Flathead Land Trust Inc

FLATHEAD LAND TRUST IS DEDICATED TO THE CONSERVATION OF NORTHWEST MONTANA'S LAND AND WATER THROUGH VOLUNTARY AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS.

CONSERVATION:1.DANFORD - REED'S SLOUGH CONSERVATION EASEMENT - IN MARCH, WE PROTECTED IMPORTANT MIGRATORY BIRD HABITAT SOUTHEAST OF KALISPELL WITH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DANFORD FAMILY. THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT WAS PURCHASED WITH NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT (NAWCA) FUNDING AND PROTECTS OVER 36 ACRES OWNED BY BOB DANFORD INCLUDING 15 ACRES OF REED'S SLOUGH AND RICH FARMLAND ADJACENT TO THE SLOUGH; THE OTHER HALF OF REED'S SLOUGH IS ALREADY PROTECTED BY A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. 2.SOMERS BEACH STATE PARK - THE PURCHASE OF THE 106-ACRE SOMERS BEACH PROPERTY ALONG THE NORTH SHORE OF FLATHEAD LAKE WAS COMPLETED IN OCTOBER BY MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS (FWP) FROM THE SLITER FAMILY MAKING IT MONTANA'S NEWEST STATE PARK. THE ACQUISITION OF SOMERS BEACH IS A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAS BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE SLITER FAMILY FOR THE PAST DECADE TOWARDS A SHARED GOAL TO FIND A CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS OUTCOME FOR THE PROPERTY. LAST YEAR, FLT SOLICITED PUBLIC INPUT IN COORDINATION WITH THE SLITER FAMILY ON THE INITIAL ACQUISITION, AND SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE PROVIDED COMMENT. IN 2021, WE RAISED OVER $30,000 WITH A MATCHING CHALLENGE PROVIDED BY THE SLITER FAMILY TO HELP PAY FOR THE LONG-TERM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS OF THE PARK. 3. BAD ROCK CANYON CONSERVATION PROJECT - IN DECEMBER, WE PARTNERED WITH MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS TO COMPLETE THE ACQUISITION OF THE 772 ACRE COLUMBIA FALLS ALUMINUM CO. (CFAC) PROPERTY SOUTH OF THE FLATHEAD RIVER AND EAST OF COLUMBIA FALLS TO BECOME A FUTURE STATE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. THE PROPERTY IS ONE OF THE FLATHEAD VALLEY'S LARGEST REMAINING UNDEVELOPED RIVERFRONT PROPERTIES. THIS PROPERTY SERVES AS CRITICAL WINTER RANGE FOR ELK, MOOSE AND WHITE-TAILED DEER, AND PROVIDES IMPORTANT HABITAT CONNECTIVITY FOR GRIZZLY BEARS, BULL TROUT AND 43 SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED. THE ACQUISITION ALSO SECURES PERMANENT PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR HUNTING AND A 3-MILE COMMUNITY TRAIL CONSTRUCTED BY GATEWAY TO GLACIER TRAIL, INC. FOR USE BY HIKERS, BIKERS, BIRDWATCHERS AND OTHERS. TWO YEARS AGO, CFAC ENTERED INTO AN OPTION AGREEMENT WITH FLT ALLOWING UNTIL THE END OF 2021 TO RAISE THE NECESSARY FUNDS AND COMPLETE THE PURCHASE. THE APPRAISED VALUE OF THE ACQUISITION WAS $7.26 MILLION. FUNDING FOR THE PURCHASE INCLUDES $4 MILLION FROM THE US FOREST SERVICE FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM WHICH IS FUNDED THROUGH THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF) AND $2.5 MILLION FROM HABITAT MONTANA, WHICH USES BIG GAME LICENSE FEES FOR HABITAT CONSERVATION. FLT WAS TASKED WITH RAISING THE REMAINING $590,000 WITH HELP FROM OTHER FUNDING PARTNERS AND THE COMMUNITY. NOT ONLY DID WE SURPASS OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL, BUT WE COMPLETED IT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. THIS IS BY FAR THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF PRIVATE FUNDRAISING FOR A PROJECT FLT HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AND WILL REAP MANY REWARDS FOR YEARS TO COME. 4. TAYLOR CONSERVATION EASEMENT - IN LATE DECEMBER, WE COMPLETED A DONATED CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT PROTECTS 38.9 ACRES OF LAND OWNED BY SIBLINGS, CHARLES AND DIANE TAYLOR, LOCATED SOUTH OF COLUMBIA FALLS. THIS SCENIC PROPERTY IS LESS THAN A HALF MILE FROM THE FLATHEAD RIVER AND THREE MILES FROM THE SWAN MOUNTAINS.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:1.TOURS OF THE BAD ROCK CANYON PROPERTY (APRIL - OCTOBER) - MORE THAN 14 TOURS WERE CONDUCTED INCLUDING SEVERAL PUBLIC TOURS WITH OUR PARTNERS FWP, FLATHEAD LAKERS, GATEWAY TO GLACIER TRAILS, FLATHEAD AUDUBON AMONG OTHERS.2. LOWER VALLEY BIKE AND BIRD TOUR (MAY 15) - ATTENDED BY 46 PEOPLE IN THREE GROUPS WITH STAGGERED START TIMES AS COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS. THE TOUR CELEBRATED THE COMPLETION OF THE DANFORD REED'S SLOUGH PROJECT WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN MARCH AND SHOWCASED THE SOMERS BEACH PROJECT.3. OLNEY-STILLWATER CONSERVATION EASEMENT TOUR (JULY 8-9) - ORGANIZED AND LED THREE TOURS OF THE 1,000 ACRE OLNEY CONSERVATION EASEMENT WITH THE LANDOWNER, F.H. STOLTZE LAND AND LUMBER CO.4. BIRD EDUCATION PROGRAM - CONTINUED IMPLEMENTING THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO EVERGREEN JR. HIGH 7TH GRADERS. IT ALSO INVOLVED CONDUCTING THREE FIELD TRIPS TO CHURCH SLOUGH TO VIEW MIGRATING WATERFOWL WITH ABOUT 60 KIDS IN SPRING. IT INVOLVED FOUR CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS INTRODUCING BIRDS AND SANDHILL CRANES AND TWO FIELD TRIPS TO THE WEST VALLEY BIRD VIEWING AREA TO VIEW SANDHILL CRANES WITH ABOUT 75 KIDS IN THE FALL.

STEWARDSHIP:MONITORED ALL 69 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS (ENCOMPASSING 12,909 ACRES) AND ONE RESTRICTED COVENANT.