The Beauty of a Wolf PackEarthfire Institute Wildlife Sanctuary2026-09-29 | The Beauty of a Wolf PackEarthfire Wildlife Corridor: Winter Elk HerdEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-02-03 | A herd of elk crossing through the section of South Leigh Creek wildlife corridor that has been protected by Earthfire Institute through the help of our supporters.Wolf Pups First Snow - Earthfire InstituteEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | ...Winter Scenes from Earthfire’s Wildlife CorridorEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | In 2020 Earthfire Institute succeeded in conserving 120 acres of untouched wildlife habitat in the South Leigh Creek wildlife corridor, part of the critical Yellowstone-to-Yukon migration pathway. Over the winter, with Earthfire’s trail cameras, we’ve been capturing images of extraordinary animals, from magpies to moose and pine marten to black bears, who rely on this land to move freely, find nourishment, and thrive. Even in the depths of winter, the corridor is as it always is―full of life.Winter Corridor 2022Earthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | ...Sunrise over the Tetons from the South Leigh CorridorEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | ...Sunrise over the TetonsEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | From Earthfire Institute, sending love, hope, and beauty for the New Year!Nugget the Baby SquirrelEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | Nugget, an orphaned 5 week old squirrel, wriggles and chitters in rage. Her sleek incredibly agile body stretches to the limit in her reach for the bottle, for sustenance, for Life. This, is heaven. This, is the whole universe. Here she is in all of her "squirrelness" eating...or trying to. We mistakenly put the wrong nipple on the bottle, and she let us know—vividly. Listen for her little chitters as she wriggles from Susan's hands in protest, and then watch the utter bliss and contentment when the bottle is finally as it should be.Moose SnackingEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | Earthfire Wildlife Corridor Trail CamLeaping into FrameEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | White-tailed deer can jump as high as 8 feet and leap as far at 10 - 12 feet. They also use their tails as an alarm flag to warn others that danger is nearby. When a mother deer is running, this waving white flag can help her fawns follow her.JackrabbitEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | From Executive Director Susan B. Eirich’s personal journal: Attachment and worry
"Walking the dogs in the fields of sage and snow, I see coyote and fox tracks and in the wildlife corridor webcam we see them too. It usually gives me delight. But one day we saw a large handsome jackrabbit on the webcam. We worry now. It makes no sense - of course the foxes and coyotes have to eat and seeing them alive meant they had to have been killing prey all along. But once we saw him, it was a connection made, and he was no longer anonymous. Each time we spot him it is a relief."Goodnight Wildlife CorridorEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | ...Happy Holidays from Earthfire InstituteEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
Often referred to as the last best wildlife corridor in Teton Valley, South Leigh is connected to the 2000 mile long Yellowstone to Yukon migration pathway, also known as the Serengeti of North America. South Leigh is recognized as a vital migration pathway for various species including prime habitat for great gray owls, hawks, and native cutthroat trout. Wildlife of all sizes utilize the corridor to move through protected habitat that is critical for their survival. If we lose local corridors to development projects that do not consider the needs of these animals, there will be no way for them to migrate safely. We will lose the very thing we value about living in our valley and that draws people to visit and move here.Earthfire Institute Trail Cam: White-tailed BuckEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | Captured (gently) within Earthfire’s preserved migration corridor: a healthy white-tailed buck.Deer in the StreamEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | ...Corridor Bear JumpsEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-17 | ...Brambles Waterfall OperaEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-14 | Beautiful scenes of Bramble the Grizzly Bear in the Earthfire Institute wildlife garden to the soundtrack of Kristine Ciesinski, mezzo soprano, and Katherine Ciesinski, soprano.Bramble The Bears Pool PartyEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-14 | ...Black Bear Trail CamEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2023-01-14 | We had a black bear roaming in the corridor last week. Heather is our office manager and one of her favorite jobs is reviewing our trail cam images. She was excited to see a bear nosing around the migration corridor and strolling up our road.Earthfire Trail Cam: Winter Range HighlightsEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2021-01-29 | See this healthy elk herd migrate through Earthfire Institute's preserved wildlife corridor in Teton Valley Idaho.EFI August 2020 Trail Cam Video Raw Version2Earthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-09-10 | We've preserved 120 acres of the Teton Wildlife Corridor in SE Idaho. It's a thriving thoroughfare. Here's who we've seen so far!EFI August 2020 Trail Cam Video Full VersionEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-09-02 | These 120 acres were just preserved in the Teton Corridor of Southeast Idaho. Here's what we've seen so far...!Cabin in the Woods with Susan B. Eirich, Ph. D and special guest Karen PresleyEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-08-17 | Welcome to Susan's Cabin in the Woods. Our hope is that these discussions will open hearts and minds to the incredible opportunity all of us on Earth have to re-imagine this as a time of wonder and reconnection with ourselves and all living beings.
