he’s counted 420 mule deer from the three in-town observation stations. The data hasn’t been analyzed yet, so we can’t draw any conclusions about the historical mule deer population trends, but Morgan says he hopes data products will help people understand the importance of honoring winter range closures (Don’t Poach the Powder bro!).
Winter deer observations on East Gros Ventre Butte. Circles buffered by total number of deer observed at each location. Largest red circle is an observation of 155 deer in December 1989…..most likely due to illegal backyard feeding.
Mule deer spotted through a scope.
I asked Morgan if he has any tips on spotting deer. He said he likes to slowly “paint” the butte with his scope or binoculars, methodically moving up and down and up again across the hillside. If you’d like to spot a mule deer in Jackson, you don’t have to go far! Take a moment to pause anywhere in town where you can see East Gros Ventre Butte. Using binoculars or a scope is definitely helpful, as is the fresh snow—it’s much easier to spot a deer on snow than bedded down in grass. Taking a moment to connect with nature close to home (while social distancing!) can help ease stress and cabin fever. Plus, it’s always nice to know that when you’re viewing wildlife from far away, you don’t risk disturbing them.
*Keep in mind that Morgan has likely counted the same individual deer more than once—the number of observed deer is different than the number of individual deer.
By Phoebe Coburn and Morgan Graham
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re highlighting a special kind of friendship: interspecies friendships.
This remote camera trap footage of a badger and coyote traveling through a culvert together was recently captured by the Peninsula Open Space Trust. The badger and coyote’s playful behavior is endearing—but their reason for being together has a purpose other than playtime. Badgers and coyotes have been known to hunt as a team—the Navajo passed along stories of the bond between badgers and coyotes for generations. In the early 1990’s, a badger biologist named Steven Minta observed that on our very own National Elk Refuge, more coyotes hunt with badgers than hunt alone, and coyotes with badger buds catch a third more ground squirrels than solo coyotes. Minta theorized that the relationship benefits both animals—a badger will flush rodents from their burrows to the coyote waiting above ground, or a coyote standing guard will send the rodents burrowing, right into a badger’s mouth. But, if the badger and the coyote were to have Facebook pages, their relationship status might be “It’s Complicated.” Coyotes also eat badger babies. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we can reflect on how two species who undoubtedly have their differences, are able to find common ground(squirrels) and work together.
Photo by Tom Koerner-USFWS
You may have seen pictures of oxpeckers riding on the backs of water buffalo, zebras, elephants, and giraffes. It’s nature’s quintessential display of a symbiotic relationship—the oxpecker gets a delectable tick meal, and the mammal is liberated of the parasite. But have you seen that magpies do the same for moose and elk here in Jackson Hole? This New York Times article illustrates just how troublesome ticks can be for moose and elk:
“They [ticks] clump together and infest by the thousands, remaining on a host all winter, expanding to grape size when fully engorged. They can drain all the blood from a moose calf, and are credited with giving the moniker ‘ghost moose’ to those that groom themselves hairless.”
Moose and elk who are willing to host their prattling magpie friends are rid of the festering ticks, and the magpies are rewarded with the perfect (para)site to hold a party. Yummy!
The tightest of all friendships might be the Clark’s nutcracker and whitebark pine—so tight they’ve been called “evolutionary soul mates.” One cannot flourish without the other.
Photo by Marshal Hedin
The whitebark pine, the majestic icon of the subalpine, rely on Clark’s nutcrackers to disperse their seeds. A single Clark’s nutcracker can pack up to 150 whitebark pine seeds under its tongue, and then fly throughout the Tetons and beyond, stashing the seeds for future meals. The forgotten caches grow up into whitebark pines.
Taza Schaming, who studied Clark’s nutcrackers as part of her Ph.D. at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, found that when the whitebark pine cone crop failed in 2011, 79 percent of the birds abandoned the study area in Bridger-Teton National Forest. Schaming also found that in years when the whitebark pines failed to produce cones, she couldn’t find any breeding nutcrackers the following spring. She theorized that the birds were in such poor condition after a season forgoing the nutritious whitebark seeds that they couldn’t breed, or they chose to skip breeding because they sensed tough times ahead.
