Few organizations factor in perpetuity when they undertake projects or programs. Five Valleys Land Trust does, and that strategic vision is why I’m proud to support our mission to protect western Montana for future generations.
To ensure that we continue to meet the changing needs of our community, we adopted our 2021-2024 Strategic Business Plan in January 2021 which includes four Conservation Initiatives: protect large landscape wildlife habitat connectivity and working agricultural lands, support our region’s climate adaptation and resilience, expand equitable public access to community open spaces, and ensure responsible stewardship of the lands under our care in perpetuity. One year later, we have made progress on all these initiatives while we forged ahead building partnerships, conserving open landscapes for wildlife and people, and stewarding our landscape for both today and tomorrow.
These accomplishments are driven and supported by you -- our donors, landowners, partners, and volunteers. As we celebrate 50 incredible years in 2022, I hope you will take a moment to appreciate all that we achieved together in 2021.
In 2021 was full of conservation success. Together with our partners and supporters, we conserved 120 acres of wildlife habitat near Lincoln, protected community resources and perpetual public access across B Hill in Bonner, secured landmark funding to protect working lands in the Flint Creek Valley, opened the 5-mile Mount Dean Stone Preserve Trail and built the 4.6-mile House of Sky Trail near Missoula, and engaged community around conservation through our diverse events.
At the close of 2021 we helped protect the natural resources and community infrastructure of "B Hill" above Bonner, The project involved Five Valleys' acceptance of our first perpetual public access easement.
Working with Lincoln-area landowners Becky and Paraic Neibergs, we expand their original easement to protect an additional 120 acres of wildlife habitat and open space.
In April we were awarded $3.7M in USDA Farm Bill funding to protect 15,000+ acres of working lands and wildlife habitat in the Flint Creek Valley.
In honor of National Trails Day, Five Valleys hosted our first annual Rock Creek Confluence open house. The event brought out 20+ neighbors and volunteers to explore and support the Confluence project.
We launched Ski for Stewardship in February - a new winter event that supports and celebrates stewardship. The event brought out over 150 participants from across our region.
On Mount Dean Stone in Missoula, Five Valleys and our partners opened the 5-mile Mount Dean Stone Preserve Trail and built the 4.6-mile House of Sky Trail.
In 2021 we ensured the continued protection of the 194 conservation easements under our care. Every year, our stewardship team monitors each of the properties on which we hold a conservation easement, ensuring that the terms of each property's easement are being honored. We also visit with out easement landowners about management questions or concerns. These visits are the backbone of our "promise of perpetuity" in partnership with our private conservation easement landowners.
In addition to our private conservation easements, Five Valleys owns and stewards three properties for public access or future community open space. Learn more about these special properties that are providing places for people to recreate, learn, and connect with land and each other:
Located at the confluence of the Clark Fork River and Rock Creek, this 290-acre property is thriving as an outdoor classroom, recovering natural area, and hosts a universal trail. In 2021 we held an open house, installed new benches, welcomed back our educational and restoration partnerships, and worked with MPG Ranch to install a Motus wildlife tracking station.
Just a half mile from Lincoln, the Lincoln Community River Park offers a place for visitors and locals alike to enjoy a day on the Blackfoot River. This year we continued to work with community volunteers to steward this unique natural area for open space, wildlife habitat, and public access and recreation.
Once a local ski area, Five Valleys now stewards a portion of the mountain for public access. The mountain now hosts over six miles of mountain bike and hiking trails. In October we helped celebrate a community ownership outcome for the base of Marshall Mountain, adjacent to Five Valleys' parcel, which is now leased by the City of Missoula.
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From trail building to weed pulls to birding tours, our community came out in force to support conservation and stewardship. Even with the continued challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, Five Valleys' events and projects engaged over 476 volunteers who contributed nearly 2,000 hours to Western Montana's open lands.
Building the House of Sky Trail on Mount Dean Stone.Five Valleys Audubon Society members on a birding survey of the Flint Creek Valley.
