Montana Open Land Month Begins July 1

Montana Open Land Month kicks off on July 1. Thanks to Eric Ian for this great (brief) introductory video to what Montana Open Land Month is all about. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VElC8EGh8ao

Land Trusts Talk LWCF With Senator Steve Daines

Thanks to Sen. Steve Daines for his support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and for his interest in working with Montana conservation organizations as Congress considers reauthorization of the program. Full and permanent LWCF funding would greatly benefit Montana. Montana land trusts, including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Trust for Public Land and Gallatin Valley Land Trust, participated in the meeting and voiced support for LWCF reauthorization without administrative changes. (Chronicle Photo: Sen. Daines with Gallatin Valley Land Trust's Kelly Pohl)
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/…/article_275ec22e-60e…

Montana TNC Featuring Montana Photo of the Month

Check out the Montana Chapter of The Nature Conservancy's Montana Photo of the Month for some great Montana photographs.
http://www.nature.org/…/montana-nature-photo-of-the-month.x…

Five Valleys Land Trust Sees Support for Pattee Canyon Proposal

More exciting private land conservation in the works for Missoula. Five Valleys Land Trust is working with landowner and the city for Pattee Canyon open land. 
http://missoulian.com/…/article_fbfccfa5-a9af-5d0e-a156-25f…

RMEF Lands Director Named One of Missoula's "Top 20 Under 40"

Congratulations to Jennifer Doherty, Director of Lands at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, for being named one of the top 20 professionals under age 40 in Missoula. 
http://missoulian.com/…/article_0ffe93bb-179e-553e-991f-6f0…

Barn Bash Coming to the Flathead

Tickets are on sale for the Sept. 26 Flathead Barn Bash, celebrating 30 years of conservation with Flathead Land Trust. Info is available at FLT website. 
http://www.flatheadlandtrust.org/barn-bash-tickets/

Bike Riders Enjoy Longest Day of Trails

Bozeman bike riders hit the trails from dawn to dusk yesterday during the annual Longest Day of Trails event. 
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/…/article_1de10da9-da0…

Montana Senators Help Fund LWCF

More work left to do, but some positive news on the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Thanks to Montana Senators Tester and Daines for their support on this important Montana program. Congressman Zinke also supports LWCF, but yesterday's action was in the Senate. http://helenair.com/…/article_a2ae7f4e-8b49-57a0-a71a-0c447…

Duckworth Helps Sponsor Montana Open Land Month

Thanks to Duckworth (based in Bozeman) for helping to sponsor Montana Open Land Month. We appreciate your support of our project and of Montana open land. The Montana Association of Land Trusts and Travelers for Open Land are leading the Montana Open Land Month effort. http://www.duckworthco.com

Steve Powell Park Receives Volunteer TLC

GSK employees in Hamilton volunteer time, energy and TLC to improve Stave Powell Park. The park is one of the projects funded by Travelers for Open Land. (Ravalli Republic photo: BRLT executive director Gavin Ricklefs and remnants of an old rail fence removed by volunteers.)
 http://ravallirepublic.com/…/article_5ba65118-0fd0-11e5-a93…

Montana Visitors Spent $3.9 Billion in Montana in 2014

$3.9 billion is a big economic boost, and 10.9 million visitors is a lot of people spending money. http://flatheadbeacon.com/…/visitors-spent-3-9-billion-in-…/

TNC's Work on Prairie Grasslands and Sandhill Cranes Applauded

Butte resident Vince Fischer admires The Nature Conservancy's prairie grasslands and sandhill crane efforts.
http://mtstandard.com/…/article_5ebaf88a-8782-52e3-b1b7-977…

Conservation Outcome for Proposed North Shore Development?

The North Shore Ranch on Flathead Lake is back in the news. The owner of the 367-acre property wants to sell, and a possibility is to conserve the unique north shore landscape and retain its open land attributes. 
http://flatheadbeacon.com/…/stalled-north-shore-subdivisio…/

Bozeman Discovery Walks Provide Trail Insights and Helpful Info

Discovery Walks in Bozeman offer insights and helpful information about the 80 miles of Bozeman-area trails. (Diana Proemm Photo)
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/…/article_6039910f-18e…

Tour of the Bitterroot on July 19

Tour of the Bitterroot, one of Montana's premier biking events, is set for Sunday, July 19. The Tour is sponsored by Bitter Root Land Trust and features the Skalaho Mountain Tour ride through the Bitterroot National Forest. Registration is now open. 
http://www.tourofthebitterroot.org

June 6 is National Trails Day

June 6 is National Trails Day...great time to volunteer or get out and have some fun, or both. Kelly Pohl of Gallatin Valley Land Trust writes in a Bozeman Chronicle guest column that "There is no way to quantify trails’ value in our lives, but we do know the many ways trails benefit our communities.They encourage free, accessible fitness for all ages and abilities, draw tourism that spurs our economy, give kids access to the natural world, and provide safe alternative transportation routes."
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/…/article_24899032-045…

How Will You Celebrate Montana Open Land Month?

Montana's inaugural Open Land Month starts in 30 days. July 2015 is officially recognized as Montana Open Land Month...how are you planning to help celebrate Montana's open lands? http://openlandmt.org