News

It’s official! Purchase of the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area complete!

by jen

From FLT and FWP joint press release.

On December 21, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) finalized the purchase of 772 acres of intact forestland along the Flathead River near Columbia Falls from former landowner Columbia Falls Aluminum Company (CFAC), a subsidiary of Glencore, Inc. FWP will now manage the property as the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area and safeguard critical wildlife habitat while allowing public access.

“CFAC is extremely pleased to see the unanimous support for this project and we are pleased to be a partner in the project,” said Cheryl Driscoll, Head of US Corporate Affairs for Glencore, Inc. “The Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area will preserve a section of Montana that residents, visitors and future generations can enjoy. I congratulate everyone who worked so diligently to make this a reality. The Flathead Land Trust and FWP are to be commended for leading this collaborative effort.”
“The City of Columbia Falls is thrilled to have the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area purchase finalized. This area greatly enhances and gives the citizens of Columbia Falls and the surrounding area a wonderful opportunity to recreate and enjoy the pristine nature of this land and access to the beautiful Flathead River, right next door to our community,” said Don Barnhart, Mayor of Columbia Falls and members of the Columbia Falls City Council. “The City of Columbia Falls would like to give a hearty thanks to all who made this project possible.”
“Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is grateful for the outpouring of community support and hard work by our partners to achieve this exciting project,” said Jim Williams, regional supervisor for FWP. “Collaboration is the key to successful conservation. This new protected forestland will benefit the entire watershed, wildlife and the public for generations to come.”
The property is located just east of Columbia Falls and south of the Flathead River and 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. In addition, the wetlands and quality riparian habitat on the property help safeguard the healthy function and excellent water quality of the Flathead River and Flathead Lake. The protected property will add to a 12,000-acre network of conserved land along 50 miles of the Flathead River and Flathead Lake downstream of Columbia Falls.

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.

FWP’s Wildlife Management Areas are managed with wildlife and wildlife habitat conservation as the priority. The property will be closed to the public Dec. 2 through noon on May 15 each year to protect big game winter range.

FWP partnered with the Flathead Land Trust to purchase and conserve the outstanding habitat and natural values of the property. Two years ago, CFAC entered into an option agreement with the partners 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. Flathead Land Trust was tasked with raising the remaining $590,000 with help from funding partners, the Flathead Lakers. The majority of the donations were from local individuals and organizations as well as large grants from Heart of the Rockies Initiative, The Kendeda Fund, Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, AGL Foundation, Cinnabar Foundation, Cross Charitable Foundation, Whitefish Community Foundation, Headwaters Montana, Montana Trout Unlimited, Flathead Valley Trout Unlimited, Flathead Wildlife, Flathead Audubon, and Vital Ground Foundation. Large donations from individuals were also received from Dean Marsh, David and Chet Barclay, Bob and Betty Moore, Molly Miller and Mark Jungerman, Walter Rowntree and Laura Reynolds, George and Kimberly Ruhana, and an anonymous donor. Over 250 individuals stepped up to financially contribute to the project.

“We have finally reached the finish line of what was only a dream two years ago”, said Paul Travis, Flathead Land Trust Executive Director. “The extraordinary level of local support is truly why this critical block of land is now conserved and in public hands. Thank you to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, CFAC, and our many other partners and donors for ensuring this wild place would be protected for this and future generations to enjoy.”

News

2021 Conservation Leadership Award – MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Jeff Jones

by jen

We are excited to announce that the Flathead Land Trust 2021 Conservation Leadership Award has been given to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Region 1 with special recognition of Kris Tempel and Alan Wood, as well as to long-time FLT Board Member and Treasurer Jeff Jones.

The two awards were presented at Lone Pine State Park on November 29th to recognize the recipients for going beyond the call of duty for the benefit of Flathead Land Trust’s conservation efforts. Whose leadership, vision, collaboration, and ability to get things accomplished have furthered conservation efforts in the Flathead Valley and across NW Montana in a significant way.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Region 1 with special recognition of Kris Tempel and Alan Wood.

As Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little. Together, we can do so much”. FWP’s collaboration with our organization over the past several decades epitomizes that statement. Our strong partnership together has produced a lot of good for both our organizations, our communities and most importantly for lasting conservation of important land and water here in NW Montana.

It’s hard to do justice in recognizing FWP for all that the agency has done (and continues to do). There’s just too many conservation success stories to share…so here are some of the high notes of our collaborative work together.

