Tatum McConnell, communications intern at The Vital Ground Foundation, offers insights and information about what bugs do in the winter. Spoiler alert: It’s more than you might think.

Flathead Land Trust is making plans for its Bike and Bird Smith Lake and Baer Project Celebration, set for May 16.

FLT helped to recently add 257 acres to the USFWS Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area. The “Bike and Bird” portion of the celebration involves “incredible birding (and biking) around this extensive wetland area near Kila.”

Interested participants should plan to bring their own bike and binoculars, and should contact Laura Katzman at FLT (406-752-8293).

The Land Trust Alliance Western Program will turn its attention to “Elevating Youth Voices” during a March 17 session, starting at noon Montana time.

 Travis Custer, the executive director of the Montezuma Land Conservancy in southwest Colorado, will lead a discussion about ways to engage, involve and attract the next generation to continue critical conservation work. Volunteer, internship and AmeriCorps programs offer the opportunity to create meaningful experiences for participants and your land trust. Topic areas will include youth programming, youth leadership skills, removing barriers for youth to engage and funding community-based work.

The deadline for land trust staff to register is March 13. Contact Catherine Waterson to register, and contact Amanda Hill with questions for the presenter.  

Like the USPS, they are undaunted by snow or sleet or bad weather. They are the Prickly Pear Land Trust Happy Snails for Happy Trails, and for the past three winters they have gathered on Tuesdays at noon to run on the PPLT and Helena expansive community trails system. They meet at the Old Shooting Range Trailhead, and everyone is invited to join them. Here’s more info from PPLT: For those interested in the group, you can learn more on the facebook group page: Happy Snails for Happy Trails, OR attend the Snails’ winter celebration. The group is gathering at Bert & Ernie’s on Tuesday, February 25 from 5-7 PM for pizza, beer and wine to celebrate the past year of the Snails hitting their stride. This will be a great time to meet other runners, buy the new Happy Snails T-shirts, as well as talk about the Don’t Fence Me In Trail Run courses available. PPLT Photo

Here’s how the article opens: Five people sat around a tray of cinnamon rolls in a small real estate office in the ranching and big game hunting town of Augusta, Montana. Mike Mueller, RMEF’s senior lands program manager for Montana, wrote $2,460,000 on a napkin, folded it over so nobody else could see and slid it across to lifelong rancher Dan Barrett.

When he opened it, Barrett cracked a small smile and said, “That’s what I thought you’d offer. Where’s all this money going to come from?”

Mueller said, “Well hell, Dan, I don’t know. But trust us. We’ll get it.”

“You know, against my better judgment, I do trust you,” Barrett replied. “But let me think on it.” They shook hands all around and parted ways.

This was the culmination of years of effort and there was a lot riding on the deal. The price on the napkin represented 442 acres of land so special, no amount of money could truly quantify the value to the public—especially those who love to hunt elk.

Bugle Feature_Falls Creek_MA20

The Blackfoot Challenge Conservation Strategies group will be meeting on Feb. 27 at the Helmville Community Center. The meeting will run from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and is open to the public. In addition to hearing updates from landowners and conservation partners in the area, the group will discuss other conservation initiatives in the Blackfoot Valley. Contact Sara Schmidt for additional information.

Three Montana land trusts are seeking 2020 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) funding to build or expand trails in what is a very competitive process. A total of 70 entities are collectively requesting over $3.6 million in funding through a program that has roughly $1.5 million to allocate.

MALT members applying for funds to improve community trails include Bitter Root Land Trust, Five Valleys Land Trust, and Gallatin Valley Land Trust, and some land trust-connected applicants are also seeking funds.

A complete list of applicants and additional information about the projects are available at the RTP website. The website accepts public comments on the proposals until 5:00 PM on March 9.

GVLT is seeking grant funds to build a bridge on Bozeman’s Front Street Pathway. Five Valleys Land Trust is seeking funds to build a new trail on Mount Dean Stone and improve a trailhead parking lot. Bitter Root Land Trust is seeking to acquire land for a new Fishing Access Site and trail.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies hosted a Northern Great Plains Grantee Convening in Billings on Feb. 12-13 and among the participants were Montana land trust representatives (left to right) Brad Hansen (The Montana Land Reliance), Amy Croover (The Nature Conservancy in Montana) and Gary Sullivan (The Conservation Fund).

The convening offered an opportunity for NFWF and MACP to share information with entities that have received NFWF or MACP funding, for grantees to share information with each other, and for grantees to share information with NFWF and MACP.

In addition to main topics such as beef markets, initiatives on tribal lands and carbon sequestration, participants were selected to offer “lightning round” presentations. Brian Martin (Montana TNC) and Leo Barthelmess (Ranchers Stewardship Alliance) offered presentations. NFWF is a major funder of the MALT ALE Program Coordinator position. MALT Photo

A generous gift: Conservation-minded landowner John Greytak has donated 3,450 acres of critical elk, mule deer and whitetail deer winter range near the Bearmouth area in western Montana to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Watch a video and read more about the donation here.

“We are grateful to John Greytak for this extremely generous and substantial donation,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “We commend John for recognizing the crucial wildlife values of this land while making the decision to permanently protect them. He’s been a RMEF member since 1999 and recently elevated his commitment to conservation by becoming a RMEF life member and joining RMEF’s Legacy Lands Program.”

Located just north of Interstate 90 in the Bearmouth area of Granite County, the property is about 45 miles east of RMEF headquarters in Missoula. It lies within a vast landscape of various public and protected land ownership and provides important connectivity of wildlife habitat.

“I know what the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation does is like-minded to my passion. In fact, I’d say their passion kind of spawned my passion,” said Greytak. “It’s a win for me. It’s a win for RMEF. And in the long run it will be a win for the general public and the wildlife so I’m happy to have done it.”

Feb. 13 will informally end one chapter of Penelope Pierce’s life – as executive director of Gallatin Valley Land Trust – and open up untold new chapters as she turns the reins of GVLT over into new hands.

Penelope, who after ten years at GVLT announced her intentions to “retire” from GVLT, will be feted on Feb. 13 at the GVLT Annual Trail Mix gathering. The event starts at 6:00 PM in the Baxter Hotel Ballroom. The invitation reads: “You’re invited to the 26th Annual GVLT Trail Mix and Penelope’s going away party.” RSVP are requested by Feb. 10 to hannah@gvlt.org or by calling 406-587-8404 ext. 113.

Penelope will work during a brief transitional period at GVLT to assist the new executive director.