Blister rust and mountain pine beetle outbreaks throughout the West are decimating whitebark stands, but it’s not just the Clark’s nutcracker that are hurting. Over 100 other species feast on the forgotten caches.
Lastly, of all these interspecies bonds, there’s one that’s very close to home. You! The most common interspecies friendships include humans and dogs, humans and cats, and humans and livestock. People have loving relationships with everything from chinchillas to yaks—but it’s not just domestic animals that we can develop bonds with. Here in Jackson, we relate to our wildlife neighbors in both positive and negative ways. This Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to appreciate how lucky we are to see wildlife in our backyard, and count yourself extra lucky if you spot some unlikely critters canoodling.
By Morgan William Graham, GIS & Wildlife Specialist
Do you love pouring over maps? Do you like reading the names of tiny lakes and creeks and imagining what seldom seen plants, rocks, and animals might be out there? Do you use a map and your imagination as motivation for launching a new adventure into the unknown? Have you ever wondered where all the water around us is coming from? Do you have an interest in collaborating with your community to improve water quality and management?
For the first time ever, you can look at a map of all the water in Teton County, Wyoming. Known as the Surface Water Inventory (SWI), the new map leverages all existing hydrographic data to accurately describe the name, location, and water rights associated with surface water in Teton County.
An overview of the SWI polygon (lakes, ponds, and reservoirs) network.
An overview of the SWI polyline (creeks, rivers, and ditches) network.
U.S. Geological Survey 1963 topographic map depicting water in Jackson, WY... we can do better!
Teton Conservation District prioritized the need for a detailed digital representation of water within Teton County to better inform surface water permitting, agricultural production, irrigation maintenance, water quality monitoring, flood prevention, land valuation, natural resource planning, stormwater mitigation, fisheries management, wetland and habitat assessments, recreation planning, and more. Prior to the release of the SWI, the names of some streams, ditches, and reservoirs and their associated water rights were a mystery. There was no singular avenue for efficiently identifying water right conveyances across Teton County. Knowledge of these features existed largely within the minds of private landowners, agency staff, and consultant project files. Up until now, there had been no justification or mandate to consolidate all naturally occurring and human maintained surface water into a single geospatial dataset. Users now have a shared tool to accurately describe all the natural and human-maintained surface water around them.
Deland Ditch scanned water right map c. 1900 acquired from SEO e-Permit Database.
It took Teton Conservation District’s Wildlife & GIS Specialist, Morgan Graham and GIS Technician, Chauncey Smith four years of work to create the SWI. Their process was extensive: They reviewed and digitized 3,319 maps. They conducted an exhaustive inventory of all existing hydrographic spatial data. They maximized aerial lidar to literally peer into the unmapped understory. They identified and evaluated 30 existing water datasets originating from a federal, state, and local sources. They obtained all available water right information from the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office e-Permit database. They generated hundreds of thousands of lines and polygons from scratch to achieve their desired accuracy.
Although the SWI is the most comprehensive representation of Teton County’s water resources, it is referred to as SWI version 1, allowing for future iterations and updates. Version 1 focused on naming waterbodies and irrigation conveyances on approximately 70,000 acres of private land in the heart of Jackson Hole. Teton Conservation District staff will continue to work with landowners, agency personnel, and consultants to refine the existing information and add new features as new data become available. Additional areas that will be added or improved in SWI version 2 include private lands in the Gros Ventre River drainage, the National Elk Refuge, and Grand Teton National Park.
The SWI is available to the public in Geodatabase, Google Earth, hard-copy, and web-based formats. Click here to explore the SWI.
SWI watercourses displayed atop bare-earth Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and hillshade.
By Carlin Girard, Water Resources Specialist and Associate Director
As a local governmental entity that in part focuses on water quality, Teton Conservation District is providing the following blog post to give context and further detail on the recent addition of Fish Creek and Flat Creek to the Draft Wyoming Impaired Stream List due to E. coli exceedances.
