• Past work includes timber sale, Grover Park eyed for future.
The Greys River Collaborative is returning to work, bringing local leaders from the county and state together with federal agencies to plan for the future of Greys River country.
The collaborative met Aug. 28 at the Afton Civic Center to review past projects and create an emphasis for future projects.
“We are working with projects the Collaborative has proposed to the forest service,” explained Justin Laycock, Greys River District Ranger with the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
“We have identified the work that we can do over the next ten years. Now we are figuring out how the collaborative can come in and help the forest service get some of the projects done a little quicker.”
Early work focused on timber management with previous Lincoln County Commissioner and Collaborative board member Jerry Harmon lending his experience in the industry to help line out a small project called the Tri Basin Sale near the head of Greys River.
While the sale awaits completion, it was noted for not only opening a supply of timber but creating a plan minor road repairs and fisheries improvements.
The Collaborative is in the process of opening the next project with the primary focus on the popular Grover Park region along the Star Front of the Salt River Mtn. Range.
“One area we are looking at is the Grover Park area,” advised Laycock in an interview with SVI Media. “We would like the Collaborative to help develop a master plan and help us put a little organization to the multiple use that’s going on out there and help us balance that and do activities in a sustainable way to save some of it for the future”.
Former State Legislator and Engineer, Evan Simpson, along with Ryan Erickson, also an engineer, offered some of the preliminary planning for the Grover Park project.
The Greys River Collobrative consists of community members with varying experience that can compliment work on various forest projects.
“When we get them into one room and agree to a project and a way forward, then that project is proposed to the Forest Service,” explained Laycock. “There is a lot of strength that comes with it because of the different interests involved. We prioritize those projects and move them forward.”
The District Ranger concluded, “We are glad to be working together again and we want to keep this momentum going. We recognize there is a lot of power with the collaborative group and we hope to continue working.”
