The Nature Conservancy Saves Chunk of Montana for Hunting and Ranching

[JoseCuervo]

Now we can all see why 1-Ptr supports The Nature Conservancy and their mission to improve our access to hunting and fishing....

42,927-acre land transfer in Blackfoot Valley finalized


LINCOLN — The final installment of a three-part, 42,927-acre land deal in the Blackfoot Valley is now complete, with the purchase by The Nature Conservancy of 4,600 acres of Plum Creek Timber lands for about $3.3 million.

The latest purchase includes portions of three sections of land near Patterson Prairie, near Lincoln, with the bulk of the purchase involving 3,260 acres of property in the Nevada Creek area, near Helmville. Most of this purchase will be resold, after conservation easements are placed on it, to private ranchers.

According to The Nature Conservancy, the plan is to consolidate the Conservancy-purchased parcels in Nevada Creek with adjoining ranches to sustain ranching and conservation in the area.

In addition, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, which owns the 740-acre Nevada Lake Wildlife Management Area, is considering holding and managing conservation easements on some of the lands in the Nevada Creek. FWP would work to include walk-in public hunting access as part of the conservation easements.

"We feel we can achieve our objectives of providing winter habitat for elk and mule deer, and public access for hunting and other compatible recreation with private ownership, said Mike Thompson, wildlife biologist with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. "Basically, a conservation easement would maintain the traditional ranching operations, which have supported wildlife and hunting for many years.


Because the land would be privately owned and managed, the landowners would pay taxes on the land and improvements.

The entire $32 million deal is part of a plan developed by the Blackfoot Challenge, which is a group of Helmville, Lincoln and other area residents who want to protect conservation and community values on the properties, with an eye on managing the land in a way that maintains the valley's tradition of ranching, forestry, wildlife and public access.

The nonprofit, Virginia-based Nature Conservancy will temporarily hold the title to the lands while the Blackfoot Challenge works out a community-based plan for the resale of the property to public and private entities.

"We want to keep these lands intact for ranching and allow the ranchers to expand their operations, while still maintaining the important wildlife habitat," said Jim Stone, chair of the Blackfoot Challenge and Ovando area rancher.

The Blackfoot Challenge initiated the Blackfoot Community Project in the fall of 2002 — beginning with community meetings from Helmville to Seeley Lake — as a proactive response to the anticipated sale of some Plum Creek timberlands in the Blackfoot watershed. As a result, the Conservancy agreed to assume the financial risk of obtaining loans and purchasing the land.

"The local community continues to support this very ambitious project because it will preserve this area's rural character and unique wild lands for future generations," Stone said.

The Blackfoot River Valley generally flows westward from Rogers Pass and the Scapegoat Wilderness Area near Lincoln toward Helmville and Ovando. It's home to black and grizzly bears, elk, deer, mountain lion and lynx as well as nearly 235 bird species and native cutthroat and bull trout.

Unlike many urbanized areas of Montana, the 1.5-million-acre river valley is home to only about eight communities and 2,500 families.

In February, The Nature Conservancy purchased 18,443 acres from Plum Creek Timber for $13.8 million. Three months later, the conservation group bought another 19,883 acres for $14.9 million, for a total cost of about $32 million for the three parcels, or an average of about $750 an acre.

[ 09-09-2004, 16:23: Message edited by: ElkGunner ]

 

[RockyDog]

Listen you dumbazz commie, the nature conservancy is evil. Just ask the majority of posters here.

 

[wyomingtim]

The Nature Conservancy doing anything to benefit hunters would be news indeed. I have never seen them on our side.

 

[Ithaca 37]

wyo., Then you're not paying attention. The problem with you and a lot of other hunters is you don't even know who your friends and enemies are. Wake up!