Primary contact recreation standards for E. coli, which have been exceeded in Fish Creek and Flat Creek, are intended to provide water quality that is safe for human contact by reducing the risk of human ingestion of fecal pathogens.
In 2017, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WYDEQ) completed summer E. coli sampling on Fish Creek, Flat Creek, and the Snake River. E. coli sampling is a routine sampling parameter that is used as a proxy for the risk of fecal contamination. The E. coli that was measured in this study is referred to as a ‘fecal indicator bacteria,’ which is very different from the pathogenic E. coli strain O157:H7 that often makes national news due to outbreaks. This is an important distinction because E. coli bacteria are present in the gastrointestinal systems of all warm-blooded animals, whereas pathogenic strains are far less common. Nevertheless, fecal contamination in water has been studied at length, and E. coli can be related to the likelihood of other fecal pathogens. As such, we use E. coli to measure the amount of fecal material entering waterbodies as a cheap and straightforward method of inferring the risk of ingesting pathogens.
Fecal contamination in water is a common water quality issue worldwide and can affect human health. The 2017 study was not the first of its kind here in Teton County. In 2003, an E. coli quantification study completed by Teton Conservation District was also accompanied by a study to help define where E. coli was originating from. The 2003 E. coli quantification shows that E. coli concentrations in Flat Creek have not changed much, but concentrations in Fish Creek have increased. So, what caused this increase?
Summarized results from the Teton Conservation District 2003 E. coli source tracking study, showing proportional loading of E. coli sources from samples collected.
Proportional loading of the human-oriented E. coli from 2003 sampling. Human-oriented sources consisted of less than 20% of the total E. coli contribution to the streams sampled in 2003.
In Teton County, addressing fecal contamination in streams is a somewhat complex issue. Teton Conservation District’s 2003 study showed that E. coli originated from a wide variety of sources and identified the proportional contribution of E. coli from different sources in both Fish Creek and Flat Creek. The study identified that over 50% of the total E. coli load originated from avian, rodent (think beaver and muskrat), and deer/elk. Furthermore, the 2003 study showed that of the E. coli found in the Fish Creek and Flat Creek basins, less than 20% of it originated from sources related to human activities; more specifically, 7% originated from dogs, 6% from wastewater, 4% from bovines, and 2% from horses. While these results reflect the significant proportion of E. coli contributed by wildlife, they have also prompted implementation of Teton Conservation District projects that directly mitigate fecal inputs to streams. Finally, the 2003 results demonstrate the importance of E. coli source data collection in order to identify the best route to reduce E. coli concentrations.
Our interest in source tracking of E. coli is also found at the state level—a recent Wyoming Water Research Program grant has initiated a University of Wyoming graduate student (Kelsey Ruehling) research project, which is already underway. With guidance from University of Wyoming professors Sarah Collins and Bledar Bisha, this study will use current genetic techniques to assess the sources contributing to E. coli concentrations in Fish Creek and Flat Creek from water samples collected in 2020 and 2021. Teton Conservation District considers this study an essential step in addressing the impairment that has been identified by WYDEQ. The ‘impaired’ status of Fish and Flat Creek’s due to E. coli concentrations is intended to recognize a potential human health concern, but it also establishes a route and access to resources to address the issue. Identifying the source of E. coli concentrations will allow the community to funnel State and Federal resources that are now available to where it matters most. In the meantime, pick up your dog poop.
Learn more:
TCD’s 2003 microbial source tracking study presentation (readers should note that WYDEQ E. coli standards have changed since this presentation was created)
WYDEQ’s Memo pertaining to E. coli data collection in Fish and Flat Creek
Anna sits with a mule deer doe after drawing blood. The orange mask covering the doe’s eyes helps them remain calm. Photo by Zach Andres.
Why do some mule deer migrate more than 150 miles annually while others migrate less than 30? Anna Ortega, a PhD student at the University of Wyoming, is studying the diversity of migratory strategies in a mule deer herd sharing a common winter range in the Red Desert of south-central Wyoming.
