Flathead Land Trust Helps Two Landowners Place 970 Acres Under Conservation Easement in December

Flathead Land Trust is excited to announce that they helped two landowners place their properties under conservation easement in December; 655 acres along the Stillwater River with rich farmland and wildlife habitat, and 315 acres of prime farmland in the Mission Valley.

Significant Farm and Wildlife Conservation Easement Completed Along Stillwater River

While land has been rapidly subdivided in the Flathead Valley, Doug and Carolyn Kohrs have been buying parcels of land to reassemble a large tract of farmland with key wildlife habitat along the Stillwater River southwest of Whitefish. From a 20-acre parcel purchased in 2005, Doug and Carolyn Kohrs have pieced together 655 acres of rich farmland and own it in partnership with their children, Ross, Hannah and Clara. On Dec. 30, the Kohrs family took another step in keeping this large farm and valuable wildlife habitat intact by placing a conservation easement on their 655 acres.

The purchased conservation easement will permanently protect the Kohrs investment in farming and wildlife. It will keep over 500 acres of rich farmland in agriculture – some of the best soils in Montana and the nation. The conservation easement will also protect the ecological integrity, healthy river function, and water quality of the Stillwater River as the Kohrs property contains riparian forest and wetlands along 1.7 miles of the river.

The riparian forest and wetlands also provide key wildlife habitat, used by federally listed grizzly bears and a plethora of other wildlife such as black bears, wolves, bobcat, coyote, fox, mountain lion, elk, and deer – all documented with a wildlife camera on the property. Elk calve and whitetail deer winter on the property, and over 100 species of birds also use this area that is now protected under conservation easement. The habitat provided by the Kohrs property enhances winter range and wildlife habitat provided by the adjacent 1,557-acre Kuhns Wildlife Management Area and an additional 1,800 acres of contiguous public land.

Doug and Carolyn Kohrs are thrilled to be able to place this special area under conservation easement. “Our family is excited to preserve this special property that serves as a wildlife corridor along the Stillwater River. Whitefish and Kalispell have seen many changes and much development in the last several years and our family wants to provide the space for both farming and wildlife to continue to thrive in the Flathead”.

We are grateful for the many sources of funding that made this important conservation project possible: the Natural Resource Conservation Service Agricultural Land Easement Program, Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation through the Heart of the Rockies “Keep it Connected” Program, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Wildlife Mitigation Program.

Conserving Family Farmland in the Mission Valley

On December 27, an agricultural gem in the Mission Valley was protected in perpetuity under a conservation easement held by Flathead Land Trust. For over 50 years, a Mission Valley family has been farming this area south of Polson. Their 315-acre family farm contains rich lakebed sediments at the base of the Valley View Hills with a backdrop of the rugged Mission Mountains. It is just south of Pablo Reservoir which provides water for irrigation that is critical for agriculture on the property. The entire farm incorporates rich soils that have been designated as prime farmland and farmland of local importance by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). For two generations the family has been farming the productive land – first raising cattle and now growing wheat and hay.

Even though the third generation has decided not to take over the family farm and instead elected to go into non-agriculture related careers, the family wanted to see their productive land stay in agriculture. They decided the best way to do this was with a purchased conservation easement through the NRCS Agricultural Land Easement program. Not only will the conservation easement ensure that their rich soils can stay in farming in perpetuity, but the family also receives cash they can use for retirement or their farming operation without having to sell any of their land.

The conservation easement on the family farm will not only keep rich farmland available for agriculture, but it will also benefit birds and wildlife. Cultivated fields and wet areas associated with the irrigation system and ephemeral waterways on the property provide good bird habitat. The family regularly observes trumpeter swan, Canada geese, great blue heron, a variety of ducks, as well as birds of prey, including bald eagle, prairie falcon, hawks, barred owl, and short-eared owl. While many of these species use the nearby Pablo Reservoir for feeding and nesting, the waterways, wet areas and cultivated fields on the property provide habitat for a diverse array of birds. In fact, over one hundred bird species have been observed in the vicinity of the property. A group of 50 to 75 sandhill cranes regularly use the property as well as species of concern such as bobolink. The property is also adjacent to a 1,849-acre ranch protected with a conservation easement held by Montana Land Reliance that contains some of the grass-covered Valley View Hills. The grassy uplands on this neighboring conservation easement, combined with the moist lowlands of the family farm, provide nesting and feeding habitat for another species of concern, the long-billed curlew, which are also often seen on the property.