This program is the first in a series of discussions hosted by Dr. Susan Eirich that will bring global changemakers together to share, learn, and expand our sense of community - which includes all life on earth. We're pleased to introduce our special guest, experience transition coach Karen Presley. Our topic today is Emerging from the Pause: From fearful isolation to joyful transformation.Realizing Earthfires Permaculture VisionEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-06-11 | Since the inception of Earthfire Institute in the year 2000, facilities have been lovingly hand-built by founders Jean Simpson and Susan Eirich. Now, as we celebrate our 20th year of operation, we are preparing to begin much-needed infrastructure renovations. This rebuilding will be guided by the principles of permaculture and aims to create habitat enrichment for the sanctuary animals, better serve injured wildlife brought to us for rehabilitation and release, and restore essential habitat for the wild species that live alongside us. If you would like to support our efforts to bring permaculture to our 40-acre wildlife sanctuary, please donate at www.earthfireinstitute.org/permaculture.
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Original Cinematography by Michael Stillwater Jessica FriedmanEmissaries from the WildEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-03-19 | Emissaries from the Wild: The Animals of Earthfire A Film by Michael Stillwater Narrated by Susan B. Eirich, PhD In Association with Song Without Borders (songwithoutborders.net)
We Are All Emissaries - Fund for Earthfire's Future Donations in any amount are greatly appreciated. All funds received by Earthfire Institute through the viewing of this film will support the Director’s Special Capacity-Building Fund, which will enable Earthfire to recruit staff that are critically needed for our growth and development. To donate, please visit earthfireinstitute.org/donateDante Gets Some Help Shoveling SnowEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-02-25 | Zak and Shota the German Shepherds take their job as assistant snow removers very seriously. Dante, one of our animal caretakers, doesn't seem to mind too much. Music by bensound.com.Allegiance To The Earth: Investigating Our LoyaltiesEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-02-20 | An interesting thought: when we ask, “How can we stop climate change?” we often mean, “How can we stop climate change without substantially changing how we live on the planet?”* The truth is, we can’t. What we first have to do is ask, “Where is my loyalty? Beth Robson writes: ”If the answer to the question is anything other than “With Nature,” we can’t expect life on this planet to go on much longer.”
In this conversation, we discuss what this means as we apply it to our own lives and actions. Watch the conversation below, then add your voice in the comments section to Join us in this vital, absorbing, and shared exploration of our loyalties.
Our monthly Conservation Conversations are an important part of supporting and growing our community as we move forward through this pivotal time for life on Earth. Please join us for our next Conversation on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 6:00 pm MT (5:00 Pacific; 8:00 Eastern). These are virtual events held via Zoom video chat, so all are welcome, regardless of where you live. The cost is free, but advance registration is required. For updates on Conservation Conversation topics and registration, please sign up for our newsletter at earthfireinstitute.org/join/.
Let us know what you want to talk about! Send your ideas for topics to office@earthfireinstitute.org.
------------------------- Thumbnail Image by New Africa / Shutterstock.com Music: "Wind at Cherry Creek" by Bernie Krause, used with permissionPositive Forces In The Face Of Climate Change - January 2020 Conservation ConversationEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2020-01-23 | What’s being done and what can you do? In our most recent Conservation Conversation, Susan shared resources from the recent TEDWomen conference and other movements around the world, and participants contributed their own experiences, thoughts, and examples of how we can all work together for our planet. Small community conversations form a network of global inspiration that energize us and support effective action.
Please visit efinst.org/jan20cc for a list of the references mentioned in this video.