The portion of the Sublette Mule Deer Herd that Anna is studying exhibit three migratory strategies, including long-distance migration (~150 miles), medium-distance migration (~70 miles), and short-distance migration (<30 miles). Deer 255 migrates further than any mule deer in the herd; in 2018, she traveled 242 miles from her winter range in the Red Desert to her summer range near Island Park, ID. Her annual journey is the longest recorded mule deer migration, totaling nearly 100 miles further than some of the other long-distance migrants in the herd.
Dr. Matthew Kauffman, leader of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit, removes a GPS collar in order to download data. Photo by Zach Andres.
Although short-, medium-, and long-distance migratory strategies have been observed for several years, wildlife researchers are just beginning to understand how maintaining diverse migratory behaviors can increase the resiliency of the herd overall. In order to compare the costs and benefits of each migratory strategy, Anna and her team recapture collared mule deer on their winter ranges in the Red Desert every March and December. This year, Teton Conservation District provided funding to capture the 11 individual deer that spend the summer in Teton County and Deer 255 because she migrates through Teton County. To capture the deer, a helicopter team locates and transports the deer to the staging area, where the research team awaits. They collect blood and fecal samples, measure body weight, collect morphometric measurements (i.e., body length, body girth, metatarsus length), and determine a body condition score. Other measurements recorded include body temperature, heart rate, blood-oxygen saturation, and respiration rate. These variables can indicate how stressed the deer might be, and measurements are taken at least twice during processing to ensure the deer is not overly stressed. Each animal’s GPS collar is removed and its data are recorded. After replacing the collars on the deer, they are released back into the Red Desert.
Zach Andres, a field technician working for Anna Ortega, and Tanner Warder release a collared mule deer doe. Their heads are painted to ensure the helicopter does not recapture already processed deer.
Anna suspects that depending on the intensity of the winter and other weather-related and ecological factors, the costs and benefits of migration may shift among long-, medium-, and short-distance migrants from year to year. In some years, long-distance migrants might have higher overwinter survival or enhanced reproductive success; in other years, they might exhibit higher mortality in adults and fawns. Based on data from 2017-2018, medium- and short-distance migrants had higher fawn recruitment (meaning fawn survival) compared with long-distance migrants, which may suggest a tradeoff associated with the costs of migrating long-distances and having fawns on overall body fat. Long-distance migration is key to the productivity of ungulate herds, but many such movements are declining across the globe. These declines are primarily due to anthropogenic disturbances including fencing, roads, energy development, and other human activities that fragment habitat, sever migration corridors, and cause shifts in climatic conditions and forage availability. Not only is Anna’s study deepening our understanding of migration, but it will have applied benefits for conserving and managing migratory herds of mule deer across western Wyoming.
Teton Conservation District is proud to provide financial support to wildlife monitoring and research projects like this one. Teton Conservation District is accepting grant applications through our Partners in Conservation grant program. The deadline is 5:00 pm on January 31, 2020.
Ian McGregor oversees kitchen activities. Photo credit Morgan Buremmer.
This time of the year is all about celebrating the harvest. Here at Teton Conservation District, we’re celebrating a Slow Food in the Tetons program that empowers 3rd through 8th graders to grow their own gardens and cook for themselves and their family using sustainable, seasonal, non-processed, and nutrient-dense ingredients.
For the second year in a row, Slow Food in the Tetons offered four week-long Youth Farming and Cooking Camps last summer. The 48 students learned about sustainable food production, farm-to-table style cooking, and healthy and nutritious eating. Campers practiced hands-on skills such as planting, tending, and harvesting vegetables, milling whole grains, composting, and recipe creation and recipe deviation. Campers also developed an understanding of the social and environmental impacts of ingredient selection and how to support local small-scale agriculture.
Tending the garden. Photo credit Morgan Buremmer.
Scott Steen, Executive Director of Slow Food in the Tetons, said that he hopes that “the model of combining cooking with gardening will instill long-lasting skills and values that have the potential to influence how each camper navigates the kitchen and supermarket for the rest of their lives.”
