Soldier Ridge Trail - A formal dedication marking the completion of the trail will take place during the upcoming Biketoberfest, October 12th. In the meantime, final gravel and signage is taking place along the western 1/2 of the trail, which remains open for use.McMeans Conservation Subdivision - This project has one final hurdle to clear before being ready to close. We’ll be in Dayton Oct. 2 for a water-rights public hearing. Look for an update later this fall. Clear Creek Conservation Easement - This project is ready to close pending confirmation from the NRCS-Farm and Ranch Protection Program. We continue to wait patiently for final approvals.New Projects - Since July, we have visited with seven landowners to discuss conservation projects. Also, we plan to submit a recreation proposal to the BLM and USFS later this fall.

Dear Friend,

We had a great summer and hope you did too!

If you haven’t run into Claire Hobbs, SCLT’s Communications and Development Associate yet, where have you been? Claire has been out and about in Sheridan County, increasing SCLT’s visibility and presence in our communities while switching out SCLT’s homing pigeons and typewriters for more applicable and cost-effective 21st century communication technologies. If you have expressed any interest in the past to volunteer on behalf of SCLT, you can expect a call or email from Claire soon, as she plans to improve coordination of SCLT’s many appreciated and under-utilized volunteers among the many other projects she is undertaking.

As always, we need your help to spread the word about SCLT’s contributions in Sheridan County. Please take a few minutes to read through this newsletter, then pass it along to someone else who might be interested in SCLT projects like the Tongue River Initiative (pg 2). We work hard to preserve open spaces, historic sites, and wildlife habitat while increasing public access to recreation. If you believe that what we do makes a positive impact on the health of our communities, please encourage your friends and neighbors to join as annual supporting members so that our work can continue forward well-funded.

Feel free to drop by our newish office at 52 S. Main St. to say hello!

Colin Betzler, Executive Director

Summer Highlights

Special thanks to Tracey and Renny Burke for hosting the Big Goose Ranch Picnic and allowing us to tout our efforts at their neighborhood get together. If you are interested in hosting a similar event, we’d love to hear from you! Also thanks to the entire Wallick family and the Bomber Mountain Cycling Club for partnering with us to host the first-ever Tour de Big Horn bike ride.

Mike Evers

Fall Edition 2013

Claire Hobbs,Communications & Development Associate

In case you missed it...

Left – Don Crecilius and daughter Cora Crecelius enjoy some solitude during the Tongue River float.

Right - In July, ‘Up With People’ helped SCLT with erosion control on Soldier Ridge Trail.

Below – The first Tour de Big Horn in August was a great way to spend a Saturday morning!

SCLT’er Dan Rieder stands next to the Soldier Ridge Trail register he built and installed. Please sign-in the next time you’re on the trail to help SCLT quantify trail use for future grant requests on similar projects.

SCLT’ers enjoy an early morning hike on Soldier Ridge Trail. Left to Right – Sally Morton, Margie Taylor, Lee Helvey, Jeanie Wallop Carnarvon, Ann Hart, and Betsy Denison.

THE TONGUE RIVER INITIATIVE

In August, SCLT in partnership with the Sheridan County Conservation District (SCCD) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and with an endorsement from Sheridan County’s Commissioners, formally launched the Tongue River Initiative (TRI). This partnership is designed to focus attention and create momentum for voluntary conservation measures on land within the Tongue River watershed. TRI’s formal mission is to maintain and increase agriculture’s beneficial impact to our communities, landscape, and economy through improving and retaining the agricultural character, wildlife habitat, and natural aesthetic values of the Tongue River valley.

TRI developed a landowner resource guide (pgs 10-11 excerpted below) consolidating information for landowners regarding conservation entities and programs that offer assistance and support to agricultural businesses. The guide was sent to 240 landowners with at least 10 acres of property within 2 miles of the Tongue River in Sheridan County.

In less than a month, TRI’s guide has generated multiple inquiries and several new projects are now in the initial planning and vetting stage. These potential projects include riparian fencing, septic remediation, purchased conservation easements, and stream-bank stabilization work.This is an exciting chapter for conservation in the Tongue River valley and SCLT is proud to have initiated this new strategy.

 Support SCLT and you could win this bike >>>>>>>>>>>> Re-new your annual support for SCLT or sign-on as a New Annual Supporter and we’ll enter you in the raffle! Drawing to be held during Biketoberfest awards ceremony, though you do not need to be present to win (but we hope you will be ).

Every dollar you give to SCLT is put to work towards tangible landscape protection, historic preservation, and creating new recreational resources for our communities in Sheridan County.

We’re worth your support! Just ask any of our 175+ Annual Supporters what they like about SCLT’s work and you’re likely to get a variety of great reasons! Give  online  at      www.sheridanclt.org/donate  or  send  your  gift  to:            

        SCLT             P.O.  Box  7185             Sheridan  WY  –  82801                                         $50  -­‐  $100  -­‐  $250  -­‐  $500  -­‐  Other______    

Haro Projekt Bike

Bike provided courtesy of

Join us Oct. 12

biketoberfest.weebly.comfacebook.com/biketoberfest