The 2020 GreaterYellowstone Agriculture Forum attracted a broad audience of area ranchers and others who learned about cloud seeding and drought and water management, along with other topics associated with drier and warmer weather. The theme of the forum was “Stormy Weather – The Road Ahead in a Changing Landscape.”

The Montana Land Reliance has produced the forum the past five years, with an eye toward providing current and helpful information to the agriculture community. Speakers at the Feb. 6 forum (held in Three Forks at the Gathering Pace in the Lewis & Clark Motel) included MSU Professor Bruce Maxwell, rancher Jim Hagenbarth of Dillon, and Krista Lee Evans, a noted water rights expert. Photo of Montana Land Reliance staff participants at the Greater Yellowstone Agriculture Forum included (left to right) Jordan Vana, Kim Cook, Kathryn Kelly, Becky Stearns, Andrea Darling and Brad Hansen (Tom Mallon photo)

Interesting cooperative project between the Vital Ground Foundation and MT FWP to conserve important wildlife (grizzly bear) habitat in northwestern Montana.

Andrew Dana, a long-time conservation attorney at Conservation Law Associates in Bozeman, is the newest commissioner at the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.  Andy’s commission appointment was activated in January and he recently participated in his first commission meeting.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission was incorporated in April 2006 as an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance to operate an innovative program to build and recognize strong land trusts, foster public confidence in land conservation and help ensure the long-term protection of land. Land trusts apply for accreditation and applicants undergo a lengthy, comprehensive and rigorous review process through all phases of the land trust organization to earn the seal of accreditation.

Here’s the short introduction of Andy on the commission’s website: Andrew Dana is an attorney with Conservation Law Associates in Bozeman, Montana, and represents land trusts, primarily in Montana and the Northern Rockies, including the Montana Association of Land Trusts. He has consulted nationally with the Land Trust Alliance and other organizations about a broad range of conservation easement matters, including easement transactions, drafting, interpretation, enforcement, amendment and termination, and tax policy. Andy was a founding member of the Land Trust Alliance’s Conservation Defense Advisory Council, and he helped launch the coordinated conservation easement defense insurance ideas that ultimately gave rise to TerraFirma. He received his law degree from Stanford Law School, and also holds degrees in geography from the University of Washington and Middlebury College. With his brothers, he also owns a working ranch on the Yellowstone River that is protected by a conservation easement, which fortunately allows fly fishing.

Congratulations to Andy, and thank you for your service to land conservation.

From an article in the Ravalli Republic about the Gates family celebrating a conservation on their 160-acre farm:

It would be hard to imagine that Sam Gates could be much happier as he sat at the head of the kitchen table in the home where his family has gathered for generations.

“There are just so many memories wrapped up in this place,” Gates said. “All of these things that have tied us together as a family are right here in this place that we grew up.”

The 160 acres of prime farmland that comprise the easement are located just west of the Lone Rock School.

“All of us here at the Land Trust are so honored to have had the opportunity to work with Sam and the entire Gates family to conserve their farm,” said Bitter Root Land Trust Executive Director Gavin Ricklefs. “The Gates family’s deep connection to this land is evident whenever they talk about their lives growing up here along Three Mile Creek, and we’re happy to be able to provide this tool that gives local landowners like the Gates an option for ensuring their family lands are part of the valley’s agricultural future.”

“Right from the very first time that we started talking about it, everyone was board,” Gates said. “I think my dad is smiling down at us right now and I think mom would be too now that we’ve completed the process. … It’s a wonderful thing when you know that you can always go home.”

Fun article in the Helena Independent Record newspaper about “best places to hike with dogs.” Lots of great places, in part thanks to Prickly Pear Land Trust.

The official invitation to nominate someone for the Leopold Conservation Award is pretty simple: If you, or someone you know, is a Montana landowner who is committed to land management practices that increase conservation, we invite your application for the Leopold Conservation Award.

Land trusts were thrilled when Bill and Dana Milton (pictured here), with close land trust ties and extensive private land conservation experience, received the 2019 Leopold Award.

More information about the 2020 award is available at the Sand County Foundation website.

A new 35-second video from The Vital Ground Foundation showcases, in a stunning series of images, the range of benefits produced by a Vital Ground conservation project. The short video is titled “Vital Ground — Connecting Vital Habitat for Wildlife and People.” The video ends with these words on screen: WE PROTECT LANDSCAPES FOR WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE.

The unnarrated video highlights the benefits of Vital Ground projects for clean water, fresh air, vast landscapes, and iconic wildlife.

The video was released on Jan. 28. For additional Vital Ground videos, including a 57-second video titled “The Grizzly Bear as an Umbrella Species,” visit the Vital Ground website.

Guest column in Seeley Swan Pathfinder by Montana TNC explores TNC’s vision “to see this land conserved for public use – for recreation, habitat and its economic benefit to local communities.”

If you’re interested in learning more about “universal trails” – trails intended for broad use with little environmental impacts – you’d best sign up quick for the Universal Trails and Outdoors for Everyone Workshop, set for Missoula, July 8-10, 2020.

The workshop is made possible through financial support from the Land Trust Alliance Western Program and vast organizational support from Five Valleys Land Trust. As a result, the Alliance, Five Valleys and MALT are able to bring Larry Knutson of Penn Trails LCC to Missoula. The two-day technical workshop will be limited to 30 people and taught by Knutson, one of the foremost experts in designing, building, maintaining, and promoting universal access trail systems and universal design for the outdoors. He is co-author of the Universal Access Trail and Shared Use Paths Manual and has taught universal trail design and building throughout the US. RSVP to Ryan Stutzman or call 549-0755 to reserve your spot.

The workshop will start the evening of July 8 with an evening panel presentation (free and open to the public) titled “Voices from the Community: Why Access, Equity, and Inclusion Matter.” This community event will address the issues of equity, inclusion, and access to the outdoors by exploring some of the social, economic, cultural, and infrastructure barriers that reduce access to our trails and natural areas.

Day two of the workshop features a Knutson-led classroom session focused on planning, design, and maintenance of universally accessible pedestrian trails. That evening (July 9) will offer a picnic at the Five Valleys Land Trust Rock Creek Confluence Property.

Day three will offer an outdoor “hands on” experience in Frenchtown that involves creating and managing your own universal trail project. Participants should bring a project idea or concept for your own universally accessible trail project to this session. Working with Knutson in small groups, you’ll gain experience needed to begin planning your own project for a universally accessible trail that is practicable for your own site. This day will include a visit to an active Five Valleys Land Trust project site in Frenchtown. Again, class size is limited to ensure effective classroom and in-field interaction, so please RSVP soon if you want to attend.       

Bitter Root Land Trust, a local family, USDA NRCS, and the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program have pooled their resources to conserve the Gates family 160-acre farm nestled along Three Mile Creek in the Bitterroot Valley.

“We would love to see the land kept intact and farmed long into the future.” – Gates Family

Over the years, the 160-acre farm has grown various crops including grass, alfalfa hay, beets, potatoes, oats, wheat, barley, and peas. The Gates family also raised dairy cows and pigs for many years. Important soils, classified as “prime farmland if irrigated” and “farmland of local importance,” are on 100% of the Gates Family Farm.

Stream, wetland and riparian habitats associated with Three Mile Creek support a variety of species, including westslope cutthroat trout, evening grosbeak, great blue heron, Clark’s nutcracker, Lewis’ woodpecker, and pileated woodpecker. Conservation of these habitats protect the ecological integrity and functions of the Three Mile Creek drainage, the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, and the Bitterroot River watershed.