KALISPELL — Property owners increasingly choose conservation easements to protect Montana land from development, prompting land trust groups to organize an educational panel.
From family ranches in the Bitterroot to thousands of acres in the Cabinet Mountains, more Montana property owners are turning to voluntary conservation easements.
The growing interest has caused organizations such as the Flathead Land Trust and Montana Land Reliance to educate the public through a conservation easement panel.
Watch to learn more about conservation easements in Northwest Montana:
"It's a way for people to learn about private land conservation in general, and why they might want to do a conservation easement," said Flathead Land Trust Land Protection Specialist Laura Katzman.
Land trust groups say easements offer landowners an opportunity to protect their land and minimize concerns about future developments that could jeopardize wildlife habitats, water quality, and more.
"A conservation easement is a private contract between a land owner and a land trust that dictates or describes development on their property over time," said Montana Land Alliance Western Manager Mark Schlitz.
Many fear that undeveloped land is disappearing as the Flathead Valley sees more development.
This concern is driving increased interest in conservation easements as a tool to preserve Montana's natural landscapes.
Watch related coverage: Conservation easement protecting working agriculture on historic Stevensville ranch
"We've seen our capacity being stretched statewide over the last five years. We've got 1.4 million acres under easement in Montana now. This year, we're hoping to add another 85 to 90,000 acres," Schlitz said.
Land trust organizations hope to continue educating the public about steps to protect land and the possible tax benefits from such agreements through their panel discussions.
"The more we get our message out, the better," Schlitz said.
