A new year always brings many things to reflect upon. Over the past year we protected wildlife habitat in the Blackfoot, conserved historic Bonner Hill, laid the foundation for opening the House of Sky Trail later this year, we continued our efforts to protect working lands in the Flint Creek Valley, and stewarded private conservation lands our region.
Serving our community has always been what Five Valleys is about. That's why were are thrilled to be entering 2022 and celebrating an incredible milestone: 50 years of protecting and stewarding western Montana.
In 1972, a small group of concerned citizens got together to conserve the Clark Fork and Bitterroot River corridors and the Five Valleys River Park Association was born. Five decades later, that grassroots effort has grown and evolved into a land trust with a legacy of nearly 100,000 acres protected across ten counties. These accomplishments would not have been possible without you: our supporters, landowners, partners, and volunteers.
We are humbled to be celebrating 50 amazing years of serving our western Montana community. Guided by our 2021-2024 Conservation Initiatives, we continue to deliver on our core work while seeking opportunities to innovate and collaborate in order to meet current and emergent needs throughout western Montana.
There is much to celebrate about our past five decades, and even more to embrace as we enter our next half-century. As 2022 unfolds we look forward to sharing the many ways in which you can join in to celebrate and support the lands you love. Stay tuned!
Best wishes,
Whitney Schwab, Executive Director
Photo of the Clark Fork River by Brian Christianson Photography
