Habitat Heroes Removing Musk Thistle in Game Creek

Want to see what a dedicated crew of volunteers can achieve? Look no further than Habitat Heroes in Game Creek. The effort to remove invasive musk thistle began inauspiciously, in 2019. In 2022, Teton Conservation District and other members of the Jackson Hole Weed Management Association expanded participation under the moniker "Thistle Thursdays."
Our persistence has transformed an area once described as "out of control" and a "lost cause." In the past six years, volunteers have dedicated over 500 hours across 43 workdays, removing nearly 2,500 pounds of musk thistle seed. This translates to an estimated 650 million seeds prevented from infiltrating Game Creek's ecosystem over the past six years, based on the average musk thistle seedhead containing 1,000 seeds and about 150 seedheads per pound. The impact of this sustained effort is undeniable, with visible changes in the local flora.
In 2024 alone, 19 dedicated volunteers spent 16 workdays expanding their reach. For the first time, the team reached the upper gate, spending less time on previously treated areas and more time pushing further upstream from the highway and trailhead. The fruits of their labor are evident in the resurgence of native species. Areas frequently tended now showcase thriving populations of native plants like lanceleaf figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata), sawtooth groundsel (Senecio serra), and Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis). Even native Jackson Hole (Cirsium subniveum) and elk (Cirsium scariosum) thistles are making a comeback.
This success story underscores the power of consistent, community-driven conservation efforts. Those inspired to make a difference in their local ecosystems are encouraged to contact [e-mail] or sign up through the Teton County Weed and Pest website to join or form their own Habitat Hero Crew.