Western Watersheds Project (WWP) was successful in bidding for a grazing lease at a state land auction in Jerome, ID. The 624-acre Champion Creek grazing lease in the Sawtooth Valley will now be conserved for the next 20 years.
The group said their purchase is “releasing the land from livestock grazing degradation and protecting it for wildlife values.” The previous leaseholder was paying about $800 a year to graze their livestock on the lease. WWP paid $8,200 at the auction and will annually pay $1,000 for the Idaho state lease fee.
“It’s a great day for the bull trout, cutthroat trout and steelhead of Champion Creek and Fourth of July Creek, and for the Salmon River watershed,” said Patrick Kelly, WWP Idaho director.
“By removing livestock from these lands, we’re improving the water quality, soil stability and vegetation communities for wildlife. That’s a win for all Idahoans.”
