Dear editor:

There are so many words we could use to memorialize Jim Nielson: kind, gracious, capable, well-regarded. Most of all, Jim was dedicated to his community.

Although born in Canada, he came to Cody at a young age and was as Wyoming as sagebrush and wind. He loved everything about our state, sharing his knowledge and wealth doing good things for so many charities and causes, expecting nothing in return. While Jim may be gone, his legacy lives on in places as wide-ranging as the Plains Indian Museum and the Cody Splash Park. Because of he and wife Anne’s unwavering commitment to conservation, The Nature Conservancy recognized them with the Oak Leaf Award, our highest honor for volunteer service.

There is no greater testament to their passion for Wyoming landscapes than Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve. Through countless hours of sweat equity making fences more wildlife friendly, pulling invasive weeds and connecting young people to nature, they’ve shaped the preserve into a place that benefits both nature and people. My future visits there will conjure up memories of his warm smile and uncanny gift for spotting wildlife. Thanks, Jim, for your love and dedication to Wyoming. We will miss you.

Hayley Mortimer

Director, The Nature Conservancy in Wyoming, Lander