A Ranch, a River, a Legacy: The Manning Family Protects Cantlin Place

Just west of Pinedale, as the New Fork River meanders toward the small seat of Sublette County, Cantlin Place lies among great stretches of hay meadows and pastureland with the Wind River Range towering above. For over 120 years, this 145-acre family ranch has been a stalwart livestock operation on the edge of town, managed today by no less than three generations of the Manning family. Now, it will remain that way forever.

The Green River Valley Program (GRVP) of the Jackson Hole Land Trust is proud to announce that the Manning family has placed a permanent conservation easement on Cantlin Place, protecting irreplaceable agricultural land and wildlife habitat along the New Fork River in Sublette County.

Tesa Manning grew up on this ranch, and the memories run deep:

“I am so lucky to have grown up here. I have so many fond memories of riding horses, fishing in the river, raising 4-H animals, and even freezing to death out here taking care of cows in the winter. The very best days of my life have been spent here on this ranch with my family.”

That personal connection is inseparable from the land’s ecological significance. All 145 acres of Cantlin Place fall within the Identified Sublette Pronghorn Migration Corridor, and more than 1,600 feet of the New Fork River will now be permanently safeguarded. The property provides seasonal habitat for moose, mule deer, pronghorn, and migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway, which depends on working ranches like this one to remain intact.

“So many of the people who live here or are just passing through can’t help but stand in awe of the Town of Pinedale, surrounded by stunning open space and the Winds rising magnificently in the background,” said GRVP Director Kerry Schultz. “Ranches like this one are part of what makes this town scenic, wild, and special.”

Talli Manning pointed to the scale of the challenge facing agricultural land across the country:

“According to statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. loses roughly four million acres of agricultural land each year to development and fragmentation,” she said. “Our open spaces, wildlife corridors, and agricultural lands are precious resources that are increasingly endangered. It’s imperative that they are preserved. I’m deeply grateful that there are resources and partners willing to address this issue. Conservation easements are a powerful tool, and I feel honored to be part of this effort. Sublette County is such a special place, and it’s vital that its beauty and culture endure.”

Her daughter Tesa emphasized what’s at stake for both wildlife and the next generation:

“Sometimes it feels like we are losing the fight to preserve ranching and open space. We’ve already lost wildlife habitat and fragmented important migration corridors. This conservation easement is a powerful tool in that fight. There may be quick money in selling to a developer, but a well-managed ranch can endure forever, supporting a family and coexisting with wildlife. Once a place like this is subdivided, it’s gone forever. The wildlife lose their home, migration patterns are altered, and the next generation loses the chance to grow up the way I did. I just want to do my part to help shape the future of Sublette County.”

The conservation easement ensures Cantlin Place remains a working agricultural landscape in perpetuity. Reducing long-term financial pressures on the property enables the Manning family to reinvest in their operation while keeping the ranch intact across generations, contributing to the broader Sublette County agricultural economy for years to come.

“Now we have a chance to shape how this place will look far into the future,” Tesa said, “and I believe it is best suited as open space for wildlife and livestock.”

The conservation easement on Cantlin Place was made possible through funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, and Ducks Unlimited.