Being western Montana’s regional land trust carries both a deep responsibility and a profound sense of joy. Our community looks to Five Valleys Land Trust to protect the open lands and way of life we all cherish, now and for generations to come. In 2024, the partnerships at the heart of our work helped connect people to the landscape, support families and communities in reaching their conservation goals, and bring lasting successes to life.
In spring, we were delighted to transfer 160 acres to Missoula County to help establish their newest community open space, Marshall Mountain Park. Over the summer, thanks to continued donor investment and secured grants, we advanced phase two of the Rock Creek Confluence Gateway Initiative, adding new universal trails and a beautiful pavilion. From spring through late fall, volunteers helped us care for the 86,000+ acres we steward with our landowner partners.
Winter brought more milestones. Near Lincoln, we partnered with the Roos family to protect 319 acres of wildlife habitat to help them realize their vision for their land. We also were thrilled to secure $1.7 million in Open Space Bond funding to conserve three working ranches and advance over 9,000 acres in new conservation easements from Ronan to Garrison.
These efforts take intention, patience, and most of all, the support of people like you who love this place. There’s nothing we can’t achieve together. Thank you!
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Our 2024 took us across our ten county service area. Together with our partners and supporters, we conserved 319 acres of riparian wildlife habitat through the Watkins conservation easement and Snowberry fee acquisition projects, celebrated the creation of Marshall Mountain Park near Missoula, enhanced public access at our Rock Creek Confluence property through the Confluence Gateway Initiative, welcomed 7,500 people to the Mount Dean Stone Community Forest, secured over $1.7M for conservation from the Missoula Open Space Bond, and more. Click the images below to read more about these projects:
In December, we were thrilled to help the four sisters of the Roos family continue their conservation legacy by completing a complex, multi-part project. The result was the Watkins Place conservation easement and the Snowberry fee acquisition project, and the permanent protection of 319 acres just outside the sisters' old hometown of Lincoln. Learn more.
Over our second year of ownership, the 2,470-acre Mount Dean Stone Community Forest hosted 7,500+ visitors making it our most visited property. In 2024 the Community Forest helped educate the next generation of land stewards in partnership with the University of Montana, hosted the City to Sky 50k race, and supported public safety wildfire closures related to the Miller Peak Fire. Learn more.
2024 brought many exciting changes to the Rock Creek Confluence, through our Confluence Gateway Initiative. We extended the universal network, built the beautiful Ron Clausen Viewing Pavilion, worked with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to record audio interpretation, and secured funding for future phases of work. In September, we celebrated at our annual Confluence Open House. Learn more.
Once a ski area near East Missoula, Five Valleys acquired 160 acres of Marshall Mountain from The Nature Conservancy in 2015. Through Five Valleys' stewardship and partnerships, the mountain now hosts miles of multi-user trails and hosts thousands of kids, recreationists, and visitors each year. In 2024, we supported Missoula County's acquisition of three parcels on the mountain, including the Five Valleys parcel, and the creation of Marshall Mountain Park.
In 2024 we ensured the continued protection of the nearly 200 conservation easement properties under our care - an area that covers 83,219 acres across ten counties. 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 our easement landowners about management questions or concerns. These visits are the backbone of our work, made possible through partnership with our private conservation easement landowners.
In addition to private conservation easements, Five Valleys owns and manages three properties for public access, wildlife habitat, ecological restoration, and more. These include the Rock Creek Confluence near Clinton, the Mount Dean Stone Community Forest just outside Missoula, and the Lincoln Community River Park near Lincoln.
Learn more about these special properties that are providing places for people to recreate, learn, and connect with land and each other:
Located near the confluence of the Clark Fork River and Rock Creek, Five Valleys' 300-acre Rock Creek Confluence property was once slated for a 36-lot subdivision. Now thriving as an outdoor classroom and accessible natural area, 3,000+ people visit the Confluence each year. In 2024 we advanced our efforts to expand the universal trails system, build a pavilion, develop audio interpretation, and restore the land and wildlife habitat through our Confluence Gateway Initiative.
In 2023, Five Valleys purchased the 2,470-acre Mount Dean Stone Community Forest property, located on the southside of Mount Dean Stone. This was a dream nearly a decade in the making. In 2014, Five Valleys began the Mount Dean Stone project began as a conservation easement with the Barmeyer family. Over the next ten years, and with the help of the 20+ stakeholder-members of the Mount Dean Stone Committee, Five Valleys led the effort to protect and create over 3,050 acres of community open space and develop 16+ miles of trail and five trailheads alongside forward-thinking private landowners, dedicated partners, generous donors, and hardworking volunteers.
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. Five Valleys established this river park in 2017 with the support of local conservationist Paul Roos, many partners, and the Lincoln community, and now manages it for public access and restoration. In 2024, we upgraded the parking lot, built a new fence, and ensured that the Park continued to provide a fun, safe, and accessible day near the water.
In May, Five Valleys marked 52 years of serving western Montana through conservation during our annual Banquet & Auction. 2024 marked the first year we held our signature spring event in the Adams Center on the University of Montana campus. Together with over 600 attendees, and supported by over 100 business sponsors and auction item donors, our 28th Annual Banquet celebrated our successes and raised the funds needed to support our ongoing work. Thank you to the many attendees, donors, sponsors, and volunteers who made the incredible evening possible!
Click the images below to enlarge them or play the video (center).
From Hands on the Land stewardship workdays, to Big Sky Brewing Company Summer Concert Series shows, to events and fundraisers, Five Valleys' events and projects engaged 190 volunteers in 2024 who contributed 1,130 hours to western Montana conservation and stewardship.
Volunteers helped replace fence at the scenic Boemler conservation easement north of Missoula.In addition to the Banquet and volunteering events, Five Valleys hosted or participated in 14+ other community events. These included the Western Montana Grazing & Agriculture Conference, the Montana Association of Land Trust's annual Stewardship Retreat, a bird survey of the upper Flint Creek Valley with Five Valleys Audubon Society, our annual public Holiday Party in December, the Land Trust Alliance's Advocacy Days in Washington D.C., and more.
