BOISE, Idaho — Boise received a 75-acre Foothills land donation Tuesday. Terry Walther and his wife, Tracey Herrick, plan to donate the land near Polecat Gulch Reserve to preserve important habitat for wildlife for generations to come.
“This donation is important to our family because it continues a long tradition of preservation and appreciation for the Boise Foothills and what they mean to the City of Boise,” said Terry Walther. “We are proud to join a list of Idahoans who have donated land to maintain the natural habitat that is vital for deer and other animals to thrive.”
The property is located off Pierce Park Road. No trails are currently proposed at the site. The donors are gifting this land to the city specifically for wildlife habitat preservation to build on the commitment the city has made to protect wildlife in the Boise Foothills, city officials said. In addition, the site does not have sufficient connectivity to adjacent public property to allow for public trails to be constructed at this time.
The donation adds to the 12,000 acres of Foothills property that has been purchased and preserved with Foothills Levy funds.
“As our city continues to thrive, open spaces like this are invaluable -- not only to Boiseans’ quality of life, but also to our values and sense of place as community,” said Mayor Dave Bieter. “We are grateful to the Walther-Herrick family for this generous gift.”
The donation will need to be approved and accepted by the Boise City Council. Members are scheduled to discuss the gift at their Oct. 8 meeting, set for 6 p.m. in the Maryanne Jordan Council Chambers.
