162 acres conserved in Sublette County, Wyoming
The Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust and Maggie Miller have partnered to permanently conserve 162 acres in Sublette County. The 162 acres under conservation easement was originally owned by the Hammer-Reed family and was acquired by Maggie Miller to minimize future fragmentation of the ranch area already owned.
The conserved acres are directly adjacent to other WSGLT conserved properties and will bring the total acres conserved by Maggie Miller and Grindstone Cattle Company to over 18,000. Maggie’s desire to conserve the property rests in the agricultural and wildlife values inherent to the ranch, and a pressing need to prevent fragmentation due to development. “All of these conservation easements just make me so happy. This is something I enjoy doing and I’d like to keep this wonderful land the way it is,” Maggie said about closing this most recent easement.
The property is located between the Bridger Teton National Forest boundary and South Beaver Creek, a tributary to the Green River. It hosts an abundance of wildlife including sage grouse, raptors, lion, grizzly and black bear. It also provides habitat for Wyoming’s iconic large ungulates mule deer, antelope, elk, and moose. Most of the property is within a stopover area within the Sublette Mule Deer Migration Corridor, the longest known mule deer migration corridor in the world.
The conservation easement was fully donated by Maggie Miller, a tremendous charitable contribution and continuation of her conservation legacy. Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resource Trust supported project costs, WSGLT appreciates the continued commitment and partnership of WWNRT to conserving working agricultural landscapes in Wyoming. With the Hammer-Reed conservation easement completed, WSGLT hold conservation easements on more than 72,000 acres under conservation easement in Sublette County and over 285,000 acres statewide.
Tate Smith, WSGLT Conservation Director, commented on the closing of the project noting “Maggie’s dedication to conservation is admirable and we deeply appreciate her continued partnership. The Hammer Reed Place conservation easement will expand continuity and connectivity of wildlife habitat, while also protecting agricultural stewardship of this important landscape.”
