In his essay "Thinking Like A Mountain," Aldo Leopold tells the story of a time when he worked for the Forest Service in Arizona. He and his crew spotted several wolves by a river and took aim on the pack. After the shooting, Leopold recalls reaching an old female wolf "in time to watch a fierce green fire dying in her eyes."

"I realized then," Leopold wrote, "and have known ever since, that there was something new to me in those eyes - something known only to her and the mountain."

In the spirit of Leopold's revelation and essay, Western Watershed Project's Greenfire Preserve is being restored to its native state on the East Fork of the Salmon River.

Many WWP members aren't familiar with our activities at Greenfire, and some not even with its origins, so I think it's appropriate to start from the beginning. In June 2000, a conservationist and friend of WWP purchased a 440-acre former ranch along the East Fork, and a management agreement was reached with WWP, then Idaho Watersheds Project. As WWP's Central Idaho director, I assumed the duties of preserve manager and moved to the property on Sept. 1.

Initially, WWP directors and administrators drew up four short-term and several long-term objectives. The first priority was removing livestock from the property. We also wanted to coax a smooth transfer of water rights and Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service grazing permits attached to the property to the new property owner, Valley Sun L.L.C.

Another short-term objective was to meet with various agencies to build relationships with potential partners who might help us in our restoration efforts.

Long-term objectives include: restoring Greenfire to a self­sustaining preserve of native habitat and retiring three U.S. Forest Service and three BLM grazing permits attached to the property; creating an education center where people can learn about properly functioning native habitat, and where universities and their students can use the property for seminars and research projects; making Greenfire available for conferences and visits by the media.

September-October

We had problems transferring the BLM grazing permits right off the bat. The previous owner had signed over the Bradshaw Basin permit to another grazing permittee. Eventually, the permit was transferred to Valley Sun.

We met with various state and federal agencies, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Model Watersheds Project, Bonneville Power Administration, Sho-Ban Tribes and Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The meetings consisted of property tours and discussions to initiate restoration projects. For its part, NRCS stepped up to the plate and offered to share costs for a planting project.

Because all livestock was removed from the property, we submitted a proposal to the Model Watersheds Project to relocate the jack-and-pole fencing along the riparian corridor as a replacement for the barbed-wire perimeter fence on the property. Jack-and-pole fencing is far more wildlife-friendly. Our proposal was denied, but we will continue to seek funding for this project.

There are five pivots that irrigate the majority of the property. Three of the pivots travel in a circle; two move in a semicircle. They are computer-controlled and can be programmed to do just about anything (when they aren't stuck in wheel ruts or knocked out of commission by any number of mechanical or electrical nightmares).

The more we learned about the property, the more we became concerned about the presence of toxic materials. We called the Department of Environmental Quality and took them on a tour of the property. A few items of concern were identified, and the former owners were directed to dispose of them. The houses, buildings and property were inspected before we took occupancy, and all were given a clean bill of health.

November-December

On the weekend of Nov. 4, we held an open house attended by about 60 WWP members and friends. Master chef Claire Casey cooked and choreographed yet another memorable feast.

It occurred to us that no place this special - a place now free of livestock - should be called a ranch, and we appealed to the gathered guests for help. To set the mood, I read "Thinking Like A Mountain" from Leopold's A Sand County Almanac. The essay reflects the values we want to bestow on the preserve, so we kept it in mind as we considered a suitable name. Greenfire, submitted by Ralph Maughn, struck a chord with all of us.

Later in November, we learned about BPA's high-priority projects. I met with BPA and IDFG representatives to determine if retirement of the Salmon River Breaks allotment would fit the criteria of these projects and if the agencies would support such a proposal.

The Salmon River Breaks is one of several allotments attached to the Greenfire property, and our suggestion was met enthusiastically by BPA. We drafted a proposal, which met with support from BPA and every other federal agency we contacted except the U.S. Forest Service. Even the BLM, who administers part of the allotment, was behind the proposal. We spent a good part of the next three months trying to convince the USFS of the merits of our proposal, but the issue was too politically charged for the agency to endorse. Postscript to the story: They haven't seen the last of us yet.

January

In January, Bill and Josephine Lowe generously donated a four-wheel-drive Ford 250 pickup truck to WWP Since then, I've discovered that Greenfire probably couldn't operate at its current level without the vehicle. We use it every day, and Bill and Josephine deserve a thousand thanks.  

