Projects

PLT’s main goal is to effect permanent conservation of land within our working areas through voluntary cooperation with landowners. The majority of PLT projects take multiple years to complete. From the first meeting to the final recording of an easement, PLT takes the time to make sure all parties involved are working together voluntarily and striving for a collective outcome which puts conservation at the heart of the project.

Current Projects

Agricultural Land Easements (ALE)

Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) help land trusts protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements. PLT’s mission is to conserve the rural landscape of West Central Idaho, and currently Idaho is losing agricultural ground at an alarming rate. Conserving agricultural ground conserves our local heritage, open spaces and wildlife habitat. PLT is currently working with farmers and ranchers on three ALE easements and has two more applications pending.

Cougar Island Taskforce (United Payette)

PLT is a steering committee member of United Payette. UP believes Cougar Island will be put to public auction by the Idaho Department of Lands sometime in 2022. Currently the island has five parcels defined on the property, with one residence. At this time UP’s primary goal for Cougar Island is to conserve it in its present state. The job of the Cougar Island Taskforce is determine the best possible way to achieve this goal under a variety of possible scenarios.

Art + Conservation

Art can convey messages too complicated to capture with just language. Art can not only tell a story, but inspire! Through PLT’s Artist in Residence and Conserving the Heart of Idaho projects we combine art and conservation to bring awareness of PLT and land conservation, add beauty to our community and spark meaningful conservation conversations.

Voices from the Land

PLT’s Voices from the Land brings writing and conservation together.

One example of this union is “Writing the Land,” a collaborative outreach project pairing land trusts with poets. PLT is proud to be a part of the recently released book, Writing the Land: Currents featuring poems by CMarie Fuhrman written for the South Fork Ranch and Huffman properties.

Past Projects

Payette Riverwalk Alliance

As Idaho, Valley County and the City of McCall continue to grow, public access to the North Fork of the Payette River is limited by private property development along the river corridor. This unique project utilized a private purchase to secure 44 acres of riverfront property from development. The buyers donated a conservation easement on the property to protect wildlife habitat and reduce the price, allowing for the community to purchase the land for public fishing and recreational opportunities in perpetuity. A community-wide funding effort was completed by local homeowners and conservation organizations and was combined with other sources to help in the acquisition of the property so that it is permanently protected from development, open to the public and will serve as a wildlife viewing and fishing area for years to come.

Idaho Climate-Economy Impacts Assessment

PLT’s executive director is a member of the advisory committee. The Idaho Climate-Economy Impacts Assessment connects the latest scientific research on Idaho’s changing climate with economic risks and opportunities that impact businesses, residents and local and state economies.With the participation of researchers and subject matter experts representing Idaho universities and colleges, businesses, nonprofits and tribal and other governments, the findings from the assessment help Idaho plan for a productive, resilient future.