Flathead Land Trust, with help from the NRCS ALE (Farm Bill) Program, Heart of the Rockies and the Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation, is working on a conservation easement on a key 655-acre parcel that borders the Stillwater River and sits adjacent to the Kuhns Wildlife Management Area in the Flathead Valley.

    FLT reports the “project will protect important forested riparian and wetland habitat used by federally listed grizzly bears and a plethora of other wildlife including black bears, coyote, fox, mountain lion, elk, deer, otter, and many bird species. The project will also protect the water quality and healthy river function of the Stillwater River. In addition, the project will conserve rich farmland containing soils including ‘Soils of Statewide Importance’ or ‘Prime Farmland’ as determined by the Natural Resource Conservation Service on 85% of the property.”