A private ceremony was held June 23rd to dedicate the last 1100 acres of the previous 3000 acre JY Ranch at the Grand Teton National Park for a nature preserve in honor of the late Laurance S. Rockefeller, a third generation member of the famous American oil family. This ceremony was the official debut of the preserve’s nature center as well. Rockefeller’s love of the gorgeous Grand Teton property began when his father, John D. Rockefeller, purchased the JY Ranch in the early 1930s. After inheriting the land from his father, Laurance donated 2000 acres of the ranch in the 1990s. By 2001, he promised to donate the remaining land on the JY Ranch after his death. The nature preserve helps continue the Rockefeller’s dedication to preserving as much of the natural American landscape as possible while also helping keep up an important piece of the Grand Teton’s ecosystem. The visitor center is also one-of-a-kind as the only Platinum designated LEED certified building in the nation. LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) awards their certification only to buildings that utilize environmentally sustainable construction. The Platinum designation is LEED’s highest honor. To find out more about what’s happening in the Jackson Hole area , please contact us today.
A Gift of Love for the Grand Tetons
Bigger Isn’t Always Better
In the past, one of the prime status symbols in a person’s life was the size of their home. Just look at the so-called “McMansions” that have popped up all over the country. An unfortunate by-product of this up-sizing was that people mortgaged themselves to death to “keep up with the Joneses”. Now, both they and the Joneses are losing their homes due to poor financing choices and multiple loans on one home. Also, with skyrocketing energy costs, simple day-to-day living expenses can go through the roof.
This has, in turn, created an interest in smaller, more energy-efficient homes. Studies have found that, even though most people want more storage in their homes, there still doesn’t seem to be enough to fit the bill, no matter how large of a home you get. Simply decluttering your home of things that you no longer use can show you that a smaller home really can be more than enough to handle your belongings. Smaller homes mean less area to heat/cool, clean and clutter. This means less money from your pocketbook in expenses and more time with the family.
So, when looking for your next home, you may want to consider downsizing. It’s good for the environment and it’s good for your pocketbook. If you have any questions or want more information, please contact us today. We’re always happy to help!
Summer in Yellowstone
With summer fast approaching, many people take to the roads to visit one of the nation’s most beautiful natural wonders: Yellowstone National Park. Before embarking on this great family trip, please keep in mind that the higher elevation of Yellowstone means that the seasons change much later than in lower areas. This means that spring showers tend to linger into the summer months and even snow is known to make an appearance overnight, causing road closures in some areas. Visitors to the park should make sure they bring jackets and other warmer apparel in case the weather is cooler than expected. To get the latest information about park closing times and possible road closures, call Yellowstone’s visitor center at (307) 344-2117 anytime. To get more information about Jackson Hole real estate, please contact us.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Goes Green!
The largest consumer of energy in Jackson Hole, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, has committed to offsetting their energy use with renewable energy: geothermal energy, small hydro, biomass and wind. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR) uses approximately 9,000,000 kwh per year. Through a program with Renewable Choice Energy, JHMR will be able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 37.5 million pounds. To put this in perspective, this would be the same as taking over 3800 cars off the road or planting almost 5300 acres of fully matured trees. Additionally, JHMR has been fully certified as a third party ISO ”green” company. This makes it one of only two ski resorts to do so. Let’s all give a hand to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in their efforts to help save this planet of ours.
