Among the recent successes of the various Blaine County-based nonprofit organizations, the protection of valuable land by the Wood River Land Trust is one of the most visible.
In 2008, the 14-year old organization exceeded the 10,000-acre mark of conserved land in the WoodRiverValley and surrounding areas.
When landowners enter into a conservation agreement, they voluntarily give up some of the rights associated with owning land to protect its health. These limitations are binding forever, and future owners are also bound by the agreement’s terms.
Included in the newly protected areas are 360 acres in the PahsimeroiValley, northeast of Sun Valley in CusterCounty. The land includes 74 acres of riparian area, and a stretch of Big Springs Creek, which provides habitat for Chinook salmon, bull trout and steelhead trout. There are also 306 acres of the Sheep Bridge Canyon Project, four miles west of Timmerman junction, which has more than a mile of BigWoodRiver frontage where trout spawn on their way from Magic Reservoir. An additional 53 acres of riverfront was protected in Colorado Gulch, bringing the total to 153 acres along the river on both sides. Much of this land includes healthy riparian areas full of cottonwood forest and native plants that are part of a large migration corridor for mule deer and a winter habitat for elk.
“This conservation agreement ensures key access for fishermen and to the popular hiking and biking trail out Colorado Gulch Road,” said Scott Boettger, Wood River Land Trust executive director.
In July the land trust took on the Croy Creek Wetland Restoration Project at the south end of LionsPark along the BigWoodRiver at its confluence with Croy Creek. After receiving a grant from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, the organization removed 1,200 tons of debris from what remained of Hailey’s old town dump, and planted 150 native trees and shrubs.
“That was a great project and we worked with an amazing group of volunteers,” land trust Program and Membership Coordinator Heather Kimmel said. “It was a broad group of people—high school students and people who have lived in the valley for years. So we’re starting out our 15th year with a really broad swath of protected land now in Hailey.”
The other remarkable news delivered by the Wood River Land Trust involves the largesse of a Sun Valley couple, John and Gloria Osberg.
Gloria Moore Osberg is the author of the guidebooks “Day Hiking in Sun Valley” and “Easy Hikes Around Sun Valley.” She has published and sold the guidebooks for many years to benefit the work of the Idaho Conservation League. In the 1950s, after she and John first moved to the area, she worked for Sun Valley and the Union Pacific Railroad. John Osberg is an avid sailor, skier and long-time member of the Ancient Skiers club from the Seattle area. He was involved in the heavy construction business throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska.
In 2006, the Osbergs drew up an estate plan known as a “life estate reserve.” This approach allows homeowners to donate real estate to nonprofit organizations while remaining in their homes as long as they wish. This type of gift provides immediate tax deductions and avoids capital gains tax. The Osbergs had lived in their home for more than 20 years. It was recently appraised at more than $2 million.
“From their point of view, the value had increased so much, they thought of it as unearned income,” Kimmel said. “It’s a whole different way of giving but it only works for people who own their house outright. It’s such a win-win, especially for the donor, who can get the tax break, but not have to move.”
Then this year, the decision was made to sell the home. The Wood River Land Trust, Idaho Conservation League and The Wilderness Society benefited from the estate plan.
The Osbergs initially wished their gift to remain anonymous but were recently urged to change their minds with the hope that sharing their story would inspire others to make similar gifts of appreciated real estate.
“I think it feels great to see money doing good things while you are still around to experience it,” John Osberg said. “We want to see that appreciated value put to work to protect the Idaho we love and that has enriched our life so very much. I see no advantage to holding onto it and being one of the rich guys in the cemetery.”
Courtesy photo by Heather Kimmel, WRLT
John and Gloria Osberg at their cabin in the Sawtooth Mountains
