On March 21, 2012 Clen Atchley of Ashton, Idaho received a Conservation Champion Award from the Association of Joint Venture Management Boards for his contributions to bird and habitat conservation.  The award was presented at a reception celebrating migratory bird conservation successes in Washington, D.C.

The reception marked the 25th Anniversary of Joint Ventures. Since the establishment of Joint Ventures in 1986, they have emerged as the international model for partnership-driven conservation. Joint Ventures bring together private landowners, public agencies, non-profit conservation organizations, industry, hunters, birdwatchers, and tribes to cooperate in the planning and implementation of projects to conserve and enhance bird habitat. The largest of the twenty-two habitat Joint Ventures in North America, the Intermountain West Joint Venture conserves priority bird habitats through science-based projects and programs across parts of 11 states, including all of Idaho.

Atchley served on the Intermountain West Joint Venture Management Board for 16 years, one of the longest stints for any private landowner on a Joint Venture board. He provided instrumental leadership to the Joint Venture community by bringing the voice of a working farmer and rancher to discussions and decisions. He is a proven conservation leader with a vast array of habitat conservation accomplishments on his own farm and ranchland, as well as through active engagement with the Teton Regional Land Trust for many years. Foremost, Atchley and his wife, Emma, are committed to sustaining the agricultural and wildlife heritage of eastern Idaho for future generations.

“For 25 years, migratory bird Joint Ventures have worked to conserve landscapes that support healthy bird populations, sustain livelihoods, and provide benefits to people and wildlife,” said Dave Smith, Intermountain West Joint Venture Coordinator. “Clen has catalyzed the conservation of bird habitat and the agricultural heritage of eastern Idaho so effectively that, today, these endeavors are inextricably linked. From the JV Board room to his working agricultural operation to the halls of Congress, Clen has been a pillar of the JV movement for the majority of its existence.”