High Country Resource Conservation and Development  (RC&D) Council

      "Local People Meeting Together to Solve Local Challenges"

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    Address:

   High Country RC&D

   101 N. Bridge St.

   St. Anthony, ID 83445

   208-624-3200

   hcountryrcd@gmail.com

   High Country RC&D Projects

  If you are interested in learning more about any of these projects

   email our office at hcountryrcd@gmail.com.

  Current Projects

2011/12 Cloud Seeding Program:  The RC&D Cloud Seeding committee began its Cloud Seeding program in Eastern, Idaho for the sixth year in November 2012. The committee decided to proceed with fundraising efforts through mail and phone with the target goal of $135,000. Total funds raised in 2011 program were $105,699. Funding partners included: Water District 1, Counties, Cities, Irrigations Districts, Ground Water Districts, Idaho Falls Power, Rocky Mountain Power, Madison Farm Bureau, Snowmobile clubs, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The project is contracted through Clark County for the deliverables. A total of 25 generators were set up in Bingham, Bonneville, Clark, Fremont and Teton counties. Seventeen additional remote generators operated by Idaho Power were placed throughout the area. North American Weather Consultants from Utah was contracted to monitor and analyze seeding results.  In addition, the RC&D hired Carol Lambert to complete a brochure and identify potential new sponsors to aid in our fundraising outreach. For more information, visit High Country's Cloud Seeding page

Wild land Urban Interface Community Assistance: Wildfires pose a significant threat to life and property for individual landowners and communities within the nine county HCRC&D area. In this on-going project funded by the Bureau of Land Management in partnership with Northwest Management, Inc. the primary objective is to assist our sponsors to turn existing County Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) into action. In 2011 the project conducted a small hazardous fuels reduction demonstration project in Packsaddle in the city of Teton. A very successful Wildfire Preparedness Workshop in Driggs with over 150 people attending.  A workshop in Madison County was also held. For more information, visit High Country's Wiland Urban Interface page

Upper Snake River Cooperative Weed Management Area (USRCWMA): The USRCWMA provides a forum to coordinate area wide activities to prevent, contain, and control non-native invasive plants and noxious weeds on public and private lands.  The CWMA is comprised of Bonneville, Jefferson and Bingham Counties. Seven cost share projects were implemented during 2011 with Idaho State Department of Agriculture funding of $35,303.10. There was also $18,606.00 awarded in Federal funding. Projects included: land treatment, landowner cost-share projects, mapping and inventory projects and biological control projects. Some of the projects accomplished during 2011 have been on-going for several years and are resulting in some very successful noxious weed treatments. The RC&D administers the ISDA grant and provides technical support to the CWMA.  For more information on weed control and Cooperative Weed Management Areas, visit High Country's CWMA page

Henry’s Fork Cooperative Weed Management Area (HFCWMA): The HFCWMA is a cooperative effort to manage, contain, reduce and eradicate noxious weeds in all of Fremont, Madison and Teton Counties; Plus the southwestern portion of Yellowstone National Park and a portion of Teton County, Wyoming that lies within the Ashton Ranger District. In 2011, six projects were implemented with Idaho State Department of Agriculture funding for a total of $58,124.65. Following are some of the projects that were implemented during 2010: Two-way cost share spraying projects targeting Leafy Spurge and Knapweed, purchase of biological insects distributed in several locations within Fremont and Madison Counties and along the Teton River corridor, weed inventory, and cooperative spray days with several partners. HCRC&D also administered this ISDA grant. For more information on weed control and Cooperative Weed Management Areas, visit High   Country's CWMA page

Henrys Lake Eurasian water milfoil (EWM) Prevention Project: High Country RC&D assists Fremont County and the State of Idaho in preventing Eurasian water milfoil and other aquatic nuisance species. The total funds awarded in 2011 were $59,271.45.  The money was used hired eighteen temporary project employees to continue the boat cleaning program at public launching and highway entries.  Summer lake sampling showed no EWM in Henry’s Lake so far, however multiple boats were stopped that were infected with quagga and zebra mussels from out of State waters. For more information, visit High Country's Aquatic Invasive Species page

Holding the Line- Leafy Spurge Biosaturation Project: 2011 was the third year for the combined effort between many stakeholders all involved in protecting the Yellowstone National Park from invading threats such as the toxic leafy spurge. “Holding the Line” refers to the ‘line’ or buffer between the Park and the public/private land. The goal of the project is to keep that buffer free of leafy spurge by using biological control methods along with other weed management methods as necessary. The project had a set-back from losing our Coordinator Pam Herdrich when RC&D federal funding was cut.  Partners were able to coordinate a few deliverables for the 2011 field season. We have since rehired Pam and the board hired Kim Ragotzkie as a project manager to meet next year’s deliverables. For more information, visit the projects website at: http://www.helpholdtheline.com

Bonneville Power Administration:  Lori Ringel, Project managers reports that 7 Rural Electric Cooperatives have signed on to the project.  Over 329 landowners were contacted 42 field evaluations were completed, and five projects were referred to the FRCS for implementation. For more information on this project visit High Country's BPA Energy Efficiency page

Ammon Senior Citizen Activity Park: City of Ammon is asked for grant assistance to develop a $350,000 Senior Citizen Activity Park for local seniors to address ongoing health and wellness requirements. High Country located and forwarded six grant opportunities and reviewed one grant application for the City of Ammon.

