Letter from the Director
Dear Friends,
I hope this report finds you well and happy. Together, we have weathered yet another year of challenges, from the global pandemic, to a summer of heat and smoke, to a devastating drought. Given our changing climate, these challenges are likely to be increasingly common in the years to come. But at The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming, we are meeting the challenges head on with skill, innovation, science, and a passion for keeping Wyoming Wild and Working.
This report provides a quick snapshot of some of our efforts over the past year, all of which are thanks to you. In the coming months, we’ll begin implementing a new strategic plan that will set the course for the next five years. As in the past, it is an ambitious plan, but with your continued support, I’m confident we will achieve our goals and more.
One way you can be part of our success is with a gift to our Wyoming Wild & Working fundraising initiative during its final weeks. Learn more in this report or at nature.org/wyomingwild.
I thank you all for your friendship and partnership in conservation and send best wishes for the coming year.
—Hayley Mortimer
Safer Passage
The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming’s Director of Science Dr. Corinna Riginos continues to be a leading force in scientific research and action to reduce collisions between wildlife and motor vehicles. These accidents result in millions of dollars in injuries and property damage, as well as a substantial loss of wildlife. Equally important, roads reduce habitat “connectivity,” the natural links between the places wildlife must move to feed, breed, and rear their young—places they need to survive and thrive in often-changing conditions.
Riginos is an invaluable resource for public agencies and other organizations. For the past eight years, she has worked with partners, including Wyoming’s Departments of Transportation and Game and Fish, to identify and prioritize planning around the state’s busiest, and often deadliest, big-game road crossings. Her work is paying off by increasing visibility of the problem and new federal funding possibilities for solutions such as roadway over- and underpasses. This spring, she took the lead in organizing the successful Wyoming Wildlife and Roadways Summit. She is now preparing an updated package of numbers, maps, and other useful resources for land and transportation managers—since much of the information being used now is five years old.
Need a guide?
Download our brand new Wyoming preserve guide to help you decide which preserves to visit next year!
Wyoming Preserves
It’s not too early to start thinking about your spring adventures—even if it’s just from your armchair. To pique your interest, check out our beautiful WY Preserve Guide.
Facing a Drier Future
This summer’s drought, record heat, and wildfires are graphic reminders of how our future is shaping up in the face of a changing climate. The persistence of intense drought in much of the West is taxing our water supplies more and more each year—especially in the overworked Colorado River system. There is an urgent need for conservation and restoration efforts, and everyone will need to pitch in to develop creative solutions.
TNC’s Director of Southwest Wyoming Programs Jen Lamb was tapped by the Governor’s office to serve on a working group assessing the challenges facing the Colorado River and Wyoming’s potential role in addressing them. One possible solution, known as “demand management,” would compensate users for making temporary and voluntary reductions in their water consumption. To better understand this concept, TNC teamed up with the University of Wyoming’s Agricultural Economics Department to study the potential economic impacts of this approach if Wyoming adopted it.
In the meantime, our stewardship and science teams continue to help expand the use of nature-based restoration techniques, such as beaver dam analogs (which slow the flow of water and spread it across the landscape), to make the Wyoming headwaters of the Colorado River more resilient in the face of our changing climate.
Greening the Fleet
After much anticipation, a beautiful, new, all-electric Rivian pickup has joined the fleet at our Wyoming preserves. We are one of four TNC chapters to receive a truck for use at our preserves. Rivian vehicles are inherently quieter than conventional trucks, are equipped to handle the most challenging off-road conditions, and produce no tailpipe emissions, making them well suited as research vehicles in sensitive ecological areas. Wyoming is an ideal place to put the pickup through its paces, and we will share the data we collect to help Rivian enhance the performance of its off-the-beaten-path vehicles.
More Solar for TNC Properties
We already had a 53-panel solar array helping to power the Lander office, and now we’ve added another 48 panels—doubling our capacity to use this clean, renewable source of energy. The expanded rooftop structures should allow us to fulfill 80 percent of our electrical energy needs at the headquarters. We are thankful for a generous grant from the Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky renewable energy program and for a private donor who contributed the funds to complete the project.
In addition, we started installation of a solar electric system at the Tensleep Preserve in October. The system will provide most of the preserve's power needs, including charging the new all-electric Rivian truck.
Take a Listen!
Folks looking for a fun outing close to Lander might want to enhance the experience with a new audio tour of The Nature Conservancy’s Red Canyon Ranch Preserve. The TravelStorys audio tour includes 10 waypoints and takes about one hour to complete. The GPS-triggered stories play as you drive; in some places, the tour encourages you to briefly stop your car to listen and observe points of interest. You do need to download the free app and the tour before you are out of cell or wi-fi range, but once you‘ve done that, you’ll be ready to explore!