In the video, we mistakenly announced that the next Conservation Conversation will be on February 19th. The Correct date is February 12 at 6:00 pm MT (5:00 Pacific; 8:00 Eastern).
Our monthly Conservation Conversations are an important part of supporting and growing our community as we move forward through this pivotal time for life on Earth. These are virtual events held via Zoom video chat, so all are welcome, regardless of where you live. The cost is free, but advance registration is required. For updates on Conservation Conversation topics and registration, please sign up for our newsletter at earthfireinstitute.org/join/.Embracing Economic Activism: November 2019 Conservation ConversationEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-12-10 | In this month’s conversation, Susan and Chelsea share ideas discussed during the Social Venture Circle Conference they attended in November.
The complexity of the issues we are facing as a planet requires us to be interdisciplinary, inclusive, and daring in our thinking and problem solving. It is essential that each one of us participate because we all exist on our Earth together and all have gifts to bring to the table. We need to make a 180-degree flip in what we value as a society, desiring the opposite of what we prize now in terms of consumption. We need to consider how goods and foods are made, transported, and marketed. What values do we support through our advertising? What do we consider newsworthy? What supports Life?
It’s time to imagine what would happen if we shifted our economic power to socially and environmentally conscious investments, realizing that every dollar spent affects us all.
Please Join Us for Our Next Conservation Conversation!
Our monthly Conservation Conversations are an important part of supporting and growing our community as we move forward through this pivotal time for life on Earth. Please join us for our next Conversation on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 6:00 pm MT (5:00 Pacific; 8:00 Eastern). These are virtual events held via Zoom video chat, so all are welcome, regardless of where you live. The cost is free, but advance registration is required. For updates on Conservation Conversation topics and registration, please sign up for our newsletter at earthfireinstitute.org/join/.Heeding Natures Call for Change: October 2019 Conservation ConversationEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-11-20 | Recently returned from a retreat called “Reversing Extinction,” and in the midst of rising protests across the world from Extinction Rebellion, Susan has been pondering three questions that arose during moments of deep listening and conversation:
- What part is missing from our deep memory? - What are we colliding against? - What agreements are we not willing to make?
As the group discusses these questions, we contemplate how each of us can take personal responsibility for changing the way we live to better care for the Earth and all Life.
Our monthly Conservation Conversations are an important part of supporting and growing our community as we move forward through this pivotal time for life on Earth. Please join us for our next Conversation on Wednesday, November 20,2019 at 6:00 pm MT (5:00 Pacific; 8:00 Eastern). These are virtual events held via Zoom video chat, so all are welcome, regardless of where you live. The cost is free, but advance registration is required. For updates on Conservation Conversation topics and registration, please sign up for our newsletter at earthfireinstitute.org/join/.Animal Enrichment at Earthfire InsituteEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-10-17 | There are many ways to help captive animals still enjoy wholesome, natural lives. Here are a few things our animals have enjoyed doing. Read more about our animal enrichment activities at earthfireinstitute.org/creature-comforts/.Reorienting Ourselves to New Realities: Seeking Solutions to Living with Our EarthEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-10-04 | In this time of messy and dramatic change, millions are seeking new solutions to our environmental crises. Sometimes we deal with local issues in isolation or in small groups or communities. But all local issues have global implications because they address worldwide patterns. It is encouraging to know we are each part of a global movement, where individuals, organizations, and companies are seeking a new way of being in the world. This is collectively raising the consciousness of humanity as millions of us work to create a sustainable future that supports all Life and honors the land we share.
While exploring how to deeply include nature in our work here at Earthfire, we spoke with a range of people, from shamans to conservationists. Overwhelmingly, we found that people were on the same wavelength, all seeking a meaningful way forward. Preparing the soil in our own way for what is to grow, as we reorient ourselves to a vastly different way of life on our Earth. How are each of us doing this? Do you have stories or examples to share about people working for change in your area?
