by Whitney Schwab, Executive Director
The work of Five Valleys Land Trust is timeless, just like the landscape we work to protect. This spring, we are thrilled to be debuting our new history book, A Gracious Civic Enterprise. As you will hopefully read in its pages, the story of Five Valleys began with ordinary people who didn't shy away from the challenges before them. That spirit endures today.
It’s no surprise that recent changes at the federal level have caused uncertainty in our work. Many of our conservation easement projects and large-scale stewardship efforts utilize US Department of Agriculture funding. Yet, as we adapt our values remain—to work with each other in creative and innovative ways to meet community needs through the lens of conservation.
From Evaro Hill to Potomac to Philipsburg, we are on track to protect over 11,500 acres of agricultural lands and wildlife habitats with private landowners over the next year and beyond. These are lands that connect and support habitat, provide local food and support our economy, and sustain the open and vibrant western Montana we all love.
As you’ll read, we have been busy creating equitable public access at our Rock Creek Confluence property through an improved trail system, accessible interpretation, and a viewing pavilion that will be ready for your summer adventures.
We’re also embracing land management on a larger scale than we’ve ever done before. On our 2,500-acre Mount Dean Stone Community Forest, wildlife habitat and wildfire readiness projects are underway while our Mount Dean Stone Committee begins the effort to expand recreation opportunities, including new trails in the coming years. These community-driven efforts are in addition to stewarding the 86,322 acres under our care every year.
We have spent the past year looking up and out, getting feedback from partners and the communities we serve, and developing a framework that will guide our work for the next 5-10 years. We look forward to sharing our updated strategic plan with you in the coming months.
This is all possible because of the “gracious civic enterprise” built upon by supporters like you. Thank you for being a part of this special effort. Let’s keep it going!
At the end of 2024, the Roos sisters continued their family's conservation legacy when they finalized a complex, multi-part project that conserved 300+ acres just outside their old hometown of Lincoln.
Five Valleys is thrilled to annouce the debut of our new history book! Explore the story of how a community came together to protect their landscape, and created a legacy of over 100,000 acres protected. Get your copy today!
This year, Five Valleys, Republic Services, and the City of Missoula will expand the trails network in the North Hills. While the trails may be new, the vision has been 15 years in the making.
Thanks to support from the Missoula Open Space bond, 4,271 acres of prime agricultural lands in and across Missoula County will soon be protected in perpetuity.
From trail races to hunting, and from wildfires to weed management, partnerships are helping strengthen our work across the Mount Dean Stone Community Forest.
New trails, a new viewing pavilion, new audio interpretation, and new adventures await at the Confluence!
Hats off to our Lincoln neighbors and partners who are helping to beautify and support Lincoln's local river park.
Header photo: Sunset on the Snowberry conservation property courtesy of the Roos family.
Whitney Schwab photo by Athena Photography
