When a crucial piece of Idaho's landscape went up for sale recently, more than 900 families, organizations, and small businesses joined forces to buy and protect it, according to the Idaho Capital Sun.
The news outlet reported that the Wood River Land Trust of south-central Idaho — along with its numerous partners — purchased 2,700 acres of property that previously belonged to Hailey Hot Springs Ranch, in an effort to protect and conserve that land and the ecosystems that are on it.
"When the For Sale sign went up at the property, people were coming to us hoping that we could do something," said Amy Trujillo, the land trust's executive director, in a written statement. "We knew it was going to take more than one organization to make this happen. Again and again over the course of the year, we have been amazed at the way people have come together — it's a testament to how much people love this place and what we can do together."
The move adds to the 3,000-acre, six-mile stretch of protected land known as the Hailey Greenway, and connects two larger chunks of public land on either side of Croy Creek Road.
With the land purchase, partners plan to protect and expand people's access to beautiful public lands while preserving important habitats. The land supports a variety of animals, including moose, sage grouse, mule deer, pronghorn, sandhill cranes, and elk, per the land trust.
As detailed by Sun Valley Magazine, the Hailey Hot Springs land once held a famed resort, the first summer resort in the state, built in the 1880s. By 1899, the resort's hotel had closed due to a fire and was never reopened, although the springs' water was pumped to other hotels in the area for years.
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This isn't the only time recently that private citizens or organizations have bought up or deeded land for conservation projects. In Missoula, Montana, a developer donated around 20 acres to the city to protect it. In North Carolina, the founder of Epic Games has been buying up land as part of a larger conservation effort in the state.
The Wood River Land Trust says it plans to reopen the hot springs for public use, and that the ranch land already has public access, per the Capital Sun.
"An exciting part of this project is the opportunity to reopen public access to the hot springs," the Wood River Land Trust said in its press release. "The springs are located in a sensitive area, and the land trust and the Blaine County Recreation District will be developing a plan to provide a long-term solution that provides safe and accessible hot spring access for the public away from the sensitive wildlife area. Thus, for now, the hot spring will remain closed to the public until that can be developed."
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