Flathead Land Trust Helps Expand Park

Flathead Land Trust assisted with the expansion of Herron Park by 50 acres, increasing the miles of trails and community forests for recreation:
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_409a8456-b065-11e2-afb1-001a4bcf887a.html

Five Valleys Restores Rock Creek Property

Five Valleys Land Trust organized an April 27 volunteer day on Rock Creek to help restore and rehabilitate some key lands at the confluence of Rock Creek and the Clark Fork River. http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/volunteers-begin-transforming-rock-creek-clark-fork-land-back-to/article_0a662764-afa2-11e2-bfb5-0019bb2963f4.html

Brosten Farm Planting Project Controls Erosion

Several organizations worked together on a riparian planting project on a property under easement with Flathead Land Trust.  The Brosten family signed the easement to ensure that their farmland stays in agriculture production.

http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/bigforkeagle/article_68beef82-acf8-11e2-ae19-001a4bcf887a.html

Thanks, Magpie Guest House!

A big thank-you to Jeff and Kathy Ball of Magpie Guest House in Bozeman for participating in Travelers for Open Land. They sent in another check for donations from their guests. Thanks, Jeff and Kathy, for helping us to conserve open lands!

Conservation Easements Featured at Forestry Conference

The Montana Association of Land Trusts thanks (left to right) Brad Bauer of The Nature Conservancy, landowner Bette Lowery, landowner Tom Jones, and Mark Schiltz of The Montana Land Reliance for their presentations at the Montana Forest Conference on April 19. The statewide conference, sponsored by the Montana Forest Stewardship Foundation, Society of American Foresters and Northwest Management, featured a panel discussion on conservation easements and forest management. The conference was well attended, Governor Steve Bullock delivered the keynote address, and Brad, Bette, Tom and Mark gave excellent presentations.

Elk Foundation Works to Conserve Habitat and Expand Access

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation continues to work with the US Forest Service and others to conserve wildlife habitat and improve recreational access in the Tenderfoot Creek area. http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20130416/NEWS01/304160027/Forest-Service-buys-more-land-Tenderfoot-Creek-drainage

Welcome, Sacajawea Hotel!

I had a great visit Friday afternoon with Hillary Folkvord and Keshia Kailey at the Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks. The Sacajawea will be joining Travelers for Open Land as our newest participating business. Welcome! We're looking forward to getting them all set up and training their staff before summer kicks in.

http://www.sacajaweahotel.com/

Thanks, Phasmid Rentals and Silver Forest Inn!

Thanks to Will Casella of Phasmid Rentals in Belgrade and Silver Forest Inn near Bridger for some great insights into additional ways to market Travelers for Open Land. Will is an avid supporter of the program at both businesses and offered some innovative ideas during a Friday afternoon visit.

http://phasmidrentals.com/about/

Elk Foundation Awards Elk Survival Grant

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has awarded a $38,000 grant to Montana FWP and UM to study elk survival in the southern Bitterroot Valley. RMEF works to conserve elk habitat, and TFOL has funded habitat conservation projects in southwestern Montana. http://ravallirepublic.com/news/local/article_84a3d5e8-a481-11e2-b815-001a4bcf887a.html

Economic Benefits of Open Space

Initial results of a study by Beck Consulting of Red Lodge show that quality-of-life issues that nearby parks and recreation present offer “some very concrete economic opportunities” for business owners. The Helena area is looking at creating a regional park district:

 http://helenair.com/news/local/area-business-owners-asked-how-parks-help-their-stores/article_84736f2e-a167-11e2-a883-001a4bcf887a.html

TFOL Helps Conserve Agricultural Lands in the Bitterroot and Mission Valleys

The Missoulian also ran a guest column on the benefits of Travelers for Open Land to the Mission and Bitterroot valleys, where TFOL was able to help keep agricultural lands in production:
http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/columnists/travelers-works-for-landscape-future-of-state/article_8c7d6b88-9c68-11e2-9790-001a4bcf887a.html

The "Trail Fairy" and the Value of Trails

Gallatin Valley Land Trust writes about the "Trail Fairy" and the value of trails in a guest column. Travelers for Open Land is helping fund some of GVLT's trails projects. http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/opinions/article_f7689ede-a06b-11e2-a92b-001a4bcf887a.html

"It's All Dad Has Ever Wanted"

Great story from the Bitterroot Valley about the importance of land conservation to a family, a community, hunters, wildlife and more. Congratulations to the Wetzsteon family, Bitter Root Land Trust, Ravalli County Commissioners and everyone involved in this project. http://ravallirepublic.com/news/local/article_76706930-9ef2-11e2-ac6d-001a4bcf887a.html