Building Community
Through Conservation

2021 Annual Report

Lands ProtectedLands We OwnCommunityFinancials

A message from the board president

Jeff Roth, Board President

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.

-Jeff Roth, President, Board of Directors

FVLT's 2020 impact measures

Mission

Core Values

To protect for future generations western Montana’s natural legacy – our river corridors, wildlife habitat, agricultural lands, and community open spaces.
Vision — We believe in taking a long term, strategic approach to enhancing our community through conservation.

Excellence — We strive to develop and maintain outstanding volunteers and staff and to build sound and efficient systems that deliver quality conservation work.

Integrity — We are principled, ethical, and transparent in our approach to delivering meaningful and tangible benefits to our community.

Cooperation — Excellence requires focus on our strengths; to be versatile we build strong complimentary teams that can accomplish more than one focused person or organization could.

Patience — We know that great outcomes for enduring conservation might take time and we willingly make that investment.

2021 Protected Lands and Projects

FVLT's 2020 lands protected map

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.

Five Valleys'
Community Open Spaces

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:

Raise the Roof to Get Outside

Photo collage of Biga Pizza & Conservation night
In lieu of our annual Banquet and Auction, we invited our community to support the open lands they love through Raise the Roof to Get Outside. On Saturday, May 15th we met over 700 supporters at 10 different trailheads across our region to celebrate spring in Western Montana. In addition, our community supported Five Valleys through an online auction, fundraising appeal, and joined us for a live broadcast. Thank you, Western Montana!

Pizza & Conservation: The Great Biga Bake Off

Photo collage of Biga Pizza & Conservation night
Our tastiest event of the year! In partnership with Biga Pizza, our 2021 Pizza & Conservation night added a new twist: between an Olympian, a rancher, and a YouTube celebrity who would make the best pizza? Supporters purchased tickets then sat down to enjoy Biga Pizza and watch the showdown, judged by three local chefs. Biga Pizza's Bob Marshall and his incredible staff made a whopping 285 pizzas for the event, which helped to support our current conservation and stewardship projects. Thank you, Biga Pizza and everyone who joined us! Watch the video here.

2021 Financial Report

FVLT 2020 Financial Report charts
In 2021 Five Valleys’ annual operating expenses totaled $1,306,860 and our operating income totaled $1,312,868.

Additional expenditures were made for purchases of land, conservation easements, or investments in improvements that enhanced habitat or public access to conserved lands. The allocation of all funds used is shown in the chart titled 2021 Use of Funds.

The total assets of Five Valleys are shown on the left in the chart titled 2021 Assets by Purpose. Conservation lands are those lands held for short term durations to accomplish a conservation outcome, such as the property we own on Marshall Mountain. Stewardship lands are those lands held and managed for long term purposes to create access or habitat, or educational experiences in the communities we serve. Examples include the Rock Creek Confluence and Lincoln Community River Park.

Five Valleys has an additional endowment that is held and managed by the Montana Community Foundation. The balance of that endowment at year end was $339,616.Five Valleys annually undergoes an independent financial audit.

For additional details please see our IRS Form 990 which is available on our website via www.GuideStar.org.

*Numbers presented are unaudited.
View our 2021 donors and supporters

Thank you to the supporters who help us Protect western Montana's Natural Legacy