Murdock Ranch Project

Stan Murdock points to the new conservation easement

The Green River Valley Land Trust (GRVLT) has closed its purchase of a conservation easement on a portion of the Murdock Ranch project. The Murdocks gave GRVLT an option to purchase a conservation easement on the northern 873 acres of their ranch for $1.2 million. GRVLT met the deadline and recorded the easement in July 2007.

The easement conserves one of Sublette County’s agricultural, ecological and historic treasures. Stan Murdock’s grandfather homesteaded the ranch in 1889 and his descendants have operated it ever since. Today, the ranch supports a healthy cow-calf operation and—as evidenced by a recent generous grant from the new Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Fund earlier this month—boasts some of the best wildlife habitat in the county.

Green River Valley Land Trust Board President John Andrikopoulos signs Double Bar E Ranch funding documents with The Nature Conservancy's Executive Director Andrea Erickson Quiroz. TNC was a key contributor to the project.

GRVLT Board President John Andrikopoulos credited the Murdocks with "tremendous foresight and community-mindedness for their decision to sell a conservation easement that will perpetually conserve values that make Sublette County so special." Further, Andrikopoulos referred to the family's generosity in making a contribution toward the project themselves by making the easement available at a below market value price.

See a map of the project area.

Project Profile

The Double Bar E Ranch is a cow-calf operation that produces commercial Hereford and Hereford/Black Angus (black baldy) calves for sale. The Ranch participates in the historic Green River Drift, one of the longest cattle drives (in terms of time and distance) in the country.

Acres to be protected:
873 acres of working ranchland (See a map of the project area)

Habitat types:
• riparian scrub-shrub corridor along Willow Creek
• Wetlands
• Agricultural meadows
• Sagebrush grasslands

Wildlife:
33 federal and state endangered, threatened, or rare species and Species of Special Concern observed or likely to be observed on the property

Threat:
Encroaching and adjacent residential and commercial development, which would significantly affect habitat and the working agricultural operation

To complete this crucial conservation easement, the Land Trust raised $1.2 million. Many donors made a contribution or a pledge toward the Murdock Double Bar E Ranch project (please download the list). We appreciate the many generous gifts, and having met our funding deadline, we are now in the process of working with the family to close the project.