Gallatin Valley Land Trust Conserved Lands Map
Take a visual tour of GVLT’s land conservation projects
Introduction
Since 1990, GVLT has been partnering with willing private landowners to protect open lands in Gallatin, Park, and Madison counties. Our land conservation is focused and strategic. We prioritize conservation projects adjacent to public and protected lands, along rivers, with critical wildlife habitat, and in areas of the highest agricultural productivity. We strive to conserve the right acreage so that our community can grow while also retaining the spaces we love and that provide for us.
How to use this map
Zoom in to see the properties GVLT has protected in partnership with willing private landowners (highlighted in yellow). Click on a property to see the total acreage and year protected. While conservation easements do not make the land available for public recreation, these voluntary land protection agreements do provide many community and conservation benefits including local food, clean water, wildlife habitat, and scenic views. Continue scrolling to learn more about some of these projects.
Crawford Property
EASEMENT CREATED BY: Tim and Kathy Crawford LOCATION: East Gallatin River SIZE: 310 acres PROTECTED SINCE: 1997
Tim Crawford did more than simply protect his riverside property with a conservation easement—he has worked tirelessly to make his agricultural use of the land compatible with robust wildlife habitat and preservation of water quality. Crawford has restored wetlands along the East Gallatin to provide nesting and feeding habitat for waterfowl and planted upland vegetation to filter sediment and excess nutrients from the runoff from his fields. He rotates crops to improve soil health and productivity and has reduced or eliminated livestock grazing in sensitive wetland areas. As a result, his Pheasant Farm has become a haven for water birds, upland fowl, and mammals such as otter, mink, and muskrat that depend upon native wetland plants for food, habitat, and security. Crawford is also a generous partner to his human neighbors, maintaining a gate that allows fishing access across his property to the East Gallatin River.
Fink Property
EASEMENT CREATED BY: Tom and Nikki Fink LOCATION: Headwaters Region, Three Forks SIZE: 188 acres EASEMENT FUNDED BY: North American Wetland Conservation Act, Gallatin County Open Lands Program, and Travelers for Open Land PROTECTED SINCE: 2014
Located just outside Missouri Headwaters State Park, identified as an “Important Bird Area” by the National Audubon Society, the Fink Ranch provides critical habitat for both local and migratory species. In fact, birders could add over 100 species to their life lists at Fink Ranch. Terns, yellow-legs, avocets, pelicans, and trumpeter swans share the vibrant river bottom with otter, mink, beaver, and muskrat. The ranch boasts abundant wetlands and over a half mile of Madison River frontage. The Finks first visited the property when they were looking for land to supplement their grazing operation. There were better pastures available, but they fell in love with the beauty and the wildlife and have since become strong believers in protecting riparian habitat in the Headwaters Region. In 2014, they put their entire 188-acre ranch into a conservation easement with GVLT and hope to inspire their neighbors to follow suit.
“I think ranchers are real conservationists.”
Flikkema Farm
EASEMENT CREATED BY: Maynard and Eileen Flikkema LOCATION: Amsterdam-Churchill SIZE: 636 acres EASEMENT FUNDED BY: Gallatin County Open Lands Program and Natural Resources Conservation Service PROTECTED SINCE: 2013
The Amsterdam-Churchill region of the Gallatin Valley is home to some of the best agricultural soils in Montana. In 2013, Maynard and Eileen Flikkema chose GVLT when they wanted to protect the farm their family homesteaded more than 115 years ago. Their 636-acre easement preserves prime agricultural soils and exceptional wildlife habitat, but the Flikkemas are also glad to help protect water quality and the precious quiet of the rural life their family has lived for generations. Together with a dozen other conservation easements in the Amsterdam-Churchill area, this easement helps to preserve an important part of Montana’s agricultural legacy.
“It is so family-oriented. I just love it that my grandpa had the foresight to buy [this] land. And that I’m the third generation to get it.”
Hanes Property
EASEMENT CREATED BY: John and Kiku Hanes LOCATION: East Gallatin SIZE: 236 acres PROTECTED SINCE: 2000
Deer, elk, beaver, black bear, coyote, red fox, badger, sandhill crane, bald eagle, and trout. These are just a few of the neighbors that share John and Kiku Hanes’ Reese Creek property. In addition to providing habitat and priceless open space, Hanes farm produces some of the best hay in the valley.
The Hanes are lifelong conservationists, and protecting their property was always a priority for the couple. Impressed by GVLT’s strong management team and local expertise, they donated their first easement to GVLT in 2000. They donated another four years later after they bought an adjacent property. Their neighbors—human and otherwise—are grateful.
“The sandhill cranes come in. The moose and deer are here. The elk come right through this property to get from place to place.”
Kehke Property
EASEMENT CREATED BY: Mark and Nanette Kehke LOCATION: East Gallatin River SIZE: 86 acres PROTECTED SINCE: 2014
The East Gallatin River is a blue-ribbon trout fishery, known around the world for its exceptional fishing. This same river, however, has recently been designated an impaired waterway; increased development along its banks has reduced streamside vegetation and led to high nutrient loads. This makes the conservation easement Mark and Nanette Kehke donated to GVLT that much more valuable to both fishermen and wildlife. Their easement protects a half-mile stretch of the East Gallatin, as well as 86 acres of important riparian and upland habitat for deer, pheasants, duck, geese, and countless species of songbirds. After donating this easement to GVLT, Mark Kehke decided to give even more—he joined GVLT’s Board of Directors and has donated countless hours to help conserve open space in the valley.
