Collaboration of Course!

Part 1: It Starts with a Passion: The Funder’s Vision

Part 1 of 3 in the Annie Creek Conservation Story

In September 2025, a 94-acre property along Annie Creek in the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness officially completed its journey back to the wild, but the origins of that conservation journey started years earlier.

It began in December 2023, when Linda Donerkiel walked into the Payette Land Trust office and asked if PLT could help bring an idea to fruition. Linda, along with her brothers, wanted to conserve a piece of property in the memory of their father through the family’s foundation.

The family foundation was started in 1991 by their father, Steven C. Leuthold. Steven was a devoted philanthropist and passed his passion for positive impact on to his family. Today his children continue Steven’s legacy through projects that honor his vision for land conservation, environmental protection, human services and animal welfare.

The family wanted to conserve a property which would eventually bear the moniker of a Wilderness designation, something Steven loved. PLT said the organization was focused mainly on private land conservation but her passion for honoring her father’s legacy was compelling, PLT said they would look for a project.

PLT’s executive director Craig Utter, having worked locally as a USFS firefighter for 11 years, understood there may be a way to meet the passion of the Leuthold family and the mission of PLT by conserving a private inholding within the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness.

After a few phone calls to the Payette National Forest offices and investigating different properties, a potential project was found.

That opportunity appeared in the form of Annie Creek, a 94-acre private inholding on the edge of the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness. The property was for sale and though small, by wilderness standards, was a critical piece of the landscape. Being within ¼ mile of a public road, having past mining activity and historical motor vehicle access, it presented a risk of development. Unlike the surrounding wilderness, this private inholding had no legal protection guiding land use. Without intervention, it could have future development value through cabins, resorts, or industrial activities.

Every great conservation story begins with a passion, a vision born from a deep love of the land. For the Annie Creek project, that passion came from the Steven C. Leuthold Foundation. Steven’s daughter Linda, who is a trustee of the foundation, said

“Our Family Foundation has been committed to land conservation for over 30 years. The trustees are so grateful to have been able to collaborate with the PLT to continue our father’s vision and dedication to wilderness preservation.”

Purchasing Annie Creek would take it off the market and provide some protection, but getting the Wilderness designation is another story . . . which you can read about in Part 2.

Next in the series: Part 2: Bridging Local and National: PLT & The Wilderness Land Trust