I am very proud to announce that my family’s ranch is now an Idaho Forest Legacy Program property. For the many of you who have never heard of this program, like myself when we first started into this endeavor, the Idaho Forest Legacy Program is “established to ascertain and protect environmentally important forest areas that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses and to promote forestland protection and other conservation opportunities.”
We celebrated the completion of this project on January 30, 2010. With the family gathered, we listened to my Grandpa, Grandma, my uncles, and my mom tell hilarious and moving stories about their childhood on the ranch. Here is what my mom, Janice, had to say about the project completion: “Last night we celebrated the conclusion of a seven year project to put the land known as the Wood V-X ranch, which is also the land that Western Pleasure has the privilege to operate on. The state of Idaho and the Clark Fork Pend Orielle conservancy have put many, many hours into this project and it is now done. The land is protected from future development FOREVER."
This land has become a piece of each and every one of us in the Wood family. We are all so excited to know that this piece of paradise will forever remain as it is, so that our children, friends, and guests will have the opportunity to enjoy and benefit from this land.
The following pictures of the event were taken by the very talented writer, Marianne Love. You can read and see Marianne's take on this occasion at her blog, http://www.slightdetour.blogspot.com/.