Clean up time! Photo credit Morgan Buremmer.
While the primary focus of the camp was to create delicious meals using ingredients from the garden, cleaning up after meals was a close second. There were always dishes to clean! The outdoor kitchen featured a three-bay sink system using hot water from the house and cold water from the garden hose. The most popular position in the all-camper cleaning crew was operating the hose for obvious reasons...spraying other people! “It because a camp tradition on the hottest day of the week to do a one-song-dance-party using the garden hose on full blast as a microphone, twirling and spraying until everyone was soaked, cooled down, and ready to move onto the next cooking task,” said Scott.
Teton Conservation District is proud to support small-scale agriculture projects like this one. To explore funding opportunities, visit www.tetonconservation.org/grants-and-assistance. If you’re interested in enrolling your child in the Youth Farming and Cooking Camps or in an after-school cooking program, visit www.tetonslowfood.org for information. Scholarships are available.
Ian McGregor(left), Scott Steen (right), and Orion Bellorado (not pictured) taught the Youth Farming and Cooking Camps last summer. Photo credit Morgan Buremmer.
Celebrating the summer harvest. Photo credit Morgan Buremmer.
By Phoebe Coburn, Teton Conservation District Communications Specialist
CLC students lead the way to the new greenhouse.
Though snowflakes are flying down in the valley, a greenhouse in Rafter J is grasping for the last bits of the growing season. When you open the door to the Children’s Learning Center (CLC) greenhouse, the smell of soil and herbs is reminiscent of sunnier days.
The three- to five-year-old students aren’t bothered by the cold though, and are excited to show us how they water and tend to the hardy strawberries, cabbage, broccoli and herbs that have survived well into October. Over the past spring and summer, the students planted and cultivated all kinds of fresh produce in their greenhouse. With the help of Caleb, CLC’s chef, the little gardeners are also learning how to incorporate their harvest into their breakfasts, snacks and lunches. Or, they happily eat the veggies right off the stock. Broccoli and cauliflower were favorites this year, and when we went to visit, the kids were still nibbling on what was left of the broccoli.
Watering (and eating) the broccoli.
CLC’s Executive Director Patti Boyd writes, “As a result of the Rafter J greenhouse project, CLC teachers have made growing plants, learning about food and nutrition, and healthy lifestyles an even greater part of our spring and summer curriculum for all of our kids. We believe that early learning about plants, water and food, etc., is essential to ensure that our children are more invested in their need to take care of our environment and our natural resources as they get older.” Patti also explains that the greenhouse not only provides an opportunity to learn about sustainable food and healthy eating, but the process of planting and taking care of the garden also engages several developmental areas: social-emotional (working together, asking questions, solving problems), fine and gross motor skills (using tools, watering the plants, picking veggies), early math and science (measuring, pouring, counting, learning about plants), and language skills (new words, discussions about the veggies and food, talking to each other).
Carrying water to the greenhouse.
The greenhouse’s predecessor, the hoop house, collapsed under heavy wet snow in the winter of 2016. A group of parents and teachers came together to re-establish this powerful educational program. Instead of constructing another hoop house, they received grants from Teton Conservation District and the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole to construct a sturdier rigid-framed greenhouse. In-kind materials and labor were donated and volunteered by parents, Grow Huts (a local greenhouse manufacturer), Terra Firma Organics, MD Nursery, and students from Summit High School.
By Elyce Gosselin, Natural Resources Technician for Teton Conservation District
Teton County is filled with charismatic landscapes. When you think of this area, the first scene that may come to mind might be the beautiful Teton or Gros Ventre mountain ranges, a thick stand of golden aspens you’ve hiked or biked through in the fall, or the amazing rivers and creeks that can be found all around us. Another important piece of the landscape that isn’t quite as charismatic is the rangeland—the grasslands and shrublands that domestic livestock and wildlife utilize as important foraging grounds and habitat. Rangelands are ubiquitous across the western U.S., and they are important for both wildlife conservation and livestock production. Unfortunately, rangelands are also facing natural and human-caused threats, including human development, fragmentation, invasion by introduced plant species, overgrazing, and changing fire regimes from altered plant communities and global climate change.
