District 4
Sheridan and Johnson Counties
HF Bar Conservation Easement
December 2010. The HF Bar Ranch north of Buffalo is one of the premier guest ranches in the nation, and this easement will restrict development on nearly 1,900 acres of habitat for deer, elk, upland game birds and fisheries. This area joins several thousand acres of the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission’s’ Bud Love habitat unit.
Soldier Creek Ridge Conservation Easement
December 2010. An innovative easement on approximately 1,000 acres of native grassland habitat west of Sheridan will maintain open lands and habitat for sharp:tailed grouse, while maintaining transition range and migration routes for deer and antelope.
Red Roost Riparian Habitat
June 2010. Stream restoration project will include fencing and grazing management to improve habitats for turkey, pheasants, Sharp:tailed grouse, deer, and aquatic species on Little Piney Creek in Sheridan County.
Beckton Ranch Easement
December 2009. Conservation easement on a large portion of one of the most historic ranches in Sheridan County. This easement includes essential habitats for Sharp:tailed grouse, mule deer, elk, and grassland birds. This easement is also intended to maintain the agricultural integrity of a large ranch. This is a large project and will require legislative approval. Photo courtesy of Sheridan Travel and Tourism.
Tongue River: Padlock
June 2009. This project involves the rehabilitation of several miles of the Tongue River by removing car bodies, concrete, tires and other riprap, and re:establishing natural stream function through placement of stream structures and other methods. The project will expand to include food plots and wetlands to increase nesting success of game birds and other avian species. The Tongue River watershed is habitat to brown, brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout as well as other species of fish.
South Fork Tongue River II
June 2009. Stream restoration on the South Fork of the Tongue River west of Sheridan. This is expansion of previous efforts to enhance fisheries habitats and reduce soil loss on the Bighorn National Forest, and provides better cover for fish in a highly:used public fishing area.
Seven Brothers Sagebrush
June 2009. Treatment of invasive species, re:seeding with native plants, and livestock management to improve habitats for Sage:grouse in northern Sheridan County.
Kusel Ranch Easement
December 2008. Conservation easement on approximately 1,100 acres in Sheridan County, with important habitats for songbirds, Sharp:tailed grouse, pheasants, turkey, deer and other species.
Kendrick Dam Bypass
December 2008. Fish passage bypass on Clear Creek in Sheridan County, to allow spawning for native warm:water species of fish, and to improve irrigation efficiency and water delivery to local ranches.
Sheridan River Walk
December 2008. Restoration of habitats and stream function on Goose Creek within the City of Sheridan. This is the first urban waterway project funded by the Trust program.
Total Project Cost: $300,000WWNRT Funded: $75,000Sponsor: Downtown Sheridan Association
Clarendon: Morrison Conservation Easement
June 2008. This conservation easement will protect 310 acres of private land from development. This area is habitat for deer and elk, but is especially important to native upland game birds like Sharp:tailed grouse and Sage:grouse.
Sheridan County Diversion Rehabilitation
June 2008. This project involves the rehabilitation and replacement of four existing irrigation diversion structures. This, in turn, will promote upstream fish passage and survivability. The Tongue River watershed is habitat to brown, brook, rainbow and cutthroat trout as well as other species of fish.
Lake DeSmet Grasslands
December 2007. The first phase of this grassland restoration project was funded in 2006 and treated 143,000 acres in Johnson County. Additional funding in 2007 will add 91,000 acres for a total treatment area of 234,000 acres. Treatments are aimed at stimulating grasslands and sagebrush communities, primarily to enhance Sage grouse and grassland bird habitats.
South Fork Tongue River
June 2007. Stream restoration on the South Fork of the Tongue River west of Sheridan. This is expansion of previous efforts to enhance fisheries habitats and reduce soil loss on the Bighorn National Forest.