Leigh Kelley and Family, Ranch Manager, Paws Up Greenough. Photo by Eliza Wiley.
We want to set future generations up to succeed—and that means looking at a variety of perspectives, not just our own.
WHEN LEIGH AND KYLE KELLEY got married on the banks of the Blackfoot River in 2001, they could only imagine how those waters would bind them, their forthcoming family, their community, and ultimately their livelihood.
Today, Leigh and Kyle manage the Paws Up Ranch, a job that puts them at the center of decisions that will impact the entire watershed for years to come.
“Our vision of the river was narrower in the past. Now we recreate on it, share it with friends and family, teach our kids science in its waters.”
A search for community-based solutions led Leigh to the Blackfoot Challenge. Outfitters, guides, irrigators and fish – all depend on the health of the river.
“The water binds us all together, and we have to find a balance between these uses. A drought management plan helps us do that here on the ranch.”
She sees the work at the Blackfoot Challenge as seeking to find common ground in a shared landscape, with the greatest beneficiaries being her children.
“When I look long-term, we want to set future generations up to succeed – and that means looking at a variety of perspectives, not just our own.”