Flathead Land Trust

Tour of Nelson Conservation Easement
2025-09-20 09:00 - 11:00 UTC | MT
Join the Nelson family and Flathead Land Trust to tour this remote and beautiful property along Good Creek, northwest of Whitefish. The tour will explore the property’s forested areas and open meadows on Saturday, September 20, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Prepare to be captivated by this ecologically rich property, where abundant wetlands, sparkling streams, and lush wet forests thrive.
Space is limited, so RSVP is required. Please email us to reserve your spot at: info@flatheadlandtrust.org.
Explore the interesting Nelson family story and the compelling reasons behind this incredible conservation easement HERE.

"Rooted at the Edge" Book Event: Reading and Signing - Kalispell
2025-10-08 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Northwest Montana History Museum, 124 Second Ave. East, Kalispell, MT, 59901
An Evening with Donna Erickson: Rooted at the Edge
Join us for a stimulating experience with author and researcher Donna Erickson, who has spent a lifetime immersed in the complexities of land use. Erickson will visit the Northwest Montana History Museum on October 8 and Frame of Reference Gallery on October 9 to discuss her book, Rooted at the Edge: Ranching Where the Old West and New West Collide.
She will share insights from the book, exploring the challenges and ideas facing land squeezed between settlement and wilderness. Discover the various outcomes for these landscapes and what it means for conservation in our community.
This is a great opportunity to learn from an expert and engage in a thought-provoking conversation.
We hope to see you there!
Details:
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8; free admission
Northwest Montana History Museum, 124 Second Ave. East, Kalispell
Moderated by Mark Schiltz, Western Manager for The Montana Land Reliance
Learn more HERE.

Donna Erickson is the author of Rooted at the Edge: Ranching Where the Old West and New West Collide, published by the University of Nebraska Press in April of this year. Erickson grew up on a ranch in Missoula’s North Hills and was a professor of landscape architecture and planning at the University of Michigan for 16 years. Since leaving academia, she has consulted with land conservation groups across the west from her home in Missoula. Donna’s previous book is MetroGreen: Connecting Open Space in North American Cities.
Rooted at the Edge is a work of creative nonfiction that paints a portrait of a ranching community in a threatened landscape steeped in history, conflict, and beauty. Erickson explores the hilly skirt of ground at the northern boundary of Missoula, Montana, separating the town from the wilderness beyond. The North Hills region represents the critical–and often highly personal–issues at play at the edge of many western towns.
Learn more about the book HERE.

"Rooted at the Edge" Book Event: Reading and Signing - Whitefish
2025-10-09 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Frame of Reference Gallery, 235 Central Avenue, Whitefish, MT, 59937, United States
An Evening with Donna Erickson: Rooted at the Edge
Join us for a stimulating experience with author and researcher Donna Erickson, who has spent a lifetime immersed in the complexities of land use. Erickson will visit the Northwest Montana History Museum on October 8 and Frame of Reference Gallery on October 9 to discuss her book, Rooted at the Edge: Ranching Where the Old West and New West Collide.
She will share insights from the book, exploring the challenges and ideas facing land squeezed between settlement and wilderness. Discover the various outcomes for these landscapes and what it means for conservation in our community.
This is a great opportunity to learn from an expert and engage in a thought-provoking conversation.
We hope to see you there!
Details:
6:00 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9; free admission
Frame of Reference Gallery, 235 Central Ave, Whitefish, MT
Moderated by Paul Travis, Executive Director, Flathead Land Trust
Learn more HERE.

Donna Erickson is the author of Rooted at the Edge: Ranching Where the Old West and New West Collide, published by the University of Nebraska Press in April of this year. Erickson grew up on a ranch in Missoula’s North Hills and was a professor of landscape architecture and planning at the University of Michigan for 16 years. Since leaving academia, she has consulted with land conservation groups across the west from her home in Missoula. Donna’s previous book is MetroGreen: Connecting Open Space in North American Cities.
Rooted at the Edge is a work of creative nonfiction that paints a portrait of a ranching community in a threatened landscape steeped in history, conflict, and beauty. Erickson explores the hilly skirt of ground at the northern boundary of Missoula, Montana, separating the town from the wilderness beyond. The North Hills region represents the critical–and often highly personal–issues at play at the edge of many western towns.
Learn more about the book HERE.

Bingo & Beers at Sacred Waters Brewing Co.
2025-11-11 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Sacred Waters Brewing Co., 3250 U.S. Hwy 2 E., Kalispell, MT, 59901
Come on out to Sacred Waters Brewing Co, and play bingo, drink beer, & win prizes! All for a great cause. Sacred Waters will donate $1 of each pint sold between 6-8pm to Flathead Land Trust on Tuesday, November 11.

Conservation Easement Panel
2025-11-20 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Flathead Valley Community College, 777 Grandview Dr., Kalispell, MT, 59901, United States
Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is a conservation easement?” or whether it could be a good fit for your land? Join us for a free, in-depth panel discussion to learn how conservation easements can help you plan your family legacy while preserving the beauty and productivity of our landscapes.
Event Details

Date & Time: Thursday, November 20, 2025, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: Flathead Valley Community College – Arts & Technology Building, Room 144 A/B, Kalispell
INFO: info@flatheadlandtrust.org; 406-752-8293

Local groups will be joined by landowners who have already placed easements on their property to share firsthand insights into how conservation easements can keep agricultural, forest, and open lands in family ownership for generations, explain important financial, tax, and logistical considerations, and show how these tools help preserve our landscapes and support sustainable land stewardship across the Flathead, Swan, Mission, and Lincoln Valleys.
This event is presented by Flathead Land Trust, Montana Land Reliance, Flathead Lakers, and Vital Ground Foundation – organizations dedicated to conserving land, water, and wildlife across northwest Montana.
We invite you to be part of this important conversation about how conservation tools can help preserve our region’s landscapes and support sustainable land stewardship for generations to come.
Warm regards,
Flathead Land Trust, Montana Land Reliance, Flathead Lakers & Vital Ground Foundation