Keep Wyoming Wild & Working
It’s difficult to imagine that Wyoming could ever lose its bounty of natural beauty and resources. Yet, development, drought, fire, and invasive species increasingly threaten the health of our native habitats and the future of our iconic wildlife and way of life. Thankfully, there is time to push back against these threats. With our focus on resilient lands, healthy waters, securing the future of conservation and organizational excellence, The Nature Conservancy has the people, tools, expertise, and experience to meet our goals and achieve conservation success that stands the test of time. But we can’t do it without you.
We are now in the final stretch of our Wyoming Wild & Working fundraising initiative, and we hope that our work inspires you to make a gift to support it. Learn more at nature.org/wyomingwild.
Your new or increased gift by December 31, 2021, may qualify to be matched by the “Together for Wyoming Matching Fund.” This $1-million fund was created by 10 of our current and former trustees to incentivize new and increased unrestricted gifts to TNC Wyoming and accelerate our pace of conservation. To learn more, contact Erica Wood at erica.wood@tnc.org or 973-919-9629 (mobile).
Shoot Us Your Shots
We are excited to launch a Nature Conservancy in Wyoming Instagram account. Please share all your wonderful photos as you travel around our beautiful state. Find us at @tnc_wyoming.
Conservation Chats
Keep up to date on our latest work and meet staff and partners during our regular Conservation Chats. We look forward to seeing you and hearing your thoughts and questions. Watch for upcoming Chats at nature.org/events!
Financial Results
July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021
Revenue
FY21 Operating Revenue: $4,669,118Contributions 74
Investment Income 17
Grants, Contracts, Other 9
Test 1 0
Test 2 0
Programmatic Efficiency
FY21 Operating Expenses: $3,915,531Conservation 76
Gen & Administration 10
Fundraising 14
Test 0
Test 1 0
The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming statement of Financial Position
| Assets | As of June 30, 2020 | As of June 30, 2021 |
| Cash and Investments | $3,621,596 | $8,331,544 |
| Endowment Funds | $17,740,508 | $21,436,355 |
| Land Assets | $179,431,959 | $177,186,582 |
| Other Assets | $3,324,336 | $2,023,664 |
| Total Assets | $204,118,399 | $208,978,145 |
| Liabilities | $2,016 | $31,043 |
| Net Assets | $204,116,382 | $208,947,102 |
| Total | $204,118,399 | $208,978,145 |
Board of Trustees
| Lenox Baker | Dennis Knight* | Deborah de la Reguera |
| Frank Bonsal* | Ken Lay | Adair Stifel |
| Indy Burke | Kathy Lichtendahl | Margie Taylor |
| Steve Buskirk | Mayo Lykes | Paul Ulrich |
| Barron Collier* | Chris Madson | Doug Wachob |
| Richard Davis, Jr.* | Reid Murchison | Fred Whiting* |
| Mark Doelger | Peter Nicolaysen | Page Williams |
| Frank Goodyear, Jr. | Gilman Ordway* | David Work |
| Doug Gouge | Anne Pendergast | Anne Young* |
| Mary Hayes |
Wyoming Donors
We couldn't achieve our conservation success without you! The following donors made gifts/pledges to the Wyoming program or live in Wyoming and made gifts / pledges to other TNC programs between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021.
