“Being a native Westerner, John brings a valuable working knowledge of Wyoming into our conservation and smart-growth work,” said Luther Propst, executive director of the Sonoran Institute. “We were delighted to have him on board to help advance our growing portfolio of projects in Wyoming.”
For the last four years, Heyneman has been working for the Grand Canyon Trust managing the Kane and Two-Mile Ranches, which cover about 850,000 acres on the north rim of the Grand Canyon.
“I first learned of the Institute when I was doing graduate work in Bozeman, Montana. At the time, the Institute was breaking new ground in the Northern Rockies by bringing real economic data into the counties for resource conservation and planning purposes.” said Heyneman. “The Institute’s collaborative approach to conservation and its commitment to local engagement in its project work are inspiring. I have deep agricultural and business roots in Wyoming and Montana and I’m tremendously excited to return to the region.”
Heyneman has ranched in Wyoming, managed a Venezuelan dairy and fruit farm and been on the boards of the Powder River Basin Resource Council and the Yellowstone Art Museum. He also serves on the board of High Country News and holds a Masters degree in Soil Science from Montana State University.
The Institute also maintains an office in Cheyenne focused on influencing state conservation, energy and land use policy, which is directed by Jim Whalen, a former Assistant Director with the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments.
The Sonoran Institute inspires and enables community decisions and public policies that respect the land and people of western North America. Founded in 1990, the Sonoran Institute is a nonprofit organization that is working to shape the future of the West. For more information, visit www.sonoraninstitute.org