Mountain Neighbor Handbook inside page preview

The Mountain Neighbor Handbook

Environmental stewardship, neighbor to neighbor.

Jackson Hole, WY is at a tipping point. Part of the stunning and still largely intact Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the area has faced years of intense development pressure and recordbreaking real estate values, and resource degradation is increasing.

Teton Conservation District, alongside Teton County and Jackson Hole Land Trust, partnered with Bantam to create a practical guide to life in the Tetons. Positive, proactive and packed with local intel, the Mountain Neighbor Handbook equips all residents (especially those new to the area) with the tools and understanding to better protect the increasingly fragile Snake River watershed.

Scope of Work

Content Strategy Consultation
Creative + Art Direction
Design
Illustration
Prepress + Proof Supervision

Collaborators

Lars Ringsrud, Illustrator
Alphagraphics, Printing

Throughout the Mountain Neighbor Handbook, carefully planned and executed illustrations provide actionable information and a sense of community with settings that look and feel distinctly local.

“We knew the Mountain Neighbor Handbook had to stand out among the many high quality publications in Jackson Hole. Bantam’s uncompromising craft and dedication added value in every aspect of the project, including the branding, illustration, narrative, and the feel of the printed piece.”

— Carlin Girard, Executive Director of Teton Conservation District

Browse the Whole Handbook

National Park Service webinar featuring The Mountain Neighbor Handbook

Local enthusiasm.

Teton Conservation District has received requests for the handbook almost daily since its release in October 2022. Nearly 4,000 print copies have been distributed and the digital version has been viewed more than 5,000 times. An additional print run was undertaken to help keep up with demand.

Said Teton Conservation District, “We chose to create a document that welcomes people into our community’s shared vision for conservation, even though cynicism on this topic is pervasive. Given the overwhelming positive feedback from new and old residents, it’s clear that this was the right choice.”

National reach.

The National Park Service, with support from Grand Teton National Park and Grand Teton National Park Foundation, convened an hour-long webinar to review the collaborative process of the Mountain Neighbor Handbook, and how it could serve as a model for other small, scenic gateway communities near national parks.

Mountain Journal’s comprehensive article “How to Prevent Wild Greater Yellowstone from Unraveling” namechecked the Mountain Neighbor Handbook. Said writer Todd Wilkinson, “There ought to be one of these in every rural valley.”