Recreation
“A lot of the game that we find so valuable relies on private lands to grow them, to provide them the habitat, the winter range that they need.”
Nate Helm, Executive Director, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife Idaho
Idaho is a state renowned for its outdoor recreational possibilities. The open space, rural character and abundant wildlife all contribute to the recreational experience. Private lands are vital to conserving what makes Idaho special.
Landowner incentives would help protect lands that contribute to outdoor recreation.
Consider how conservation easements on private lands have already contributed to recreation:
The South Fork of the Snake River, in eastern Idaho, flows through a dramatic canyon where bald eagles, 
moose, elk, swans and other wildlife are frequent sightings.Anglers come to experience one of the finest cutthroat trout fisheries in the country, and floaters enjoy the stunning scenery. At one time, the land along this wild canyon was slated for housing and resort developments and even a golf course.But conservation easements ensured that the area remain working ranches and open space.
Around the state, big game animals rely on private ranchlands, farmlands and forestlands for winter range, fawning habitat and migration paths. Without these lands, big game populations would plummet. Idaho is one of the few Western states where hunter can still buy over-the-counter mule deer and elk tags. By protecting private land habitat, those hunting opportunities can remain.
Silver Creek, located in southcentral Idaho, is renowned for its world-class fly fishing as well as birding, 
wildlife viewing, hunting and canoeing. The stream that you see now isgoing to stay that way, thanks to conservation easements donated by 22 landowners along the stream. These easements, which protect nearly 10,000 acres, ensure that almost the entire stream is protected from unplanned development.It protects the clean fish populations and abundant wildlife that makes Silver Creek a destination for both local sportsmen and anglers from around the world.
photography: the nature conservancy / kirk keogh / kirk keogh
