JACKSON,
WY—Grand Teton National Park Foundation, the primary fundraising partner for Grand
Teton National Park, gifted nearly $1 million to the park in the past twelve
months to fund projects and programming in Grand Teton. Through private support, the Foundation
enabled an extensive list of visitor service, education, and improvement
projects and assisted the park in offering high-quality interpretation, recreation,
and education to visitors in an era when federal budgets are strained. The Foundation funded the work entirely
through generous gifts from the organization’s national network of donors.
The
projects spanned a wide range of enhancements and education that connect
visitors to Grand Teton and improve resources:
- Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center auditorium.
- Www.DiscoverGrandTeton.org, a user-friendly website that promotes Grand Teton’s history, geology, and wild communities.
- A teen trail crew made up of 16 to 19-year-olds, a Latino outreach program for middle and high-school students, and leadership and internship programs for diverse high-school and college students.
- Seventy-one bear-resistant food storage boxes for park campsites.
- Critical funding for wildlife research that focuses on a wide variety of park species.
- An air quality monitoring station on the Kelly campus of Teton Science Schools that was a collaboration with Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, NPS, the Foundation, and Teton Sciences Schools.
- Water bottle refilling stations in eight locations in the park.
- Whitebark pine restoration.
“It’s
been a terrific year and we are thrilled to fund work across many areas that
are important to the park and to visitors,” Foundation President Leslie Mattson
said. “It was a great achievement to put
the finishing touch on the visitor center and to know that the park’s expanded programming
will reach millions of people. I
continue to be thankful for local as well as part-time residents who want to be
involved in strengthening Grand Teton. We
couldn’t be successful without each and every donor who cares about the park.”
“We
would be hard pressed to accomplish some of our critical projects and programs
without generous support from partners like the Grand Teton National Park
Foundation,” said Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott. “We’re grateful for the
Foundation’s remarkable work and commitment on key initiatives such as wildlife
and air quality research, youth programs, trail maintenance, and construction
of the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Together we’ll further Grand
Teton’s core mission and protect park resources while providing valuable
experiences and enjoyment for park visitors well into the future.”
About the
Foundation
Established
in 1997, Grand Teton National Park Foundation provides private financial
support for special projects that enhance and protect Grand Teton National
Park’s treasured cultural, historic, and natural resources. Since its inception, the Foundation has
raised more than $20 million for special projects that benefit Grand Teton and
visitors.
About Grand
Teton National Park
Located
in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park preserves a spectacular
landscape rich with majestic mountains, pristine lakes and extraordinary
wildlife. The park's world-renowned scenery attracts nearly four million
visitors per year and offers an array of recreational activities for all ages
and all abilities.