We partnered on more than 14 conservation projects using Bonneville Power Administration Mitigation Funding for a total of 2,900 acres of important farmland, habitat, and floodplain conserved along the main stem of the Flathead River through the River to Lake Initiative. We have also worked extensively with the agency to conserve important migratory bird habitat along the north shore of Flathead Lake, a result of which is FWP’s 426-acre North Shore Wildlife Management Area. The agency has had a hand in helping us complete just about all of our conservation easement projects through Wildlife Mitigation Funding which helps pay due diligence conservation easement project costs.

In 2018, we partnered on the 400-acre West Valley Wetlands conservation project where FWP stepped up to develop and now manages a bird viewing area for the public at one of the only staging areas for sandhill cranes in the Flathead. And of course, there’s Somers Beach which is Montana’s newest State Park thanks to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks….and the Bad Rock Canyon Conservation Project, which when completed this month, will protect 772 acres of some of our finest wildlife habitat in the Flathead and secure public access as a new FWP Wildlife Management Area.

It should be noted that without FWP, Flathead Land Trust would never have had the capability of doing projects of this scale and complexity. But, by working together, we have been able to achieve so much more…and I think after Somers Beach and Bad Rock, the sky’s the limit!

Finally, we acknowledge that any partnership is only as good as the people you’re working with. We have many people in the agency to thank but I want to give special recognition to two folks who we have worked with the most – Kris Tempel and Alan Wood. Alan, as you may know, recently retired after a distinguished career at FWP where he helped to conserve hundreds of thousands of acres of critical habitat, forest and ag lands in NW Montana. Alan believed in the power of good partnerships and his collaborative spirit helped us to get some truly extraordinary conservation projects accomplished.

Kris is also a force for conservation. A gifted grant writer who always seems to pull a rabbit out of the hat with large federal funding proposals. Last year, Kris’s two funding proposals from the USFS Forest Legacy Program were ranked in the top 5 – in the nation! This includes a $4 Million grant we received for Bad Rock. Kris’s skills and talent are critical to the projects and our work together, especially as we navigate the many steps of complex public acquisitions. We can’t thank her enough for all that she does to ensure success and get important conservation projects like Bad Rock across the finish line.

Jeff Jones, long-time FLT Board Treasurer

Jeff joined the Flathead Land Trust board in May 2013. He then became board Treasurer in 2014 and has held the position ever since. Jeff has a Master’s degree in Wildlife Resources from University of Idaho and worked as an ecologist and wildlife biologist for the US Forest Service, working for the Flathead National Forest from 1998 until his retirement.

When Jeff joined the board and then agreed to become the Treasurer, the organization was financially in rough shape. Through Jeff’s keen eye for finances as Treasurer and his strong leadership as a committed board member, we are now more financially strong than ever. He is also one of a handful of past board members who have served for a full 9 years and has had to step off due to term limits which shows his commitment for this organization and the conservation work we do.

Jeff many times would bring a differing perspective to board discussions and financial issues which ultimately lead to better decisions being made for the organization. He spent countless hours analyzing, raising questions about and troubleshooting financial reports as board treasurer. He was always fully prepared and engaged leading productive finance committee meetings each month, and put in countless hours of time with the executive director working on annual budgets and day to day financial policy and procedures. His attention to detail, oversight and ability to raise tough questions are what have made us a more capable, more professional organization these past 9 years. An organization that would not have even contemplated doing big community conservation projects like Somers Beach and Bad Rock Canyon even 5 years ago.

Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the FLT Conservation Leadership Award – Montana FWP, Region 1 and Jeff Jones! Thank you for your exceptional partnership and commitment to conservation of our most cherished open spaces and wild places in northwest Montana.

News

Big News! FWP Acquires Somers Beach for Future State Park

by jen

Interim amenities are also proposed for public safety, sanitation, and parking needs. 

 The following is an October 7 Press release from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks:

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks acquired the 106-acre Somers Beach property on the northwest shore of Flathead Lake with plans to add it to Montana’s state park system. The previous owners, the Sliter family, permitted public access to the property for many years, and its designation as a state park will perpetuate public enjoyment and access into the future.

Since the site is suitable for a variety of recreational offerings and amenities, such as trails, hand-launch boat access, picnic tables, and more, FWP is working on a long-term vision and development plan for the park that will include extensive public involvement.

While that comprehensive process is expected to take several months, FWP is starting with an interim plan to address immediate needs for public safety, sanitation, and parking. The proposed amenities are outlined in a draft environmental assessment that is available online at https://fwp.mt.gov/news/public-notices and open to public input through Nov. 6. A public meeting is scheduled for Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. through Zoom. The meeting information will be posted online at https://fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/regions/region1.

Written comments can be mailed to: Somers Beach Acquisition EA; Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; 490 N. Meridian Road; Kalispell, MT 59901 or sent by e-mail to: Stevie Burton at [email protected].

