Wildlife and Livestock Need Landscaping Too

Native wildlife habitat restoration is among the work being done in Farson, Wyoming through the Farson Landowners' Landscape Initiative.

The Wyoming Legislature and the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust has funded $339,170 for Phase IV of the Farson Landowners' Landscape Initiative. This project is on 196,000 acres of private and public lands near Eden and Farson in Southwest Wyoming. This fourth of five phases will plant curled-leaf mahogany and serviceberry seedling shrubs for mule deer and elk winter forage on Rock Springs Grazing Association lands.

Work begins on Phase IV in late April. This phase will involve native wildlife habitat restoration, erosion control, wildlife-friendly fencing, and, and replacing a pipeline that supplies drinking water for wildlife and livestock.

Previous phases of this landscape project included riparian habitat improvements, wildlife and livestock habitat restoration plantings, wildlife water drinking enhancements, native vegetation plantings on weed control sites and disturbed areas.

The project began in 2008 when Shell Oil donated a half-million dollars to the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust for habitat improvements in the Upper Green River Basin and created partnerships with several landowners, the Rock Springs Grazing Association, and the Mule Deer Foundation, which is the official sponsor of the initiative.