Conservationists to Buy 500 Square Miles of Montana Timberlands

The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land will purchase the land and then transfer it into a mix of private, state and federal ownership. Neither group plans to retain long-term ownership of any lands.

"This project is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to protect these lands for our families and future generations," said U.S. Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat who helped facilitate the agreement.

"It will keep jobs in Montana, help maintain our communities and our working forests, and preserve public access for hunting and fishing," Baucus said. "This will be the most significant land conservation project in the state's history, by far, and I'm proud to be part of it."

Forest in Montana's Swan Valley (Photo by Bitterroot)

The lands in the agreement include part of the Swan Valley and areas surrounding Missoula. The area is located in the ecoregion known as the Crown of the Continent, one of the most ecologically diverse and intact biological systems remaining in the United States.

The 320,000 acre purchase is part of an effort to keep these forests in productive timber management and at the same time protect the area’s clean water and habitat for grizzly bears, lynx, moose, wolverine, bull trout and other wildlife.

These lands are also some of the most popular recreation areas in the western United States, so the agreement allows continued public access to these lands for fishing, hiking, hunting and other recreational activities.

"This is a landmark conservation project that will benefit the environment and help to maintain strong local communities," said Kat Imhoff, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Montana.

"There hasn't been an animal extinction here since Lewis and Clark encountered it in the early 19th century," said Imhoff. "It's the only such ecosystem in the Lower 48 states."

One goal of the agreement is the continued support of local timber economies. A condition of the agreement provides for continued timber harvesting on some of these lands to help supply Plum Creek mills with wood fiber for up to 15 years. This harvesting will be certified as sustainable forestry by an independent third party.

"Plum Creek has a strong history of conservation and is pleased to partner in the sale of this important land to accommodate the public interest in its ecological, recreational and timber production values," said Rick Holley, president and chief executive officer for Plum Creek.

"With this sale, we are proud that the company has placed more than 860,000 acres of land in the country, including more than 600,000 acres in Montana, into permanent conservation," he said.

The two purchasing groups say funding to cover the $510 million purchase price could come from private and public sources, including the state of Montana, private philanthropists and investors.

The lands sold into private ownership will be subject to conservation easements that will restrict subdivision and home development.

For funding, the purchasing groups may be able to take advantage of the new Qualified Conservation Forestry Bonds mechanism in the recently passed Farm Bill.

The bonds would fund the purchase of lands adjacent to land owned by the U.S. Forest Service, lands that would eventually be conveyed to the Forest Service.

Championed by Senator Baucus, this source of funding could help stem the conversion of traditional timberlands across the United States.

"We are grateful for how hard Senator Baucus worked to create this new funding mechanism which will enable the protection of lands and livelihoods," said Will Rogers, president of The Trust for Public Land. "We hope the Forestry Bonds will serve as a model for other similar places that are experiencing this trend in land ownership conversion."

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