10/16/2026
A few days ago, we were recognized at the USFS Partner Appreciation event for our new Master Agreement with the Sawtooth National Forest. This agreement will allow us to implement a bunch of land and river restoration project.
One example of this is in the Frostbite Flats area just north of Ketchum. If you walk the Big Wood River up there, you can see a somewhat common problem: an incised channel lacking large wood, side-channel wetlands, and deep holding pools.
To address this, Land Trust staff conducted field assessments and used fisheries data from Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Sawtooth National Forest to analyze and prioritize seven reaches of the Big Wood River, from the confluence of the North Fork upstream to Galena Lodge - that’s 27 kilometers (about 17 miles) of the upper Big Wood. The Wood for Fish Project will use salvage logs from Forest Service timber management projects to place large woody debris in key locations of the river.
The Impact: This new large woody debris will slow down water, force it back into historical side channels, create deep pools for fish, and restore the ideal habitat needed for beavers to return and thrive. The use of the salvage logs will allow us to enhance important habitat efficiently and cost-effectively.
Win-win collaborations like this are how the Land Trust has been able to restore over 15 miles of the Big Wood River and its tributaries over the years. As we look ahead, by pairing the Forest Service’s immense reach with the Land Trust’s agility and community support, we are creating something far greater than the sum of its parts.