Teton Conservation District and Y2 Consultants are embarking on a two-year project to improve knowledge of the rangelands in Teton County. Specifically, we will monitor cattle and horse grazing allotments in partnership with the Bridger-Teton National Forest and livestock producers that utilize public lands. As a part of this project, we will establish new trend monitoring sites in both riparian and upland areas and collect vegetation and soils data at long-term monitoring sites, allowing for trends in plant community composition to be recorded. This information will allow land managers to evaluate whether the objectives in the allotment management plans are being met.
The spring that appeared at the West Miners Creek monitoring plot.
This fall, Robb Sgroi from Teton Conservation District and Dr. Chuck Butterfield from Y2 Consultants began data collection at a few of the allotments that will be monitored. The monitoring site at West Miners Creek in the Gros Ventre drainage was especially interesting this year because a new groundwater spring has emerged since the site was last visited about eight years ago. One of our collaborators from the Bridger-Teton National Forest, rangeland ecologist Martina Keil, suggested that the newly detected spring is the result of geologic activity. The spring has altered the vegetation community near the spring rather dramatically—unexpected changes like this make field studies challenging—but after some discussion, we decided to continue monitoring at the same plot.
Dr. Chuck Butterfield examining soil from different horizons within the sample hole.
There are two main components of data collection at range monitoring sites: vegetation community characterization and soil characterization. To characterize vegetation, we use rooted nested frequency plots, which are designed to provide estimates of the abundance of each plant species. Soils are characterized using soil pits. For this sampling, a two-foot hole is dug and each soil horizon is identified, marked, and measured. Then the clay content, color, and effervescence (an indicator of carbonate compounds in the soil, which is measured by adding hydrochloric acid to the soil and observing the bubbles that form!) of each horizon are characterized. Soil characterization is important because soil serves as a medium for the growth of plants. How soil develops is influenced by an area’s climate, topography, the activity of organisms, and parent material (such as the bedrock in the area). The soils of an area are part of the larger ecological context and can help us understand what plant growth can occur and what land uses are suitable for an area.
Stay tuned for more updates from rangeland monitoring next summer!
By Phoebe Coburn, Communications Specialist for Teton Consevation District
Long-time Jackson resident Jean Ferguson is no stranger to wildfire. She grew up in Paradise, CA and lived in Thousand Oaks, CA for many years, both of which had devastating wildfires last year. The Woolsey Fire last fall forced Jean’s neighborhood in Thousand Oaks to evacuate. The home two doors down from hers caught fire. “All the firefighters were occupied,” she said. Luckily, another neighbor was a retired fire chief, and he was able to save the house and prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes.
This summer, Jean had to evacuate her Jackson home because of wildfire, twice. She has some advice on how to be prepared. First, in the months leading up to the two fires, Jean completed vegetation removal on her property. She cleared dead and down brush and branches, moved combustible materials away from her house, pruned branches away from her exterior walls and roof, and removed trees that were encroaching on her driveway (which will help firefighters safely access her home in the event of a fire). She completed this work with the help of Teton Conservation District’s Wildfire Risk Reduction Program. Jean received a free Wildfire Risk Overview, which is an on-site consultation to help homeowners make a plan for reducing wildfire risk on their property. Jean has had other evaluations like this in the past, but “none were as thorough” as the Overview that Teton Conservation District provided. She also liked that all of the recommendations were completely voluntary. Upon completing the recommendations she was willing to implement, Jean received a 50% reimbursement from Teton Conservation District for the cost of the vegetation removal.
In addition to preparing your home and property for wildfire, Jean emphasized the importance of having an up-to-date communication plan in place with your neighbors. In Jackson this summer, neighbors had trouble getting in touch with new renters in the area to warn them that they needed to evacuate. She also advised that it’s important to put some thought into what you would take from your home in the event you only have a few minutes to evacuate, like she did. Jean said, ”In California, we always had a list and knew exactly what we would put in the car.”
