Five Valleys Land Trust opening all ability trails, and a stunning new video helps tell that story.
Montana Land Trusts Laud LWCF Support from Tester and Daines
The Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy in Montana and the Montana Association of Land Trusts voiced strong support for the work on the Land and Water Conservation Fund by Montana Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines in an op-ed published by several Montana newspapers. “In the effort to secure permanent, full, dedicated funding, both Daines and Tester have been true national leaders. Both continue their forceful calls for full and dedicated LWCF funding, and both are leading the charge on S. 1081,“ states the guest column. S. 1081 is Senate legislation calling for LWCF dedicated full funding. The LWCF is a Montana land trust federal policy priority.
NRCS, Gallatin Valley Land Trust, LF Dairy Team Up to Conserve Farm
The 598-acre conservation easement on the Flikkema property (LF Dairy) near Churchill was the first project to tap into the new Gallatin County open land funds approved by voters in 2018. Three Flikkema brothers manage the farm now, and said, “We grew up on this farm. We were taught the value of hard work, land management, an appreciation of farming, and how it benefits others. As we grew older we saw expansion in development of housing and subdivisions on farmland. Our wish is for this farmland to remain as it is.”
Report: Montana Conservation Funding Lagging
Interesting report on Montana’s unmet conservation and outdoor recreation needs.
Ag Conservation ‘Success’ in Central Montana
The 9,871 acres of the Weaver Cattle Company sits in shadows of the Bears Paw Mountains and has been in the Weaver family since 1888. Today, the Weaver Cattle Company raises commercial cattle and registered quarter horses and is owned and operated by Stan Weaver, his wife Nancy, their son Daniel. The Montana Land Reliance creatively worked with the NRCS, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and The Conservation Fund on a funding package to purchase a conservation easement to protect habitat for sage grouse and other wildlife and maintain a working ranch for future generations.
Montana TNC Working Toward Forest Health
Montana’s forest are ever changing. The Nature Conservancy in Montana is helping make those changes for the better.
More Applause for Story Mill Park Ahead of July 20 Opening Ceremony
Under the Bozeman Daily Chronicle headline Our New Park a Reason to Stand and Cheer: “This coming Saturday (July 20) there will be a celebration that all community members will want to take part. The occasion will be a grand opening for the Story Mill Community Park – the culmination of a collaboration among the nonprofit Trust for Public Land, the city, Bozeman voters and many donors… Visitors from out of state and around Montana are often heard to remark with envy on the Bozeman’s inviting parks and trails. Those things haven’t happened on their own. It took a lot of foresight and selfless perseverance on the part of many people. And years down the road Story Mill Park will have a special place in the history of Bozeman’s parks heritage.”
Prickly Pear Land Trust and City of Helena Work on Forest Health
Prickly Pear Land Trust, after years of working and waiting, closed a transaction last week that allowed PPLT to transfer recently-acquired land to the City of Helena, and literally within hours work was underway to improve forest health and diminish wildfire risk on the property. Under the headline “Helena begins thinning work on 72-acre land donation“ the Helena Independent Record reported on the transaction and the wildfire mitigation efforts.
NRCS Chief Matt Lohr Video Features Montana
NRCS Chief Matt Lohr recently posted a brief YouTube video featuring Montana and Montanans. Chief Lohr’s video showcases an ALE Program conservation easement in the Big Hole Valley and concludes with an aptly named grain bin. The Chief was in Montana the end of June and met at the Huntley Ranch with Nature Conservancy officials to salute the Huntley family for their stewardship and commitment to agricultural conservation.
Montana Outdoors: 2018 Farm Bill ‘Exceeds Expectations’
MALT, DU and others organizations are touting 2018 Farm Bill conservation programs that offer valuable programs for agricultural conservation in Montana. The article is featured in the July – August edition of the magazine.