$1,000 +
Anonymous (15) • The A.C. & Penney Hubbard Foundation, Inc. • Lynn & Steve Achter • Alison & Richard Jones Pass-Through Fund • Cathy & Daniel Aldrich • Antler Foundation • Paul Asper & Nancy Weidman • Gail & Dana Atkins • William & Terri Baas • Patricia & Daniel Baker • Dr. Frances & Dr. Lenox D. Baker Jr. • Dorothy Baker • Morris Baller & Christine Brigagliano • Lynne & James Bama • Dr. Janice & Peter Barry • Lisa & Thomas Bernard • Robert & Carol Berry • Peter R. Boerma • Lorraine Bonney • Dr. Donald W. Boyd (deceased) • Stephen B. Brumbach • Thomas Brundage • Elizabeth & Dr. Steven Buskirk* • James Campbell • Lisa Carlin • Ann & Charles Catlett • Anita Cervenak • Janet J. Chambers • Connie E. Chapman • Chemtrade Refinery Services Inc • Barron G. Collier II* • Community Foundation of Jackson Hole • Hanni Cordes & James McCluskey • Ann & F.J. Cornwell, Jr. • Paul B. Cors • Eva Crane • Verena & Roderick Cushman • Ginger & James Dager • Sally C. Dieterich • Mary Anne* & William Dingus • Mark* & Nancy Doelger • David and Sarah Doll • Nancy & David Donovan • Mr. & Mrs. Trent Doyle • Anne & Charles W. Duncan, Jr. • Andrea Erickson Quiroz* & Joseph Quiroz • Kim Evezich • John Freeman • Friends of the Bridger-Teton • Bob Giurgevich • Sheryl & Charles Glade • Elizabeth & Frank Goodyear, Jr.* • Lee Grace, Jr. • Greater Yellowstone Coalition • Merrily & Glenn Gumpel • Wendy Haas & Daniel Jago • Ralph & Louise Haberfeld • Susan Halling • Jan K. & Kevin S. Hart • Mary* & William Hayes • Mr. & Mrs. Mike Healy • Caren Hendren • Eric K. Huber • Paula* & George Hunker • Erika Pearsall & Edgar D. Jannotta, Jr. • Mr. & Mrs. Robert Keith, Jr. • Mary Lou & Richard Klene • Paul H. Klingenstein & Kathy Bole • Judy & Dr. Dennis Knight* • Knobloch Family Foundation • Brian Kuehl & Michelle Sullivan • Lander Community Foundation • Kathryn & Robert A. Lansing • Tom Laurion and Kathy M. Firchow • Mary Jo & Timothy Lavin • Gloria & James Lawrence • Kenneth G. Lay & Alessandra Iorio • Jeanne Leske • Margaret & Henry Lester • Ken & Kathy* Lichtendahl • Colleen G. Livingston • David & Catherine Loevner • Paul Lonac & Peggy Keigher • Dawn & John Lotshaw • Kathleen M. Lowry • Deborah Lucas & Rick Snider • Mayo & Susan Lykes • Virginia & Jonathan A. Madsen • Barbara L. Magin • Patricia B. Manigault • Jacomien Mars • David Marsh • Steven & Kathleen McDonald • Kristine & Richard McGuire • Dr. William McIntyre • Meg and Bert Raynes Wildlife Fund • Susanna & David S. Meyer • Mrs. Catherine & Dr. Francis Middleton • Susan & Bradley Mohrmann • Hayley Mortimer* & Greg Findley • Linda* & Reid Murchison III* • Sara Murray • Janie & Austin Musselman, Jr. • Rex C. Myers & Susan L. Richards • Nancy-Carroll Draper Charitable Foundation • Rita Neill* & Michael Kotrick • Peter C. Nicolaysen* & Pamala M. Brondos • Opatrny Family Foundation • Mary Paulette & Dr. Ronald Orbin • Gil & Marge Ordway • Willinda Oudin • Patagonia Clothing Company • Patten-Davis Foundation • Jeff Pearson • M Anne Pendergast* • Perera Family • Annie Perkins • Sarah H. Phocas • Tamsen & Aaron P. Pruzan • Deborah de la Reguera* and Willard M. Mayo* • William Resor & Story Clark • Kathleen & Keith Rittle • Bay Roberts & Scott Lehman • Stephen & Lisa Robertson • Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation • Rocky Mountain Power • John Rogers • Carol and Robert Scallan • Dorie W. Schwertz • Christine & James Scott • Dr. Eddie T. Seo • Michael Shonsey & Kathryn Jenkins • Linda & Ronn Smith • Daniel M. Smith • Doug & Pegi Sobey • Mr. & Mrs.* Arnold Stifel • Kate & Whitney Sunderland • Margaret J. Taylor • Mary & Peter Thorsness • Trillium Family Foundation • Craig Tylenda • Martha Vanoni • Wyatt J. Wachtel • Deborah & William F. Ward, Jr. • Robert Weiglein & Catherine Bell • Susan & William Wenke • Whiteley & Nicholas Wheeler • Fred Whiting • Dr. Karen C. & Dr. Steve E. Williams • John & Caroline Winsor • Cyndi & John Woollam • David* & Susan Work • Yonder Star • Anne N. Young* & James E. Nielson • Dr. Karin Zachow & Jim Kirwan
In-Kind Donations
Michael T. Bies • Davis & Cannon, LLP • Cat J. Petersen • Deborah de la Reguera* • Shane True
New Legacy Club Members
Anonymous (2) • Wendy Haas & Daniel Jago • Barbara L. Magin • Teresa Nealon • Peter Nicolaysen* & Pamela Brondos • Leslie Nistico • Leslie Stewart • Martha Vanoni • Lauren Tibert Wells
*Wyoming board member, emeritus board member, staff member or volunter
+Deceased
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