Historic Ranch Lives On

Working with Partners Achieves Conservation of Key Property

PINEDALE, WY— July 9, 2007— The Green River Valley Land Trust (GRVLT) formally closed the Double Bar E Ranch project with the Murdock family on July 12, 2007. The conservation easement safeguards one of Sublette County’s agricultural, ecological and historic treasures. Stan Murdock’s grandfather homesteaded the ranch in 1889 and his descendants have operated it ever since. Today, the ranch supports a healthy cow-calf operation and—as evidenced by a recent generous grant from Wyoming's Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust—boasts some of the best wildlife habitat in the county.

A key contributor to the project, The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming invested funds granted by the late Gladys Moulton toward the conservation of this historic ranch. As the Conservancy's Wyoming Executive Director Andrea Erickson Quiroz explained, “Gladys loved her land and the ranching way of life. I feel strongly that were she here today, she’d be so proud to support a fourth generation rancher who shares these values and is a good steward of the land. In memory of Gladys, we at The Nature Conservancy are thrilled about this project—it brings together our mission to preserve wild, working landscapes and the vision of a woman who loved Wyoming.”

In response to the Conservancy's tremendous generosity, GRVLT Board President John Andrikopoulos said, “Our thanks go to The Nature Conservancy Board and Staff for their willingness to step forward and set an example by joining with us on this important project. Their ability to see the need to collaborate was a powerful tool in leveraging gifts from other donors. We couldn’t have done this without them.”

Andrea Erickson Quiroz, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming, signs onto the Murdock conservation easement project with Green River Valley Land Trust's Board President John Andrikopoulos. Photo © GRVLT

The Conservancy joins the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Tom Thorne Sage Grouse Conservation Fund, numerous individuals, families and foundations, and USQ representing local industry in contributing to the GRVLT to complete the purchase of this easement.

“We’re thrilled not only to have completed this important project, but to have done so in collaboration with so many. Conserving places like the Double Bar E Ranch takes a critical mass, and we are grateful for all of the support the GRVLT received.” Lara Ryan, GRVLT Executive Director, went on to say, “The Double Bar E Ranch is just one example of the tangible, on-the-ground results that are possible through partnerships.”

The Green River Valley Land Trust is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting landowning families of the area in the conservation of agricultural, ranch, and natural lands in order to sustain and protect open spaces, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and other ecological values for today’s inhabitants and as a legacy for future generations. Since 2000, GRVLT has worked with more than 35 families to conserve nearly 20,000 acres of working ranchland, wildlife habitat and open space in Sublette County.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.