Local outdoor groups ask county to back $800,000 request for summer-winter ambassador services
April 28, 2025 | Teton County, Wyoming
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Representatives of four local nonprofits asked the Teton County Board of County Commissioners on April 28 to back requests for Travel and Tourism Board funding to expand ambassador services on public lands and trailheads.
Gary Kofinas, chair of the Teton Backcountry Alliance, told the commission the four organizations'Friends of the Bridger-Teton, the Teton Backcountry Alliance, Jackson Hole Nordic and Camino Comingo'intend to request about $800,000 in combined funding and asked the county to support that request to the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board. "We anticipate together our organizations will be requesting about $800,000," Kofinas said. He added that the Travel and Tourism Board has a new category that has allocated $550,000 and that his group will request about $85,000 for its programs.
Scott Cuciba, executive director of Friends of the Bridger-Teton, described work the groups perform on public lands and with visitors: "Since we've been running the program ... our volunteer ambassadors have extinguished over 800 escaped or abandoned campfires in Teton County alone. They've secured thousands of food storage violations. They've interacted with thousands upon thousands of visitors in our communities." The groups said funding shortfalls at federal land management agencies have increased the role and urgency of locally supported ambassador programs.
Nancy Leon, board chair of Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance, and Linda Marigliano, representing the Bridger-Teton National Forest, reiterated the request and described how ambassadors help visitors, promote responsible recreation and reduce visitor-caused impacts on wildlife and public safety. Marigliano noted current on-the-ground activity: "The bears are already out. Folks are up there every day, working to keep those bears safe and people from being killed on the highway."
The speakers said the requested funding would support a range of services: summer campground ambassadors, winter pass ambassadors, shuttle support for Teton Pass, and outreach to Spanish-speaking communities. They offered to answer follow-up questions and to coordinate further with county staff and the town.
No county action was taken at the meeting; commissioners reserved questions for later budget conversations and for Travel and Tourism Board deliberations.
Ending: County staff did not commit funds during the meeting; the groups asked the county to coordinate with the Travel and Tourism Board and the town as the funding request moves forward.
Gary Kofinas, chair of the Teton Backcountry Alliance, told the commission the four organizations'Friends of the Bridger-Teton, the Teton Backcountry Alliance, Jackson Hole Nordic and Camino Comingo'intend to request about $800,000 in combined funding and asked the county to support that request to the Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board. "We anticipate together our organizations will be requesting about $800,000," Kofinas said. He added that the Travel and Tourism Board has a new category that has allocated $550,000 and that his group will request about $85,000 for its programs.
Scott Cuciba, executive director of Friends of the Bridger-Teton, described work the groups perform on public lands and with visitors: "Since we've been running the program ... our volunteer ambassadors have extinguished over 800 escaped or abandoned campfires in Teton County alone. They've secured thousands of food storage violations. They've interacted with thousands upon thousands of visitors in our communities." The groups said funding shortfalls at federal land management agencies have increased the role and urgency of locally supported ambassador programs.
Nancy Leon, board chair of Jackson Hole Nordic Alliance, and Linda Marigliano, representing the Bridger-Teton National Forest, reiterated the request and described how ambassadors help visitors, promote responsible recreation and reduce visitor-caused impacts on wildlife and public safety. Marigliano noted current on-the-ground activity: "The bears are already out. Folks are up there every day, working to keep those bears safe and people from being killed on the highway."
The speakers said the requested funding would support a range of services: summer campground ambassadors, winter pass ambassadors, shuttle support for Teton Pass, and outreach to Spanish-speaking communities. They offered to answer follow-up questions and to coordinate further with county staff and the town.
No county action was taken at the meeting; commissioners reserved questions for later budget conversations and for Travel and Tourism Board deliberations.
Ending: County staff did not commit funds during the meeting; the groups asked the county to coordinate with the Travel and Tourism Board and the town as the funding request moves forward.
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