Land Trust News

Kelly Kountz Photo / Courtesy of Gallatin Valley Land Trust

Where Conservation, History and Ranch Legacy Meet

SThe Gehring Ranch northwest of Helena, established in 1866 and protected by the Prickly Pear Land Trust conservation easement, has been named to the National Register of Historic Places. A July 16 Tom Kuglin feature in the Helena Independent Record includes several past and current Gehring Ranch photos along with a lengthy article detailing the historical aspects of the property. From the article: The Gehring family gathered in celebration over the weekend with friends and historians who spent nearly two years working towards the listing. More than 20 structures needed cataloging and researching, but fortunately the family had kept detailed records of several shifts in agricultural practices on the ranch… Bill (Gehring) also credited Prickly Pear Land Trust Executive Director Mary Hollow, who helped place a conservation easement on the property in 2016 which ensures it will stay open space and largely undeveloped.

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