Community Canopy:  The project is geared toward providing a forum to share expertise, and share resources between communities in the area of community forestry. Gerry Bates is heading the project and High Country RC&D is giving grant writing support. For more information, visit High Country's Community Forestry page.

City of Ashton Community Center Wheelchair Lift:  The community center in Ashton is not ADA accessible, the city asked High Country to help find and apply for grants this year to fund the installation of a wheelchair lift. However, this is on hold due to funding/lack of partners participation.

City Entrance Enhancement for Sugar City: The city of Sugar City is asking HCRC&D to help find possible funding sources to enhance the west entry of the city by adding a “Welcome” sign. However, this is on hold due to lack of interest by the partners

Mud Lake Fair Grounds: Jefferson County is asking for grant assistance to find $90,000 for building, bathroom, and running water for the fairground concessions stand. This past year High Country assisted in applying grants to the CHC Foundation and Steele Reese foundation to aid in these costs.

Teton Valley Arena: High Country RC&D (HCRC&D) is assisting with grant research and grant writing to raise the needed funds for a multi-purpose community facility. The fairground property has already been donated by the County.

Jefferson Elementary/Middle School Playground Equipment: Project proposal was submitted to the board to help find funding for the City of Ririe new school playground equipment. This project is on hold due to lack of funding or partner participation.

Westside Athletic Club/Skyline HS Ball Field Bathrooms: Terry Layland presented his organizations project “Restrooms concessions at the Skyline High School”:  to the Board.  Their group needs around $90,000 for the project and are asking for assistance.  High Country assisted them in writing and submitting a CHC grant proposal.

   Recently Completed Projects 

  City of Challis Skate Park: The city has constructed a two phase plan for a community skate park. 

  HCRC&D provided grant assistance, which the city received $30,000 from the CHC Foundation.  The

  youth have been using the recently completed park with positive results.

  Fremont Fort Henry Bicentennial Monument: The project is an addition of a commemorative 

   monument celebrating the bicentennial year of Fort Henry and Camp Henry established by Andrew \

   Henry in September of 1810 to the Henry’s Fork Greenway.  High Country completed a grant

   search, and wrote a letter of support for the project; the project committee applied for a Parks &

   Recreation grant through the State. The monument has been installed.

  Fremont Fair Board: The Fremont County Fair board has requested grant assistance in

  finding $350,000 for new bleachers for the Fremont county Fairgrounds.  This project was

  completed when the Fremont County Commission agreed to fund the project.

  Bonneville West Nile Virus Mosquito Pilot Project: During 2009, two interns and one student

   from BYU-Idaho were hired to implement this project.  The goal of the project was to continue the

   cost effective mosquito surveillance and monitoring program targeting select regions of Bonneville

   County.  Students were able to provide real time data to County and City officials regarding the

   status of mosquito populations so that appropriate treatment options can be initiated to reduce

   exposure to West Nile Virus.  Using COP technology, the students treated and monitored over 60

   male sites multiple times over during the summer.

  All Hazards Mitigation Plans: Madison County received a grant from Bureau of Homeland Security

  to develop comprehensive FEMA approved All Hazard Mitigation Plans (AHMPs) in each of the nine

  counties.  HCRC&D is administering the grant.  These plans will identify and quantify natural hazards

  that pose a threat and develop strategies to mitigate risks before a disaster occurs.  In the end,

  projects identified in the plan may be eligible for FEMA funding.  Whisper Mountain Professional

  Services was awarded the contract.  This project was completed by August 2008.

  Bonneville County Fairgrounds Building: The existing Bonneville County 4-H Exhibition and

  Community Resource Building needs renovation to better serve it's users. The 4-H programs use

  this building extensively as do the Bonneville  Youth Development Council, the  Idaho Fish and Game

  for their hunter safety courses and other publics.  This building needs insulation, a new ceiling, heating

  units and new doors and lights to make it usable year round.  This project seeks to help the fair

  board get funding sources to renovate the building. Project sponsors are the Bonneville County Fair

  Board and Bonneville County.

  Community Emergency Preparedness:    Community emergency preparedness is being improved

  through a Citizens Corps  program.  This program helps people across America take a more active

  role in crime prevention, support the emergency medical community, and be better trained in a wide

  range of emergency preparedness and disaster response activities.  Many communities in the RC&D

  Area are in outlying areas.  If a disaster was to occur, these communities could have critical need for

  emergency services and only be able to rely on themselves and closely neighboring communities. 

  Citizen  Corps was formed to coordinate training, planning, response and recovery activities during

  emergencies.   Another aspect of the Citizen Corps program is Community Emergency Response

  Teams (CERT).  This   project  promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the

  people they serve in seven counties. The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of

  neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic emergency response  skills.  This

  project,  thus far, has trained 27 CERT instructors; taught 30 CERT classes; and graduated 309

  CERT certified volunteers in seven counties.

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