February

In February, a crew was brought in to remove fences on the property. The group soon became our planting crew as well. From February to mid-April, the workers carried out what some in the Challis area would consider heresy. They removed cross­fences and corrals from Greenfire. During an Experimental Stewardship meeting in Challis, one rancher who used to work at the property when it was a cattle ranch told me, "It really gave me heartburn to see you tearing out those corrals. It took me a whole day to put some of those posts in." "If it makes you feel any better," I replied, "we wore out two new handyman jacks just getting the posts out of the ground."

March

In March, Judy Hall prepared and submitted two grant applications: an EPA 319 proposal and an application to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for a Five-Star Restoration Challenge Grant. The proposals are for restoration projects on Greenfire and the state-owned section along Lake Creek, for which WWP holds the grazing lease.

Meanwhile, while fence removal continued at Greenfire, I went on a tour of the East Fork and Upper Salmon River with Mark Olson to locate areas where cottonwood and willow cuttings could be gathered. Locating an area suitable for collection is difficult due to degraded river systems that seldom flood (a natural and necessary process) and livestock grazing that is destroying most of the limited regeneration. There are cottonwoods to be found, but most of them are mature and often decadent.  

April

In April, BLM authorized WWP to collect cottonwood and willow cuttings, and we spent seven days collecting cuttings and preparing them according to a planting guide provided by NRCS.

On April 23, a backhoe arrived and planting began. The cuttings were small cottonwoods and willow stalks measuring more than 8 feet.

We planted more than 300 cottonwood cuttings, upwards of 150 willow bundles and 500 cottonwood nursery stock. More than 90 percent of the willow cuttings and 75 percent of the cottonwoods are showing new leaves.

Also in April, we presented the EPA 319 grant proposal to the Basin Advisory Group and Watershed Advisory Group. At both presentations, livestock interests showed their true colors. Their opposition was long on politics and personal bias, and short on facts about water quality. We await word on the grant and believe we have an excellent chance to be funded.

May

Early in May, WWP was visited by more angels. Gordon and Jennifer Younger donated a Ford Explorer to the Greenfire cause. Their gift has been a huge benefit for Greenfire projects and for our work throughout central Idaho.

We know what we want to do at Greenfire, and we are looking for successful models. In May, we decided it would be beneficial to bring in consultants from Bitterroot Restoration to help establish a plan and budget for the restoration of Greenfire.

Also in May, we put the irrigation systems into shape and began watering the hay fields at Greenfire. If we don't irrigate prior to the restoration of native species, we stand a good chance of seeing the fields consumed by exotic weed species - weeds that are difficult to eliminate. We also need to irrigate in order to keep our water right and grow forage for native wildlife.

June

We received funding from WWP contributors to bring Bitterroot Restoration consultants to Greenfire, and a schedule was set. The director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Restoration Funding also toured the property and expressed interest in a partnership.

Also in June, we received word that WWP's application for the Five-Star Restoration Challenge Grant was successful. The $8,100 award gives us another source for more restoration efforts and can serve as matching funds for other grant proposals.

We continued to irrigate through June, but not without problems and significant expenses. Equipment breakdowns were common, and electricity costs to power the various pumps and pivots proved high. Stuck pivots, plugged intake screens and broken drive lines were regular problems - all of this from a nearly new system.

July

By July 12, the grass at Greenfire was waist-high in places, so the pivots were shut down. The hand and wheel irrigation lines continue to operate, but the irrigation program in general clearly demonstrates that a natural, self-sustaining system is far better for all involved: WWP, wildlife and natural systems.

Resistance to Greenfire is keen in some corners. Livestock interests have attempted to block WWP's grant proposals. Inflammatory signs have been posted on Greenfire fence posts. Opponents have even resorted to littering the driveway with nails, resulting in a rash of flat tires. I think some interests fear we're going to open the eyes of the public. With any luck, we may do just that.

For years, WWP has fought to have exclosures established to demonstrate the potential for watersheds and uplands recovery. With the Greenfire preserve, we have an ideal opportunity to show what can happen to public lands when livestock grazing is eliminated. And with all the allotments tied to the Greenfire property, we can show the same results on nearly 50,000 acres of federal lands.

In Greenfire, we also have the authority to acquire more grazing permits and attach them to the preserve for retirement. Our long-term goal at Greenfire is to create a living model that we and others can learn from. For this to happen, we need only to look to our name for inspiration and guidance in our restoration decisions.

Greenfire. May it always remind us to think like a mountain.