“We have limited future development of our property while maintaining ownership, so we can continue to use the land as we always have and ensure that it will never be converted from wildlife habitat and agricultural uses.”
Leep Family Farm
EASEMENT CREATED BY: Leep Family LOCATION: Amsterdam-Churchill SIZE: 430 acres EASEMENT FUNDED BY: Gallatin County Open Lands Program and Natural Resource Conservation Service PROTECTED SINCE: 2006
The Leep family has been farming in Amsterdam-Churchill since the late 19th century. But it wasn’t this history that the family wanted to protect with a conservation easement—it was their future. The Leeps turned to GVLT for help conserving their farming operation for the long term, so their children and grandchildren could carry on the family’s agricultural tradition. The financial benefits of their easements have allowed them to purchase additional acreage to add to their farming operation, further protecting priceless open space and supporting agricultural values in the region. All told, the Leeps have donated four easements to GVLT, conserving over 1,600 acres of prime farmland framed by the Bridger, Gallatin, and Tobacco Root mountains.
“This ground should never grow houses. It should stay in agriculture. It is important that these properties are conserved now. This is the time. They won’t be here 50 years from now.”
Legacy Ranch
EASEMENT CREATED BY: Legacy Ranch Family Partnership LOCATION: Paradise Valley SIZE: 590 acres PROTECTED SINCE: 2009
In 2009, the Solso family donated a conservation easement on 590 acres, ensuring the perpetual protection of productive agricultural soils, riparian habitat, and unparalleled views from the river and highway. The family was so pleased with the outcome they later placed an additional 3,860 acres into GVLT’s easement program. If you've spent any time in Paradise Valley, you've no doubt enjoyed the protected scenic views of Solso's Legacy Ranch between Mallards Rest and Lock Leven on the Yellowstone River.
Today, GVLT has partnered with the Solso family to complete five easements. GVLT assists many of its easement partners with land restoration and habitat improvements, but the owners of Legacy Ranch have gone above and beyond with their conservation efforts. With the help of students, interns, and GVLT volunteers, they have worked to restore acres of floodplain and wetlands along their 2.5-mile stretch of the Yellowstone River. The Legacy Ranch is one of seven properties along this historic river that have been conserved in partnership with GVLT. We are so grateful for the generosity of the Solso Family and Legacy Ranch for helping us protect this highly scenic and important ranch in perpetuity.
Rocky Creek Farm
EASEMENT CREATED BY: Pete Fay LOCATION: Bozeman Pass SIZE: 50 acres EASEMENT FUNDED BY: Gallatin County Open Lands Program PROTECTED SINCE: 2006
Every child in Bozeman gets to grow up on a farm—Rocky Creek Farm, to be precise. It’s where town kids go to pick strawberries, take hayrides, make cider, gather pumpkins, and cut the perfect Christmas tree.
Just minutes away from the highway and Main Street, Rocky Creek Farm provides fruit, vegetables, and fun for hundreds. The 50-acre property boasts stunning views in all directions and is part of an important wildlife corridor. When the farm next door was sold to a realtor, Pete Fay took action. With GVLT as a partner, he put the land under a conservation easement to ensure the land is protected forever for open space, wildlife, and agricultural use.
“It is just a piece of magic. It has a little creek that runs through it. It’s so beautiful. I want it to stay a farm forever.”
Visscher Property
EASMENT CREATED BY: The Visscher Family LOCATION: Kelly Canyon SIZE: 320 acres EASEMENT FUNDED BY: Gallatin County Open Lands Program PROTECTED SINCE: 2008
The Visscher family purchased 320 acres in Kelly Canyon from the original homesteaders back in 1954. They arrived with four young children, who, with their parents, helped to build one of the two houses that still stands on the property. They pulled the weathered wood from an old barn and used it as siding on the new house—an example of the conservation ethic the family still lives by today. Back then, they couldn’t see another building from theirs; today, houses dot the landscape, but their easement helps maintain the open beauty of Kelly Canyon and protect the abundant and varied wildlife that lives on and passes through their land. The Visscher property is part of an important wildlife connectivity corridor between the north Gallatin Mountains and the southern Bridgers and provides habitat for elk, deer, moose, black bear, beaver, coyote, red fox, badger, and countless species of birds.
“This easement preserves what is best in our valley for future generations and for the wild critters that have called it home longer than man.”
About Conservation Easements
One way to conserve working farms, ranches, water, and wildlife habitat is through voluntary conservation land agreements with willing, private landowners. In exchange for a payment or a tax incentive, landowners agree not to develop their land or to sell it for development so that the land remains as farms, wildlife habitat, or natural areas. Landowners can continue to farm, ranch, or use their land, and can sell the land or pass it on to their children or grandchildren. These agreements are sometimes referred to as conservation easements.