The photos below are not of Jean Ferguson’s home, but of another property that received a Wildfire Risk Overview and completed vegetation management work similar to Jean.
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By Elyce Gosselin, Natural Resources Technician for Teton Conservation District
The view from Huckleberry Hot Springs. Naegleria fowleri can be found downstream of hot springs, as well.
Jackson locals and tourists alike love to spend time in the hot springs around here, but what other organisms are spending time in those springs? A great team of hydrologists from the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center visits several times a year to try to figure out exactly that.
In July, I spent a couple of days with Peter Wright, Elliott Barnhart, and Megan Moss from the USGS collecting water samples at a few local hot springs. We visited Granite Hot Springs south of Jackson, as well as Polecat and Huckleberry Hot Springs in Grand Teton National Park, to sample for pathogens. Escherichia. coli (E. coli) and Naegleria fowleri (N. fowleri) DNA have been detected in the hot springs in the park. While some E. coli cause no harm to humans, some are pathogenic and can cause symptoms such as diarrhea when accidentally ingested. Naegleria fowleri, on the other hand, is rare but can be deadly.
This diagram created by the CDC shows the different life stages of Naegleria fowleri.
Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that can be found in warm freshwater. The amoeba prefers relatively high temperatures so it is commonly found in water bodies like hot springs, natural pools and ponds in warm environments, or even untreated water at water parks. When living in a water body, N. fowleri feeds on bacteria and yeast cells, so what makes it dangerous to humans? Well, if it somehow enters a human’s nose, N. fowleri can travel to the brain where it switches from harmlessly feeding on bacteria to feeding on brain tissue and immune cells. Unfortunately, this is difficult to diagnose because it can take days for symptoms to present and it’s highly rare. The result is very low rates of survival once infected.
Polecat hot springs in Grand Teton National Park.
How worried should we be about this brain-eating amoeba in Teton County? Well, its DNA has been detected in Huckleberry Hot Springs, Polecat Hot Springs, and Kelly Warm Spring in Grand Teton National Park. This doesn’t necessarily indicate that the amoeba is currently alive in the hot springs, but it does indicate that it has at least been present in the hot springs relatively recently. While a N. fowleri infection is unlikely, the previous park superintendent David Vela said that he would “highly encourage individuals to avoid contact with these waters”. If you do find yourself or your children lounging in some hot springs, the best way to prevent an infection is to avoid splashing, dunking, or any other activities that could potentially cause water to go up your nose.
Photos by Stuart Schiff/Jviation
The Jackson Hole Airport Board is holding a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on September 3rd at 2:00 pm at the Airport to celebrate the completion of the Underground Stormwater Detention and Filtration System. The new system will capture stormwater runoff from both the operational and public areas of the Airport. The system is designed to handle a 100-year storm event and will be the largest Advanced Drainage System in Wyoming. Governor Mark Gordon will be giving a public address and the Airport will be fueling planes with sustainable aviation fuel provided by Avfuel, a global supplier of aviation fuels and services.
The Jackson Hole Airport Board was able to support this voluntary project with the generosity of Teton Conservation District’s $60,000 grant. Carlin Girard, Teton Conservation District’s Water Resource Specialist said, “This is far beyond any local stormwater project from a size and treatment perspective, the level of treatment and quality of treatment is outstanding. Most systems plan for a 20-year storm event, the Airport went above and beyond by planning for a 100-year storm event.”
“Preserving this land and our environment are instrumental in recognizing that the Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial service airport within a national park. Projects like this one, along with many other environmental initiatives undertaken by the Airport Board, reflect the responsibilities that come from operating within this unique ecosystem. We are dedicated to being stewards of Grand Teton National Park,” stated Rick Braun, Jackson Hole Airport Board President.
