Habitat Improvement Team allocates over $900,000 for 5 Southeast Idaho conservation projects

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Five conservation projects across southeast Idaho have received a major boost to enhance and protect the Gem State's landscapes and wildlife habitats. The Habitat Improvement Team (HIT) has allocated more than $900,000 to these five initiatives. This funding is slated for critical work like restoring rivers and wetlands, bolstering fish and wildlife habitats, and protecting the region's expansive open spaces.

The funds are made possible through the Southeast Idaho Wildlife Mitigation Fund, an initiative spearheaded by Itafos Conda, LLC. Since 2017, the mining company has committed over $2 million to offset the environmental impacts of its operations by financing habitat restoration and conservation efforts.

The impact of this initial investment has been exponentially increased through State, federal, and private partnerships. Donors and grants have provided an additional $6.6 million in matching funds, meaning that for every dollar invested by Itafos Conda, more than $6 was added by partners to expand the scope and impact of conservation projects.

Curtis Hendricks, southeast region habitat manager for Idaho Fish & Game, said he was “truly appreciative of the collaborative nature of the (HIT) and the sincere desire to produce wins for wildlife and wildlife habitat across the project area.”

Project Breakdown

The funds will support diverse projects, including river and wetland restoration, enhancing fish and wildlife habitat, etc. The individual projects and awards are detailed below:

Trout Unlimited & U.S. Forest Service – McCoy Creek Wet Meadow Restoration Project

• $75,000 awarded; $429,500 total project cost
• Restoring McCoy Creek’s natural wet meadow system by reconnecting the stream to its floodplain, encouraging beaver activity and creating multiple flow paths. The project will protect and restore up to 77 acres, improving resilience for Yellowstone cutthroat trout and riparian wildlife.

Trout Unlimited – Blackfoot River Avian Mitigation and Habitat Enhancement

• $673,000 awarded; $1.12 million total project cost
• Enhancing Yellowstone cutthroat trout habitat above the Blackfoot Reservoir by restoring riparian vegetation, stabilizing streambanks and reconnecting the river to its floodplain. These improvements will reduce predation vulnerability and support long-term fish population resilience.

Trout Unlimited – Cub River Habitat Restoration

• $52,800 awarded; $57,800 total project cost
• Designing restoration for 39 acres of Cub River property to reestablish a meandering channel, expand wetlands and restore riparian vegetation. The project will improve habitat for cutthroat trout, amphibians, birds and wetland wildlife while strengthening water quality and watershed health.

Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust – Lanes Creek Conservation Easement

• $89,500 awarded; $5.85 million total project cost
• Protecting nearly 3,800 acres in the Blackfoot–Willow Creek Highlands priority area through a perpetual conservation easement. The property secures vital migratory routes, winter range and upland grassland habitat for species of greatest conservation need, including greater sage grouse and Columbian sharp-tailed grouse.

Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust – Thunder Ridge Preserve Fee Title Disposition

• $35,400 awarded; $97,400 total project cost
• Maintaining permanent protection of the Thunder Ridge Preserve through a “protect-sell” model. SSLT will retain a conservation easement while transferring ownership to a private landowner, ensuring the property remains open and undeveloped while enhancing landscape connectivity in the Bear River watershed.

Hannah Murphy, Southeast Idaho Project Manager for Trout Unlimited, expressed gratitude for the funding and is looking forward to "getting boots on the ground," emphasizing the multi-stakeholder effort involved.

“This project has been years in the making with multiple stakeholders,” she said. “This conservation work would not be possible without their support.”

“These projects show what’s possible when partners come together with a shared commitment to conservation," adds Heath Mann, executive director of Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust. "By leveraging local dollars to acquire matching funds, we’re not only protecting and improving open spaces today, we’re ensuring that fish, wildlife and working lands in southeast Idaho will thrive for generations to come.”

To learn more about the Southeast Idaho Wildlife Mitigation Fund and the projects it supports, click HERE.