STORY BY MEG PULLIAM

PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Warm Springs Preserve Restoration Project is moving forward on critical improvements that benefit both people and wildlife, thanks to a $300,000 grant from the James M. Cox Foundation.

Led by the Wood River Land Trust in partnership with the City of Ketchum, the effort reflects a shared commitment to restoring natural river systems and protecting one of the Wood River Valley’s most iconic landscapes.

The 65-acre Warm Springs Preserve Restoration Project is a collaborative initiative focused on ensuring that one of Ketchum’s most treasured open spaces continues to thrive as both a community gathering place and a restored, ecologically resilient riparian area. The project will restore natural river function, improve fish and wildlife habitat, conserve water, and reduce flood risk, while enhancing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors.

“Support from the James M. Cox Foundation adds to the many who have come together to restore, enhance, and preserve one of the Wood River Valley’s most historic and iconic outdoor spaces,” said Guy Cherp, Cox Communications’ Sun Valley Market Vice President. “This project reflects the kind of community-focused investment that helps ensure these places remain accessible and healthy for generations to come.”

“We’re immensely grateful for this funding from the James M. Cox Foundation to help restore Warm Springs Creek and its surrounding floodplain—creating a healthier, more resilient river system that benefits both people and wildlife,” said Amy Trujillo, Executive Director of the Wood River Land Trust.

The history of the Warm Springs Preserve mirrors that of many properties across the West. Originally farmed in the late 1800s, the land was later heavily developed into a golf course in the 1960s. These changes confined Warm Springs Creek’s natural movement, causing it to incise and disconnect from its floodplain and stripping away critical habitats such as pools, side channels, and wetlands that fish and wildlife need to survive and thrive.

In 2022, thanks to a community-wide campaign and contributions from more than a thousand donors, the City of Ketchum purchased the property. Soon after, the city and the Wood River Land Trust launched a community-driven master planning process to guide the Preserve’s restoration and long-term stewardship.

Work to implement much of the plan in the northern portions of the Preserve, including the upper fairway and northern floodplain meadow and wetlands, began in 2025. Over 29,000 native plants will be planted in the spring, and the project is expected to be completed by summer 2026. Once finished, the restored area will reconnect eight acres of floodplain, create more than 2,000 feet of new side channels, and significantly improve fish and wildlife habitat. Native plantings and irrigation efficiencies are also expected to reduce water use by approximately 50 million gallons each year.

The Wood River Land Trust will be conducting public site visits at Warm Springs Preserve this spring, offering community members a behind the scenes look at the river restoration. In addition, community members are invited to save the date for a Warm Springs Preserve Tree Planting Day on Tuesday, June 23 to roll up their sleeves, and help plant a portion of the more than 29,000 native plants that will be installed this spring.

Sign up at https://www.woodriverlandtrust.org/events/community-planting-day

This past summer, restoration crews integrated more than 1,900 trees into the project that were removed from adjacent U.S. Forest Service lands as part of the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project, which aims to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk.

The salvaged wood was used to install 40 large woody debris structures in Warm Springs Creek—features that are critical for boosting native fish habitat and restoring natural stream function. This approach provided substantial cost savings while improving ecological outcomes and reducing the project’s overall carbon footprint.

The $300,000 grant reflects the James M. Cox Foundation’s commitment to advancing conservation and environmental stewardship projects that strengthen communities and sustain vital ecosystems over the long term.

The James M. Cox Foundation is the charitable arm of Cox Enterprises, Cox Communications’ parent company. Named in honor of the company’s founder, James M. Cox—Ohio’s first three-term governor and the 1920 Democratic nominee for president—the Foundation focuses its giving on areas including biodiversity, conservation and environment, early childhood education, empowering families and individuals for success, and health.

Since its founding, the Land Trust has helped conserve more than 30,000 acres, created 21 public access preserves, and restore 15 miles of the Big Wood River and its tributaries.