Tester secures $36 million to conserve public land in Northwest Montana

As part of his continued efforts to protect public lands and ensure that public lands remain in public hands, U.S. Senator Jon Tester recently secured nearly $36 million in funding from his Inflation Reduction Act to conserve about 86,000 acres of land and provide public access for thousands of recreationists in northwest Montana.

The funding will add 52,810 acres to the Montana Great Outdoors Project and help improve habitat connectivity for wildlife by creating a critical corridor between the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area and Glacier National Park. 

In addition to expanding access for recreationists, this conservation easement will also provide 3 million board feet of timber per year to area mills.

“Montanans know that public lands belong in public lands, and that’s why investments like this one are critically important to ensure Montana remains the Last Best Place,” Tester said. “I’m proud to have secured this funding to protect critical habitat for our wildlife, expand public access for recreationists, and promote responsible forest management in northwest Montana. 

"This project is not only a win for our public lands and the recreational economy that powers the Flathead – it’s a win for our kids and grandkids who will get to enjoy all that Montana’s great outdoors have to offer for generations to come.”

“The Montana Great Outdoors Project will deliver outstanding benefits to Montanans,” said Dick Dolan, Associate Vice President, Northern Rockies Director, Trust for Public Land. “It will protect important fish and wildlife habitat. It will guarantee public recreational access to these lands. And it will ensure these forest lands will be well-managed and will continue to generate timber and good-paying jobs.”

He also championed the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation that secures permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually and allocates $9.5 billion to address maintenance backlogs on public lands across the United States.