305 Acres of Key Waterfowl Habitat Conserved at Smith Lake

A 305-acre property adjacent to the Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area was slated to become a luxury residential development with a private airstrip. Through a series of serendipitous events this property was conserved by Flathead Land Trust in 2012.

The project was brought to Flathead Land Trust by a neighboring landowner who knew of a piece of property by Kila that had been repossessed by the bank. Development of the property had been put on hold during the economic downturn and ultimately the property ended up with Provident Financial. The neighboring landowner, Pete Wade, was interested in expanding his farming operation but not acquiring the 189 acres of wetlands on the property. He proposed doing a combination conservation/agriculture project.

Through a partnership between Provident Financial, First Montana Bank, Pete Wade, Flathead Land Trust, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the project came to fruition. Pete acquired an additional 116 acres of farmland and placed a conservation easement on the property. The conservation easement prevented future residential and commercial development of the land preserving it as open space that served as a buffer to the Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area and protecting the riparian habitat along Truman Creek which flows through the property. Flathead Land Trust was able to acquire the 189 acres of wetlands on the property and then transfer the wetlands to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to become part of the Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area.

This project added to over 1,600 acres of conserved lands that include the Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area and private lands with conservation easements held by Flathead Land Trust, Montana Land Reliance, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. This wetland complex provides a crucial feeding stopover that refuels tens of thousands of birds each year during their epic migration journey.