Community Counts: Friends of the Teton River

For twenty years, Friends of the Teton River (FTR) has worked with local partners on projects to improve water resources through practical, community-focused solutions. Thanks to a best-in-class staff, dedicated partners, and our committed and generous benefactors, we have been able to realize tremendous success in river and stream conservation, collaborative conservation, community education, cutting-edge fisheries research, and native fish restoration. Together with you, we have made things happen that seemed like impossible dreams when we began in 2001.

Building on this legacy and expanding our positive impact takes commitment and focus.  It takes science, creative thinking, and the ability to build trust and strong partnerships across groups that sometimes see each other as problems rather than solutions.  It takes our committed and generous community, who shares these values. 

With a clear vision, we enter the next two decades poised to create even more lasting impact. The core of our mission is to implement practical on-the-ground solutions to improve our watershed with and for our community. This year, your Tin Cup gift will help support priority projects that have been developed with local partners that:

• Expand habitat for native cutthroat trout. FTR and irrigation partners are restoring flow and connecting habitat in the vast Canyon Creek drainage for spawning native cutthroat trout.
• Restore streams and reduce flood risk. We are working with homeowners, landowners, and local government to restore healthy stream function on Teton Creek and the upper Teton River. 
• Increase water availability. Our aquifer recharge and irrigation infrastructure improvement efforts increase water availability and flows for people and fish. 
• Connect with stakeholders. We bring together scientists, farmers, anglers, and community members to build collaborative, on-the-ground solutions to watershed issues in a changing climate.
• Promote stewardship. We are working with local government, state agencies, businesses, and river users to create a community-driven plan for responsible Teton River recreation and stewardship.

We are excited about what lies ahead. We are confident that we will continue to build upon our first twenty years, and that the return on your investment – in our watershed and our work – will continue to grow year after year, creating a legacy of clean water, healthy streams, and a thriving wild fishery that outlasts us all.