THE KELLY PARCEL IS OFFICIALLY PART OF GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK!

Totaling 640 acres, the state-owned Kelly parcel was the largest piece of unprotected land within the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park. The area provides critical habitat for numerous species of wildlife and extraordinary views for recreationists. It is also located within a key migration corridor for pronghorn, elk, and mule deer in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem—one of the last remaining, nearly intact temperate ecosystems on the planet.

The acquisition was made possible by the successful completion of a twelve-month campaign executed by Grand Teton National Park Foundation that raised $37.6 million in private philanthropic funds. When combined with $62.4 million from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, proceeds from the $100 million sale will be invested into Wyoming’s Common School Permanent Fund, benefitting the state’s schoolchildren for decades.

Thank you to the individuals, organizations, and leaders who advocated for and invested in the preservation of the Kelly parcel in Grand Teton. Because of you, the wildland and wildlife in our backyard national park will continue to thrive for generations to come.

WHY NOW?

CONSERVE WILDLIFE & HABITAT

From a natural resource standpoint, the area is invaluable. The parcel provides seasonal migration routes that have been used for hundreds of years by elk, bison, moose, mule deer, and pronghorn.

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PROTECT WILDLIFE & HABITAT

From a natural resource perspective, the area is invaluable. The parcel provides seasonal migration routes that have been used for hundreds—if not thousands—of years by elk, bison, moose, mule deer, and pronghorn. The Path of the Pronghorn, a lifeline that the Jackson Hole herd follow to and from wintering areas in the upper Green River basin, overlaps this land tract. A variety of raptors and numerous songbirds depend on this terrain for spring nesting. The region is also a focal point for wolf activity due to the high density of ungulates, and lies within the currently occupied range of threatened grizzly bears. Without permanent protection, development of any kind could put eighty-seven species of “greatest conservation need,” as identified by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, at risk.

PROVIDE FUNDING FOR WYOMING SCHOOLS

The Kelly parcel is state trust land. The Wyoming constitution requires that these assets generate income to support public schools, and the parcel currently generates roughly $2,800 annually through various permits.

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PROVIDE FUNDING FOR WYOMING

The Kelly parcel is state trust land, and the Wyoming constitution requires that these assets generate income to support public schools. The parcel currently generates roughly $2,800 annually through various permits.

A sale of $100 million in 2024 to the National Park Service will return approximately $64 million into the Common School Permanent Fund in the first ten years alone—outpacing land appreciation projections over the next decade. 

PUBLIC-PRIVATE SOLUTION

Grand Teton National Park is securing $62 million in federal money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Grand Teton National Park Foundation has committed to raise an additional $38 million dollars by the end of 2024, which will inject $100 million into Wyoming's public schools.

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PUBLIC-PRIVATE SOLUTION

Grand Teton National Park is securing $62 million from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The NPS is allocated a total of $100 million in LWCF funds annually for land acquisitions across the entire country, and this level of funding is a significant commitment for one national park. Grand Teton National Park Foundation is raising $38 million to help purchase the property. Together, we will provide $100 million to Wyoming public schools while also conserving an extraordinary piece of land that will be enjoyed by visitors and conserved for wildlife in perpetuity.

Grand Teton National Park Foundation and our partners are ready to meet this critical need that will facilitate a transformational gift to the American people, and is a win for conservation advocates, national park enthusiasts, wildlife supporters, and Wyoming families. 

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