Large conservation easement proposed for northwest Montana

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on a potential project that would place nearly 33,000 acres of private timberland in northwest Montana under a conservation easement and protect working lands, public recreation access and wildlife habitat.

The deadline to comment on this proposal is May 15. To comment and learn more, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/public-notices.

FWP has published a draft environmental assessment that outlines the proposed first phase of the project named the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement. This is the first of a potential two-phase project totaling 85,792 acres of private timberland and fish and wildlife habitat owned by Green Diamond Resource Company.

The first phase includes forestlands in the Salish and Cabinet mountains between Kalispell and Libby. The private property provides abundant public hunting and angling opportunities that would be permanently secured under this proposal. 

The elevation of the property ranges from 3,000 feet near Cow Creek to 6,300 feet above sea level near Bar Z Peak. The property consists primarily of Douglas-fir and mixed conifer stands interspersed with long valleys and wet meadows, but forest type varies according to aspect and elevation. 

Dry ponderosa pine stands are found at low elevation sites and on south-facing slopes, while shadetolerant trees such as grand fir and subalpine fir are found on cool north-facing slopes and at higher elevation sties. Engelmann spruce and western red cedar are typically found along streams in riparian habitat. Major drainages in the project area include the Thompson River, Indian Creek, Twin Lakes Creek, and Wolf Creek.

This project would conserve wildlife winter range and a movement corridor for elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and moose. It would provide critical habitat for grizzly bear and Canada lynx, federally threatened species found on the property, and protect streams for the westslope cutthroat trout and Columbia River redband trout, both Montana Species of Concern.

If the project were approved, Green Diamond would maintain ownership of the land under an easement owned by FWP. The easement would allow Green Diamond to sustainably harvest wood products from these timberlands, preclude development, protect important wildlife habitat and associated key landscape connectivity, and provide permanent free public access to the easement lands.

The U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program, the Habitat Montana program and funds raised by Trust for Public Land would be funding sources if this proposal were to proceed. Green Diamond would provide an in-kind contribution in the form of donated land value arising from the sale of the easement.

In 2019, Weyerhaeuser sold all 630,000 acres of their Montana lands to Southern Pine Plantations (SPP). In 2021 and 2022, SPP sold 475,000 acres of their Montana lands to multiple landowners. Green Diamond Resource Company (Green Diamond) made the largest purchase of SPP lands at 291,000 acres, including all the lands located within the footprint of both Phase 1 and 2 of the proposed Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement.

The affected property has historically been owned by mining and timber companies and private landowners that have allowed the public to access the property through short-term Block Management agreements or voluntary open land policies. 

Completion of this project would build on the success of the nearby 142,000-acre Thompson-Fisher Conservation Easement (FWP), the 100,000-acre USFWS Lost Trail Conservation Area (US Fish and Wildlife Service) and other protected lands including the Kootenai and Lolo national forests, the Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation lands.

FWP will review comments and forward a recommendation to the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission this summer. If approved, the project would go before the Montana Land Board for final review.