Funding from the Grand Teton National Park Foundation underwrites grooming of the Nordic ski trail on the Teton Park Road by Bushong Property Services/Bushong Property Services

The Grand Teton National Park Foundation, the primary fundraising partner for Grand Teton National Park, gifted $2,780,000 to the park during the past year to fund projects and programming in the park.

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. 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:

* The Foundation celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Youth Conservation Program—nearly 200 students have participated on this teen trail crew.

* College interns gained park work experience through NPS Academy, a model career-prep program that began in Grand Teton and expanded across the country. Three-hundred-fifty students and many national parks have participated to date.

* The Foundation’s Pura Vida program offered extensive outdoor learning, leadership training, and wilderness recreation to local Latino youth.

*  Forty-six bear boxes were purchased for installation at various frontcountry campsites and picnic areas throughout the park.

*  Construction at Jenny Lake as part of the Foundation’s Inspiring Journeys capital campaign is underway. Summer improvements focused on the trails and bridges between Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.

*  Money raised for Mormon Row funded the stabilization and repair of the T.A. Moulton Barn. In addition, a bus turnaround, improved parking, and a bathroom were added to enhance the visitor experience at this historic site.

* The Foundation contracted with a local private groomer to provide regular grooming of the Nordic ski trail between Bradley-Taggart trailhead and Signal Mountain on Teton Park Road.

* Funding for the wildlife program supported mountain goat monitoring, wolf research, animal migration studies, black and grizzly bear conservation, wildlife habitat restoration, and native fish habitat improvements.

“It has been an incredible year for the Foundation 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 exciting to witness the work at Jenny Lake this summer, and we were able to connect with many friends and partners. We are confident of good things to come in FY16, as we’ll also be celebrating the National Park Service centennial and the completion of Inspiring Journeys—our capital campaign for Jenny Lake.”