Bridger-Teton’s forest chief marks 10 years
From Staff Reports, Jackson Hole, Wyo.
November 28, 2009
Bridger-Teton’s Kniffy Hamilton is celebrating 10 years as forest supervisor for the 3.4 million acres of national forest land in Teton, Lincoln and Sublette counties.
Hamilton, whose office is in Jackson, started in November 1999. Brian Stout (1984-94) is the only other supervisor to serve for a decade on the Bridger-Teton, which was formed in 1973 but includes portions of land that have been protected since 1891.
During her tenure, Hamilton led the Bridger-Teton through numerous events that have drawn national interest.
In 2000, the Bridger-Teton National Forest participated in the USA Ski Trials for the National Olympics and Hamilton welcomed participants from across the nation.
Summer 2001 was one of the largest fire seasons on record. Hamilton led the Bridger-Teton through the outbreak of the Green Knoll Fire, which drew national attention as it burned just outside Wilson. In the Green Knoll Fire, 150 homes were threatened and the Bridger-Teton was inundated with resources including helicopters, planes, bulldozers, fire engines and close to 1,400 workers to combat the blaze. No homes were lost because of the firefighting effort, and the fire was contained at 4,400 acres.
In 2003, Hamilton decided not to lease 375,000 acres of the Bridger-Teton surrounding Jackson and the Gros Ventre Wilderness area for oil and gas development. In 2004, Hamilton collaborated with industry and environmental organizations to consent to leasing in 44,720 acres of the Bridger-Teton that were outside roadless areas and began work on an environmental impact statement to look at issues around Canada lynx habitat and air quality.
In 2005, she began the process of revising the Bridger-Teton Forest Plan, a guiding document used by land managers.
In 2008, Hamilton joined Grand Teton National Park, National Elk Refuge and community leaders to designate the Path of the Pronghorn. The path is a migration corridor that pronghorn herds have used for thousands of years as they transition between winter and summer ranges in western Wyoming. Hamilton also hosted the Boy Scouts of America’s Order of the Arrow organization, which brought nearly 1,000 Scouts from across the U.S. to complete more than $1,000,000 in service projects throughout the forest.
Before moving to Jackson, Hamilton worked for the Bureau of Land Management for almost 20 years and as a habitat biologist for the Alaska Fish and Game Department in Anchorage.
