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What many consider some of Sublette County’s most important wildlife habitat will be protected in perpetuity after 1,800 acres of the Cottonwood Ranch went under a conservation easement this week.

The easement, which had a $1.4 million market value, is the result of cooperation among The Conservation Fund, the Jonah Interagency Office, the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Fund, Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation through The Nature Conservancy.

The Botur family, owners of the land outside Daniel, made a significant contribution to the effort, according to Luke Lynch, Wyoming state director of The Conservation Fund. Members of the Botur family also own property in Jackson Hole.

The family put 1,042 acres in a conservation easement last spring and is expected to conserve another 1,800 acres in the future.

“It’s critical winter range for mule deer and moose,” said Lynch. “That stretch of Cottonwood Creek and the Ryegrass bench has one of the highest concentrations of sage grouse in western Wyoming. It’s also important for antelope.”

Lynch said the land will continue to be used to raise livestock. With the Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust, the Jonah Interagency Office is working on a long-term ranch management plan “that will ensure that the habitat stays in good condition and is improved as needed,” he said.

Mark Eisele, Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust board president, said maintaining open spaces and preserving long-time ranching heritage benefits the entire community

“The Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust appreciates the contributions of the Botur family in keeping important agricultural lands in production,” he said in a statement.

Freddie Botur, owner of Cottonwood Ranches, said in a statement, “It is these kinds of successes, with motivated people, to do great things in this landscape of our home, our Wyoming, that keeps me going.”