From Trout Unlimited:
Contact:
- Nick Gann, Rocky Mountain Communications Director, Trout Unlimited – nick.gann@tu.org
Cody, WY – Earlier today, Trout Unlimited and Shoshone National Forest released a film celebrating the restoration of two miles of the North Fork Shoshone River near America’s first ranger station.
Built in 1903, Wapiti Ranger Station was the first ranger station built at federal expense and is located about 30 miles west of Cody, Wyoming. It was also located in the first national forest reserve which was established by President Benjamin Harrison in 1891 and was placed on the National Register for Historic Places in 1963 as a National Historic Landmark.
Late last year, TU and Shoshone National Forest documented their combined efforts to complete this multi-million-dollar project to restore the North Fork Shoshone River near this historic landmark and protect this frequently visited location along Yellowstone National Park’s East Entrance from future impacts.
“This project directly abuts America’s first ranger station,” said Brittany Swope, Bighorn Basin project manager at TU and native resident of Cody. “We were really proud to partner with Shoshone National Forest on this effort to improve the riverbank stability and near bank habitat for Yellowstone Cutthroat trout. This project improved and protected recreational opportunity in an area that receives thousands of visitors annually who are here exploring the forest and those on their way to Yellowstone National Park.”
TU partnered with Shoshone National Forest as part of a national priority effort to improve and enhance aquatic, riparian, and wetland habitat and improve floodplain systems and functions on the North Fork Shoshone River by installing large wood structures to improve streambank stability. As an added benefit, these structures also minimize risk to historical and recreational infrastructure and provide important aquatic habitat for wild trout populations. Approximately 1000 logs, 400 root wad structures (essentially the natural base of large trees), and slash piles from the national forest were sourced over the course of a year by WTL Logging out of Meeteetse to accomplish this project.
“It was important that this project protected Wapiti Ranger Station, Wapiti and Big Game Campgrounds, and the highway to the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park,” said Amelia Rothleutner, who works as the North Zone Hydrologist at Shoshone National Forest and grew up in Laramie. “After the 2022 flooding event – which impacted three campsites by the ranger station – there was a need to address how the river had migrated more than 850 feet closer to the highway over the past few decades. This water is also municipal supply for much of the Bighorn Basin, and this project will reduce sediment delivery for water users
downstream.”
Swope and Rothleutner began planning and fundraising for this project in 2023, in addition to securing the relevant state and federal permits to begin construction.
“These structures are designed to withstand a 100-year flooding event like we had in 2022,” said Rothleutner. “Together with project engineers, we completed technical designs, navigated permitting, and coordinated contractor hiring for materials and construction.”
“Along the way, we’ve engaged the local community to build awareness and have raised over $2 million to fully fund all phases of this project,” said Swope, who also grew up fishing with her grandfather at this exact project location. “We were also really proud to hire local and regional companies to complete design, construction and material sourcing. Materials for this project were sourced from Shoshone National Forest fuels reduction efforts.”
Of course, none of this would have been possible without generous support from several funding partners, including:
- Shoshone National Forest
- TU/USFS National Partnership
- National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
- Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department
- East Yellowstone Chapter of Trout Unlimited
- Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee
- USDA Secure Rural Schools
- Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
- Anonymous Funders
“At the end of the day, we’re Wyomingites, and we have a storied history of leading on conservation issues,” said Swope and Rothleutner. “We have the first national park, national forest, national monument, and ranger station. It only makes sense that we take care of them and ensure our historical and recreational values are improved for future generations. We are incredibly proud to play a small role in this history.”