Valley Advocates for Responsible Development (VARD)

05/04/2026

Idaho Gives is open! This is an annual fundraising event supporting nonprofits across Idaho. Through Idaho Gives, nonprofits are able to come together to raise visibility and support for nonprofit work. To check out our page and participate in this week of giving, click the link in this post! The giving period is open today until Thursday May 7th—only a few days. We're here because of your support. Thank you!

I’m ready to support Valley Advocates for Responsible Development on May 4, 2026 during Idaho Gives 2026. Learn more about Valley Advocates for Responsible Development and all the other organizations participating in Idaho Gives 2026.

04/25/2026

Teton County Commissioners will reconsider their preliminary approval of the Sweetwater Ranch Subdivision Phase 1 Substantial Plat Amendment this Monday, April 27, at 11:30 a.m., following a successful petition by

04/24/2026

The Teton County Board of County Commissioners will be having several public hearings on April 27th. This agenda includes two LCD amendment requests submitted by MD Spud LLC and THH LLC. The hearing for MD Spud LLC is the next step toward reviving the Spud Drive-in Theater! Public comment is scheduled to take place ~10:20am.

The following hearing will be for the THH LLC LDC amendment request. This application asks for a valley-wide change to allow more guests per acre along with granting the use of dude ranches in FH-20 zones. This would be a major overreach if approved and would ultimately place more strain on our community.

The final public hearing is a reconsideration request for the Sweetwater Ranch Subdivision Phase 1. This request comes from concerns over health and safety concerns over the subdivision’s proximity to the airport and the need for more environmental tests.

For more information on this meeting and to view all of the application materials, please visit tetoncountyidaho.gov

04/21/2026

We are so grateful that we got to see you all at our 2026 Annual Meeting! We deeply appreciate your support that has now gotten us to our 25th anniversary. We look forward to advocating for responsible development for many years to come! To hear more about our Annual Meeting, follow the link below to see Teton Valley News' article or check us out on page A3 in the April 15th newspaper!

When Valley Advocates for Responsible Development was founded 25 years ago, a small group of residents set out to push back on how growth was reshaping Teton Valley. A quarter

03/25/2026

We know things are drying out in places but please remember the wildlife closures. Horseshoe Canyon non-motorized trails have wildlife closures until 4/15. BLM lands in the foothills of the Tetons are closed until 4/15. Teton Creek Corridor will open May 1. Please respect.

02/12/2026

Meet Rachel, the newest addition to the VARD team!

Rachel grew up in Southwest Michigan along the shores of the Great Lakes, where working in fields picking sweet corn sparked a lifelong connection to agriculture and land stewardship. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainability, Security, and Resilience from Ohio University with a focus on food systems, and a Bachelor’s degree in Earth Science with a minor in sustainability from Northern Michigan University. With more than a decade of hands-on farming experience, she advocates for a holistic approach to land management that strengthens overall ecological services and human livelihoods.

Rachel has also worked in communications, social services, emergency food systems, and farmers market management. She is passionate about supporting farmers, strengthening local food systems, and being part of thoughtful conversations around growth in Teton Valley. Her work with VARD is centered around preserving the agricultural landscape and rural character for future generations.

Outside of her time with VARD, Rachel is an avid seamstress, coaches freeride snowboarding, teaches crocheting, and spends as much time as possible in the mountains. When she’s not doing these things, she’s likely gardening, baking sourdough bread, or curling up with her dog and a good book.

08/11/2025

Valley Advocates for Responsible Development (VARD) is seeking a smart, passionate, person to join our team as Program Manager. Our ideal candidate is an advocate at their core - advocating for open spaces, wild places, and vibrant communities through responsible land use planning. Our Program Manager works with all staff, and the community, to educate and empower – and to ensure that prospective developers are held accountable to the highest of development standards under local, state, and federal law. Our prime candidate will be someone committed to using their skillset to protect Teton Valley’s rural character and who is prepared to use a variety of planning strategies, research, policy advocacy, and strategic approaches to support VARD’s mission. For more information on this position, please visit https://tetonvalleyadvocates.org/news/we-are-hiring

06/18/2025

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate added a mandate to the budget bill to sell enormous swaths of public land managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management

04/17/2025

We’ll see you there!

12/14/2024

“Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders. Cherish the natural resources. Cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage. For your children and your children’s children.” FDR

Leon Kolankiewicz is Scientific Director of NumbersUSA and Vice-President of Scientists and Environmentalists for Population Stabilization. His career as a w