FWP asks the public to recreate responsibly at the property and follow all day-use rules – No camping or campfires; Leave No Trace; and Pack It In, Pack it Out etiquette – while also respecting neighboring private property.

The acquisition of the Somers Beach property marks an achievement many years in the making thanks to community collaboration and support. The property represents a significant undeveloped portion of the north shore of Flathead Lake and will complement habitat protections already in place along the lakeshore. Once it becomes a state park, it will provide more public access to Flathead Lake, which currently has less than 20 public access points along its 185 miles of shoreline, all of which are heavily used by residents and tourists alike.

Throughout the year, there is enormous demand for opportunities to recreate on or near the lake; and state, city, and county parks and Fishing Access Sites (FAS) are at or above capacity throughout much of the year. Seeing this need for more recreational access, multiple entities have been working together to add the proposed Somers Beach property to the Montana State Park System and ensure future public access.

FWP worked with the Sliter family and Flathead Land Trust to consider the project. The Flathead Land Trust previously solicited public input on the initial acquisition, and several hundred people provided comment. Funding for the acquisition was provided by the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and required matches from Parks Earned Revenue funds.

Through an extensive public process and private fundraising, support flourished for the park.

“For more than a decade, we have worked with the Sliter family with a shared goal to find a conservation outcome for this special property and expand much needed outdoor recreation opportunities along the north shore of Flathead Lake,” said Paul Travis of Flathead Land Trust. “We are beyond excited that it is now a new Montana State Park and give a big thank you to the Sliter family, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and all donors and partners who helped make it happen.”

Coby Gierke, Executive Director of the Montana State Parks Foundation, added, “After a couple years, a lot of hard work, and after building some amazing partnerships, we’re finally here, opening an amazing new park on the north shore of the lake. We definitely wouldn’t be here today without all the great support we’ve received for this project from donors and organizations in the Flathead area and beyond.”

“Over the last five years, we’ve seen how much Montanans love their state parks, especially the sites on Flathead Lake. Adding another park on the lake is an amazing opportunity and we’re very glad our partners at FWP didn’t let it pass them by.”

News

Lex Blood and Mike Conner receive the 2015 Flathead Land Trust Leadership Award

by jen

December 14, 2015 – The conservation achievements and leadership of Dr. Lex Blood and Mike Conner were recognized at the FLT holiday party and membership meeting on Thursday, December 3rd with the Flathead Land Trust Leadership Award. This is the second year the award has been given to recognize the conservation achievements, leadership, and incredible volunteer service individuals have given to the community through their work with Flathead Land Trust.

“It’s only appropriate as we celebrate our 30th year as the Flathead’s local, community-based land trust that we recognize both Lex and Mike, who were instrumental in the beginnings of this organization, as well as with its success over the years” said Paul Travis, Flathead Land Trust executive director.  “This well-deserved award acknowledges their leadership, vision and ability to get things done which has made this organization what it is today and has created a land and water legacy for the benefit of all of us in the Flathead.”

Mike Conner led a distinguished career with the Forest Service over many years.  While at the Flathead National Forest in the early 1980’s, he was approached to help develop a conservation easement donation program and to partner with a private nonprofit organization to help implement this relatively new concept.   Because of Mike’s efforts and the momentum that he helped to create, the idea of a local land trust caught on the Flathead which resulted in the formation of the Flathead Land Trust in April, 1985.

Mike has played just about every role in the organization, from advisor and member of the advisory board for many years, to even time as an executive director.  We are very fortunate that he continues to lend his knowledge and leadership to the organization and our conservation efforts which he was instrumental in getting started.

Dr. Lex Blood is a trained geologist, long-time Flathead educator, and a leader and invigorator of conservation efforts across the Flathead for many years. Lex retired from a distinguished teaching career as a Geology/ Geography/Earth Science instructor at Flathead valley Community College, and an adjunct professor of Natural Resources at the University of Montana. He was co-founder, president emeritus, executive director, and instructor for the Glacier Institute and is the founder of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem Education Consortium (COCEEC). He also began the Flathead Nonprofit Development Partnership and is the managing director for The Sustainability Fund which offers grant funding to sustain nonprofit and conservation efforts throughout northwest Montana.

Lex continues to be very active in conservation and educational efforts in the Flathead, giving his knowledge and leadership experience to numerous organizations, consortiums, and institutes.  He also continues his work as a geologic consultant with Flathead Land Trust.  His leadership, involvement, generous financial support through the Sustainability Fund, and desire to see this local land trust achieve its mission and goals are big reasons why we can celebrate much of the conservation work that has been accomplished over the years throughout northwest Montana.