Runoff will be fed into large chambers where it will be filtered through a biologically active “filter layer-cake” that builds up in the system over time, then through a layer of geotextiles, and finally through a stone foundation before being pumped back to the surface, minimizing sediment and hydrocarbons from entering the environment.
This project expands upon previous water quality efforts at the airport, including groundwater monitoring and installation of a Glycol recovery system. Teton Conservation District has worked extensively with the Town of Jackson to improve stormwater treatment and protect water quality, but this is the first time the District has worked with the Airport on stormwater. “It’s much larger than any stormwater project we’ve supported in the past,” Girard said. “We hope to use this project as an example of the types of partnerships we encourage, and we are looking to support projects like this that go above and beyond to protect natural resources.”
To further advance the Airport’s eco-conscious initiatives, an aircraft will be fueled with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) provided by Avfuel, a global supplier of aviation fuel and services, on September 3rd and 4th. SAF is a blend of conventional Jet A/A-1 fuel and synthetic blending agents, which meets the specifications of petroleum-based fuels (ASTM D1655). The final blended SAF product burns cleaner and provides a significant reduction in overall carbon emissions across its lifecycle, from production to flying.
By Robert Russell, Trout Unlimited and Teton Conservation District Intern
Robert with a “Trout Friendly Certified” lawn sign. Click here to certify your lawn and learn about your eligibility for a sign.
Had you asked me to name a single brand of fertilizer last week, I may have responded with a tentative, “Miracle-Gro?” However, I can now additionally name Scotts, Alaska, Espoma, Dr. Earth, Down to Earth, Jobe’s, and Whitney Farms. The only major change between last week and this week was becoming an intern at Teton Conservation District. Through this fantastic opportunity, I have been able to learn about, participate in, and help expand the Jackson Hole Clean Water Coalition’s (an entity consisting of various local conservation groups) Trout Friendly Lawns program, which urges local lawn-owners to become mindful of their ecological impact, particularly on local watersheds. A major component of this project is reducing over-fertilization, as excessive amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K) in waterways can damage the ecosystem, wildlife, and humans by encouraging an overgrowth of algae, biologically contaminating the water.
In an effort to aid the community, Teton Conservation District needed to be able to understand where organic, low nitrate, slow release, and other forms of fertilizer are sold in Jackson Hole… a perfect job for the intern. So, spreadsheet at the ready, I was whisked off to Ace Hardware to begin data collection. Two and a half hours later, Phoebe Coburn (the conservation district’s Communications Specialist and my supervisor) came to collect me in fears that I had been lost, arrested, or completely fried my brain. However, the only tragedy I had experienced was that there were far more types of fertilizer than I could have ever anticipated. So, after an evening of mental preparation, I was ready to finish the undertaking. My next day composed of the same tasks of registering name, price, weight, and N-P-K ratio of all available fertilizers; however, the task had now expanded to four stores in both Wilson and Jackson. Personally, through this difficult yet engaging project, I learned far more about fertilizer and other plant supplements through this project. For example, I learned that there are many fertilization options that have low N-P-K ratios, and that the valley has ready access to many of these options. When you are looking for an environmentally friendly fertilizer, look towards the bottom of the bag for a series of three numbers (for example: 20-27-5 or 5-4-5 ). These numbers indicate the N-P-K ratio. To comply with Trout Friendly Lawn practices, find a bag with low numbers, or a bag that says organic or slow release. Also follow the application instructions carefully and don’t apply more than two pounds of nitrogen for every 1000 sq. feet of lawn per year. Note that two pounds of nitrogen is not the same as two pounds of fertilizer (you might have to do a little mental math). Also, don’t fertilize within 20 feet of water. To learn more about Trout Friendly Lawns practices, and to certify your lawn as “Trout Friendly” click here.
During my fertilizer research endeavor, I also learned that many people are unaware of this issue, and thus organic or slow release fertilizer options are more frequently sidelined for other cheaper and quick-acting options. Yet, the kind and determined faces at both the JH Clean Water Coalition and Teton Conservation District will continue to publicize the issue, and urge our town to support its waterways, and thus ourselves.
