At a Glance
The master plan for this resort community not only celebrates the region’s natural and cultural heritage, but also regenerates Mahogany Creek as a living bridge that connects the Big Hole Mountains to the Teton River and its surrounding communities of flora, fauna and humans.
Project Description
Recognizing the value of developing sustainable landscapes and practices, Mahogany Ridge LLC called on Biohabitats to spearhead the ecological master planning effort for a resort community in the Teton River Valley.
Biohabitats provided research and review of readily available information relevant to the ecology of the site. In order to establish habitat targets and associated design metrics, Biohabitats met with wildlife experts and discussed regional conservation and restoration strategies for a wide range of species including greater sandhill cranes, Yellowstone cutthroat trout, deer, and elk.
Biohabitats performed a field characterization of the site and surrounding landscape and identified habitat conservation considerations which were included on the existing conditions plan. We focused on identifying vegetation communities and common associated wildlife species, wetland areas, drainage features, and major areas of noxious weed infestations, soil erosion, and human impact. We also identified and characterized similar, relatively undisturbed vegetation communities to be used as reference sites in developing restoration and conservation targets.
Biohabitats, working with a team of planners and landscape architects, forged a master plan that incorporated conservation measures for the protection of sandhill crane habitat, feeding plots for sandhill cranes, wildlife corridors to allow movement of megafauna across the site, small mammal and song bird paths, restoration concepts for Mahogany Creek including habitat for Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and stormwater management facilities that take advantage of the natural character of the site.