Bad Rock Canyon
“Collaboration is the key to successful conservation”
When the Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant (CFAC) permanently closed in 2015, an opportunity surfaced to protect 772 acres of pristine, intact forestland across the Flathead River from the plant. A geographic pinch point, essential for wildlife movement, the property quickly became a focus for conservation efforts. Critically located at the mouth of Bad Rock Canyon, the area not only provides vital wildlife habitat, but also helps safeguard water quality of Flathead River and Lake. Recognizing the ecological significance of the area, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) and Flathead Land Trust joined forces, working to conserve one of the Flathead Valley’s largest remaining undeveloped riverfront properties. CFAC generously offered Montana FWP the option to purchase the property under an option agreement and gave the partners two years to raise the necessary funds.
A phenomenal fundraising effort ensued. The partners were able to raise $7.1 million in time to make the purchase. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks raised $6.5 million of the funding for the project by obtaining grants from the US Forest Service Forest Legacy Program and Habitat Montana. Flathead Land Trust raised the remaining $590,000 for the fee title purchase, of which $175,000 came from a grant from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and $100,000 was from the Kendeda Fund through the Heart of the Rockies Keep It Connected Program. A successful partnership with Flathead Lakers was also instrumental in raising funds for this project. The final $315,000 in funding came from a collective effort of 10 organizations and 238 generous community members.
In late 2021, the Montana Land Board unanimously approved the purchase of the property, a required and milestone step, setting the stage for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to own and manage the property as the Bad Rock Canyon Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The WMA safeguards critical fish and wildlife habitat while offering public access and prohibiting development.
Photo above: Bad Rock field trip in 2019, by D Blank
Bordering 1.6 miles of the Flathead River, and encompassing 700 acres of riparian forest, including 120 acres of exceptional cottonwood gallery forest, 80 acres of wetlands and a mile of Warm Spring Creek, the property holds vast ecological significance. It serves as a crucial winter range for elk, moose, and white-tailed deer. Moreover, it provides important habitat connectivity for grizzly bears, bull trout, and 43 other species of Greatest Conservation Need. The property’s wetlands and riparian zones play a sentinel role in safeguarding the pristine waters of the Flathead River and Lake.
On a landscape scale, the Bad Rock Canyon WMA is an ecological treasure. Adjacent to a substantial block of public land, this protected property added to an interconnected network of conserved land along 50 miles of the Flathead River and north shore of Flathead Lake, now spanning over 13,000 acres. Flathead Land Trust was thrilled to help facilitate this incredible project!