Growing their conservation legacy along the Stillwater River west of Whitefish, Doug and Carolyn Kohrs permanently protected an additional 110 acres of critical habitat this week in partnership with Flathead Land Trust. Once slated for an eight-home subdivision, the Kohrs chose conservation over development, fulfilling a vision they first established when they began acquiring land in the area in 2005. This new conservation easement augments 655 acres protected by the family in 2022, adding to a significant conservation block adjacent to thousands of acres of contiguous protected and public lands.
Landscape-Scale Conservation
The new land protection agreement permanently secures a vital portion of a critical wildlife corridor. The Kohrs’ conserved parcels connect to the 1,560-acre Kuhns Wildlife Management Area and are contiguous with a nearly 5,000-acre block of undeveloped habitat. This expanse includes 1,850 acres of DNRC-managed forest and nearly 900 acres of U.S. Forest Service land, creating a seamless, intact landscape.
Wildlife traveling along the Stillwater River find vital sanctuary on the newly conserved property, which secures an additional quarter-mile of riverfront and extends a protected riparian stretch to over three miles. The land’s rich mosaic of riparian forests, wetlands, and fertile fields, bisected by a half mile of Tobie Creek, provides high-functioning habitat for a diverse array of species. Both grizzly and black bears have been documented utilizing the property as a travel corridor through the Stillwater region. On-site game cameras have captured nearly every major regional carnivore, including mountain lions, wolves, bobcats, coyotes, and foxes. Elk calves and deer fawns have also been recorded, confirming the land’s importance as a safe nursery for ungulates to raise their young.
The site also supports remarkable avian biodiversity, with 127 recorded bird species in the area, 95 of which were personally documented by the Kohrs family. Furthermore, the Stillwater River reach within the Kohrs easements serves as essential habitat for two of Montana’s most sensitive aquatic species: the threatened bull trout and the westslope cutthroat trout.
Protecting Our Heritage
Beyond protecting wildlife, the conservation easement safeguards high-quality farmland. By building upon the adjacent lands already preserved by the Kohrs, the agreement creates a contiguous block of nearly 700 acres of protected, fertile soil—the majority of which is officially designated as “prime” or of “statewide importance.”
Just as this land serves as a vital anchor for a critical wildlife corridor, the Kohrs themselves have become a cornerstone of conservation in the Flathead Valley. Their dedication has created the essential framework for a landscape that remains open, connected and productive, ensuring that the region’s natural character endures for generations. By prioritizing ecological integrity over development, Doug and Carolyn Kohrs have ensured that this vital land along the Stillwater River remains a functional, wild landscape for generations to come.
Doug Kohrs reflected, “Carolyn and I are excited to add this additional piece of wildlife-critical land to our existing easement. Secure and safe wildlife corridors are important for all the different animal species who live in the Valley, especially as the inevitable development creeps closer to their natural habitat.“
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