The Bitter Root Land Trust and the Montana NRCS recently closed an ALE Program conservation easement on the 155-acre Yoder Angus Ranch northeast of Stevensville in the Bitterroot Valley.  

     BRLT executive director Gavin Ricklefs announced the closing of the project in a 55-second video with the ranch in the background. 

     From a BRLT eNewsletter: This family ranch rests on 155 acres of valuable Bitterroot agricultural ground and is home to a cow-calf operation, as well as to a variety of wildlife including ducks, hawks, geese, fox and elk. The ranch is operated by the Yoder family who cherish the opportunity to continue a traditional way of life working in agriculture, and look forward to passing the ranch down to their children  someday. 

     “We knew if we didn’t do something to conserve this land today, it wouldn’t look like this tomorrow,” said Jake Yoder, landowner. “Knowing that we will still be able to wake up and see manure on the ground, cows in the pasture and saddled horses for years to come makes this more  than worth it.”

     Seventeen additional conservation easements are located near the Yoder Ranch. Funding for the project came from the Farm Bill’s Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) Program and the Ravalli County Open Lands Program. 

(Below) Ravalli Republic Photo