Our monthly Conservation Conversations are an important part of supporting and growing our community as we move forward through this pivotal time for life on Earth. Please join the third Wednesday of every month as we work toward becoming a committed and supportive community of all beings. These are virtual events held via Zoom video chat, so all are welcome, regardless of where you live. The cost is free, but advance registration is required. For updates on Conservation Conversation topics and registration, please sign up for our newsletter at earthfireinstitute.org/joinTaking the Earth into Consideration: Fostering a New Generation of World LeadersEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-10-01 | Exciting, world-class researchers, thinkers, and artists recently convened in Todi, Italy at Cortona Week 2019. The focus was to work along with emerging young world leaders to explore how we move forward as a human race at this critical time. Dr. Susan Eirich shared powerful and important insights from the week and participants discussed how we can all help create environments that foster the type of world leaders we need to navigate our current crises.
For those who may want to explore the rich work of conference participants discussed in this conversation, we recommend further reading on the works of Brother David Steindl-Rast, Federico Faggin, Marko Pogacnik, Alexander Laszlo, and Patricia Jennings.
Our monthly Conservation Conversations are an important part of supporting and growing our community as we move forward through this pivotal time for life on Earth. All are welcome. The cost is free, but advance registration is required. For more information, please visit earthfireinstitute.org/conservation_conversations/.Animal Healing and Earth Repair: May 2019 Conservation ConversationEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-06-07 | During this Conservation Conversation, Dr. Susan Eirich shares cutting-edge approaches to animal healing from the Animal Energy World Conference--and human healing, because fundamentally we are the same--and the work of passionate people around the globe doing “Earth Repair.” We hope you find the conversation thought-provoking and encouraging.
Our monthly Conservation Conversations are an important part of supporting and growing our community as we move forward through this pivotal time for life on Earth. Please join us as we work toward becoming a committed and supportive community of all beings. All are welcome. The cost is free, but advance registration is required.
Sign up for our monthly newsletter at earthfireinstitute.org/join to receive updates on topics for upcoming Conservation Conversations.Buddhism and Activism: A Conservation Conversation with David LoyEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-05-23 | Internationally renowned Buddhist scholar and activist Dr. David Loy discusses his new book, Ecodharma, where he writes, “Engagement in the world is how our individual awakening blossoms, and contemplative practices such as meditation ground our activism, transforming it into a spiritual path.”
Susan and David converse about what the teachings of Buddhism can offer to solving our current ecological crises. His recent lecture “Healing Ecology: A Buddhist Perspective on the Eco-crisis” talks about the parallel between our personal struggles and our collective ecological dilemma.
You do not have to be schooled in Buddhism to enjoy or contribute to this conversation.
Please join us for our next Conservation Conversation on Wednesday, May 22nd at 6:00 pm MT (5:00 Pacific; 8:00 Eastern). The cost is free, but advance registration is required. (See earthfireinstitute.org/conservation_conversations for details.)
All are welcome.Supporting the Courage to Act with Dr. Susan Eirich and Dr. Linda BenderEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-04-05 | In March’s Conservation Conversation, Dr. Susan Eirich, Founder of Earthfire Institute, and Dr. Linda Bender, internationally renowned wildlife veterinarian and animal advocate, explored the issues of climate change and how to use our deep connection with nature to help us remain hopeful, and resilient. They also discussed how we can find the courage to act rather than sink into despair.
Our next conversation will be on Wednesday, April 20 at 6:00 pm MST (5:00 Pacific; 8:00 Eastern). The cost is free, but space is limited, and advance registration is required. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive details for how to register (www.earthfireinstitute.org/join).
All are welcome. Please join us as we work toward becoming a committed and supportive community of all beings.The Earth is Lonely For Us, So How Shall We Live? February Conservation ConversationEarthfire Institute: Wildlife Sanctuary & Retreat Center2019-04-02 | Last month, Dr. Susan Eirich and the Earthfire community engaged in a deep, intimate conversation about ways we can support one another in making the paradigm shift towards living in harmony with all Life. We discussed how we can be more aware of and connected to the Life all around us.
These Conversations are held on the third Wednesday of every month. They are designed to create a space where we can support one another in the paradigm shift of living in harmony with all Life. We offer a supportive environment where together we can explore our fears, hopes, suggestions and actions as we work to make the changes needed.The cost is free, but space is limited, and advance registration is required.
All are welcome. Please join us as we work toward becoming a committed and supportive community of all beings.