From the Desk of the Executive Director…
As we close the book on 2024 and celebrate Salmon Valley Stewardship’s 20th
anniversary, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable journey this organization has
taken—and the incredible milestones we’ve reached this year. It’s a time to honor the
visionaries who planted the seeds of our work two decades ago, the countless partners
and supporters who have nurtured that vision, and the thriving community and
landscapes that are the heart of all we do.
This year, our stewardship efforts have been more impactful than ever, a testament to
the dedication and collaboration that defines our work. Here are just a few highlights
from this milestone year:
Community Engagement
Our 20th anniversary celebration was not just a reflection of our history but a rallying cry
for the future. This year’s unforgettable Harvest Fest Celebration manifested itself as a
community gathering welcoming nearly 200 community members eager to celebrate
with SVS, to learn more about the organization and to connect with each other. We
recognized the achievements of the Salmon Whitewater Park Association in their
successful journey to create the wave park by awarding them with the 2024 David
Krosting Award. The turnout for Harvest Fest, and for all of the events we hosted this
past year reinforced what we already know: this community’s strength lies in its shared
commitment to our land and to each other.
Youth and Education
Inspiring the next generation of stewards has always been central to our mission. This
year, we expanded our youth programs, reaching hundreds of local students through
hands-on environmental education. We engaged with students at Salmon Public
Schools, Fernwaters Public Charter School, and homeschooled students. Additionally,
we offered programming outside of school during the summertime and on Fridays.
Watching young people engage with the land—and seeing the spark of understanding
and curiosity ignite in their eyes—was one of the year’s greatest rewards. It has always
been a goal of SVS to nurture and mentor future land managers, and this year we
continued the tradition by having 2 college interns working at SVS for the summer. We
decided that in 2025 we will be pausing our college intern program and hiring one or two
local high school interns instead.
Organizational Growth
This year also marked significant growth for our organization. Salmon Valley
Stewardship underwent a very productive facilitated Strategic Planning session in 2024
that has helped guide the direction of our programming and subsequent staffing needs.
Salmon Valley Stewardship now includes 8 permanent staff members (the most it has
ever had!) in addition to our seasonal technicians and interns. We have expanded our small fleet of vehicles to include 3 trucks, providing greater flexibility and capacity for
our fieldwork. Additionally, we secured a second office space, which has become a hub
for meetings, trainings, conferences, Friday programming for kids, and much more.
Moving Forward
As we celebrate this banner year, we know our work is far from done. Looking to the
future, we have a lot of exciting opportunities coming up. Stay tuned in our newsletters
and on social media for updates on several grants that we are waiting to hear about that
would have huge positive impacts on the community! SVS has taken back the Lemhi
Farmer's Market under SVS’s Local Foods Program, and we are excited to nurture and
grow the Market and our local vendors! We have partnered with Steele Memorial
Medical Center and the local U of I Extension staff to apply for USDA GusNIP funding to
implement a Produce Prescription program which would improve the health of our
community while supporting local farmers and produce vendors. Additionally, SVS and
the local “Community Kitchen Collective” have received a grant for nearly $100,000
partners to create a community commercial kitchen space which would allow local
producers, caterers and entrepreneurs to expand their businesses and increase the
availability and affordability of locally produced foods and related products. These and
other new and exciting endeavors complement the long-standing commitment that SVS
has to implementing a wide variety of monitoring protocols and fieldwork in partnership
with all of our local land management agencies.
The foundation SVS has laid over the past 20 years is strong, but the road ahead will
require continued commitment, creativity, and collaboration! With the support of our
passionate team of staff and board members, dedicated partners, generous funders and
the incredible Salmon Valley community, I am confident that the best is yet to come.
Thank you for being a part of this journey. Together, we’re creating a legacy of
stewardship that will endure for generations.
With gratitude and hope,
Maggie Seaberg
Executive Director
Salmon Valley Stewardship
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