Big Picture
What is the goal of this effort?
To establish an Ecosystem Stewardship Department (ESD) within the Town of Jackson.
What support are you seeking from the public?
Regardless of where you live, supporters of the ESD are being asked to take one or more of three steps:
- Sign the petition indicating your support for the ESD
- Volunteer to contact the Jackson Town Council to urge them to support the ESD
- Donate money to help fund the ESD during its critical start-up years
What if I live outside the town of Jackson?
We still need your support: your name on the petition; your outreach to the Town Council; your donation of money.
The reason is found in the first six words of the Comp Plan’s Vision Statement: “Preserve and protect the area’s ecosystem…”
By adopting the Comp Plan, the Town of Jackson formally embraced a vision of preserving and protecting the area’s ecosystem. Not just the ecosystem within the town’s boundaries. Not just the ecosystem within the county. The ecosystem in the entire Tetons area.
Put another way, by adopting the Comp Plan, the Town of Jackson recognized that the area’s ecosystem is defined not by political boundaries, but ecological realities.
In this light, it’s important for local government to know how much the area’s ecosystem means to everyone – not just residents of the Town of Jackson, but all those who care about preserving and protecting the greater Tetons region and, by extension, the entire Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Why is the Town of Jackson doing this alone, and not in conjunction with Teton County?
Teton County faces a number of water quality issues, including polluted groundwater and impaired streams. In response, Teton County’s government is choosing to focus its environmental stewardship efforts on understanding and addressing the county’s water quality problems, challenges, and opportunities.
The Ecosystem Stewardship Department
Why is the ESD needed?
Put bluntly, because we can no longer take for granted the health of region’s ecosystem.
For generations, Jackson Hole has counted on the region’s vast amount of public land to assure the ecosystem’s health. In recent years, though, this approach has begun to fail. The clearest evidence of this failure is the manifold water quality problems that have developed across the county during the last several years, and the diseases threatening our elk and bison herds.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this reality is that we simply don’t know how healthy our ecosystem is. Having taken its health for granted for generations, there is no clear understanding of how well or poorly it’s doing, nor whether things are getting better or worse.
Had we begun actively assessing ecosystem health years ago, we might not be facing widespread water quality problems today. By establishing an ESD today, we can prevent other ecosystem problems tomorrow.
What will the ESD do?
The ESD will have six primary functions:
- Research and publish an annual “State of Our Ecosystem” report.
- Develop and execute a 10 year Ecosystem Action Plan and annual Ecosystem Work Plan.
- Support local government departments and staff on ecosystem-related matters.
- Serve as an ecosystem champion within local government.
- Build coalitions of regional land use and conservation organizations (both public and non-profit), and lead and coordinate efforts to identify and address regional environmental issues.
- Work with state and federal agencies on regional environmental issues.
How will the ESD be structured?
The ESD will be its own department, reporting to the Town of Jackson’s Community Development Director. This is the same structure as the town’s Planning Department.
Initially, the ESD will have one employee, its director. The Director of Ecosystem Stewardship will be a senior-level staff person, possessing a strong background in both management and ecological science.
Once in place, upon the approval of the Jackson Town Council the ESD will form an Ecosystem Stewardship Commission (ESC). Its members will be appointed by the council and, if legal, membership will be open to people living throughout the area’s ecosystem. Similar to other local boards and commissions, the ESC will advise the ESD on issues relating to ecosystem stewardship.
If the need grows to hire more staff or otherwise expand the ESD, the additional costs will be paid for by local government.
What You Can Do
Why are you asking me to sign a petition?
To demonstrate support for the ESD idea.
The goal for this element of 31 Days for Our Ecosystem is to collect 500 signatures on the on-line petition, regardless of where signatories live.
Why are you asking me to contact the Jackson Town Council?
To demonstrate support for the ESD.
Petitions are influential. Even more influential is when people contact elected officials directly, whether via e-mails or notes or other means.
Similarly influential is testimony during a public hearing.
The goal for this element of 31 Days for Our Ecosystem is to enlist 100 people to directly contact members of Jackson’s Town Council, regardless of where those volunteers live.
Why are you asking me to donate money?
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Town of Jackson sharply cut its FY21 budget. As a result, the town faces a number of extraordinary demands on its FY22 budget.
Donations will reduce the cost of starting the ESD, increasing the likelihood of it being approved
Donations
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes.
The donation will be made to the Charture Institute, a Jackson-based 501(c)3 charitable organization. Charture will grant all the funds raised to the Town of Jackson.
Is it legal for the Town of Jackson to accept donations to fund the Ecosystem Stewardship Department?
Yes.
Over the years, the Town of Jackson has received numerous charitable donations, including cash and property.
Will you be seeking donations every year?
No.
This is a one-time fundraising effort. The targeted $150,000 will be used by the Town of Jackson over a three year period: $75,000 in FY22, $50,000 in FY23, and $25,000 in FY24. After that, the town will fully fund the ESD.
What if you don’t reach your fundraising goal? What if you exceed it?
If the Town of Jackson creates an ESD, all the money raised through this effort will be granted to the town, with the explicit proviso that the funds must be used to support the department and its efforts.
All funds raised up to the campaign’s goal of $150,000 will be earmarked toward helping pay the salary and benefits of the Ecosystem Stewardship Department Director. If more than $150,000 is raised, the additional funds will be earmarked for supporting departmental projects focused on ecosystem stewardship.
What happens to the donated money if the Jackson Town Council doesn’t approve an Ecosystem Stewardship Department?
Donors will be contacted and given choices about next steps, including having their money refunded.
- Sign the petition expressing your support for an Ecosystem Stewardship Department
- Volunteer to contact elected officials to urge them to support creation of the Ecosystem Stewardship Department
- Donate to help fund the Ecosystem Stewardship Department during its critical start-up years – even the smallest amount will help
For FAQs about the proposed Ecosystem Stewardship Department and associated Ecosystem Stewardship Commission, click here.