Located at the base of the magnificent Mission Mountains and within the boundaries of the Flathead Indian Reservation sits John and Lydia Fleming’s 75-acre conservation easement. This dramatic landscape is not only picturesque. The Fleming property encompasses a 34-acre aspen seep woodland—a lush wetland community that supports remarkable plant diversity and provides habitat for many species of birds and mammals. Most notably, aspen seeps are a haven for grizzlies.
Most of the area’s natural aspen seep woodlands were altered in the early 1900s for agriculture and the development of an extensive irrigation system in the Mission Valley. Many of the seeps were cleared and converted to pastures or ditched and drained, often so the water could be used to irrigate surrounding fields. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have been working for decades to conserve and restore aspen seep woodlands along the Mission Front. Before the Flemings placed their land into a conservation easement with Five Valleys in 2015, theirs was the largest unprotected aspen seep in the Missions.
The Flemings are exemplary stewards of their land. Their conservation easement not only protects habitat, but fertile soils and opportunities for farming and ranching as well. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, over 75% of the property contains important agricultural soils. The Flemings use their property for irrigated pasture and livestock production. Since 2013, they have worked with the local NRCS office through an Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) grant to improve conditions for both livestock and wildlife on their property. They drafted a conservation plan that addresses prescribed grazing, fencing, improved stock water delivery, and weed control, all with the goal of improving forage and reducing livestock impacts to riparian and wetland areas. The conservation plan also addresses improving grizzly habitat by limiting livestock access to the aspen seep in order to promote aspen recruitment. In addition to improving wildlife habitat quality, these practices will also reduce the risk of negative bear-human interactions.
With these practices in place, the Fleming property continues to be a viable agricultural operation that contributes to the local community and economy. And as a result of John and Lydia’s thoughtful approach to land management, agricultural production and protection of wildlife habitat will be compatible and sustainable uses of the land into the future.