Owyhee Canyonlands/45 Ranch


"Canyonlands/ 45 Ranch
The rugged sagebrush-steppe ecosystem of the Owyhee Canyonlands and the Conservancy’s 45 Ranch provide critical habitat for rare California bighorn sheep, hosting the country's largest population of between 800 and 1000 individuals. Sage grouse, antelope, spotted bats, bobcats and mountain lion also make the undulating Owyhee Plateau and steep canyonlands their home, and river otter, beaver, and redband trout inhabit the Owyhee River and its large tributaries. Several endemic plants live here, including Packard's mugwort, Owyhee sagebrush, rattlesnake stickseed and broad fleabane. The Conservancy manages the 45 Ranch and its 65,000-acre public grazing allotment as a working cattle ranch.

To do: hiking, hunting, wildlife viewing, fishing."

 

[BuzzH]

Wyotim,

Time to wake up and get out of Nebraska.

The nature conservancy has bought lots of critical winter range habitat all throughout MT.

By the way, did you bother to read the above article?

Also, theres several NC ranches in MT that you can hunt.

Lets see...they buy critical habitat, keep it from development, allow hunting, but they arent for hunters? What exactly do you think they need to do to be "on our side"????

I'm eagerly awaiting your answer.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Originally posted by wyomingtim:
The Nature Conservancy doing anything to benefit hunters would be news indeed. I have never seen them on our side.

Hey Tim,

Would it be possible for you to provide us any information to back-up your assertation? When have you ever seen TNC not on our side???

 

[Oak]

I've hunted a ranch owned and operated by TNC more than once, and killed an elk there a couple years ago. The TNC-employed ranch manager was extremely helpful, giving us a complete tour of the ranch, explaining the patterns of the elk on the ranch, etc. As others have said, they've protected a lot of critical winter range throughout the West. I can't say that's very anti-hunting.

Oak

 

[bluehair]

Originally posted by ElkGunner:
Would it be possible for you to provide us any information to back-up your assertation? When have you ever seen TNC not on our side???

My memory is little fuzzy for the miles, but I recall TNC purchasing a property in AZ in a place called Aravaipa Canyon. We were prevented from access/egress as a result, and hunting was prohibited on the property as well. I also seem to remember that RMEF contributed $$$ to the purchase.

I remember being upset at both org's at the time. But, over the last 15 years or so I have softened. Life is too short to be angry at everything.

I won't disagree that preserving prime properties is good for the critters, even if hunting is prohibited on the properties themselves. Damn, I'm turning into a puss.

 

[Ithaca 37]

wyotim, Please do some research and answer EG's question. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

 

[wyomingtim]

OK, go ahead and attack me for my statements. I have read articles (no I don't have them, I have more important things to occupy my time than finding something to constantly bitch about) that report about the NC buying up property to "protect" the wildlife from hunters. This is the first time I have heard of anyone getting to hunt on NC property. I never accused them of anything. I simply stated that I had never seen anything to show that they were on the side of hunters. I never have before this thread.

I am soooo happy that there are so many people out there who would rather attack someone for a response when it is an honest response not attacking them. Thank you a lot.

Buzz, time to wake up and get out of Nebraska???? I have only lived here for a little over a year. Don't you remember where I moved here from??? I used to live a few blocks away from you. I kneew where your house was. I actually met you once, but I doubt you would remember that.

Back up my accusations? When have I never seen them not on "our side"? That's just it, I have never seen them on our side. Nothing more. How do I back it up? If I haven't seen it, I haven't seen it.

Good grief people, when did we start living to attack people? And no, this does not include disgagreeing with someone's views.

 

[Ithaca 37]

wyotim, When you spread misinformation and imply that the NC isn't doing anything for hunters you should expect to be challenged to prove it.

You said, "The Nature Conservancy doing anything to benefit hunters would be news indeed. I have never seen them on our side."

I disagree. the NC "doing anything to benefit hunters would be news indeed" is a ridiculous thing to say. It wouldn't be "news indeed" to anyone who keeps informed, or even makes the slightest attempt to learn who helps hunters.

You say, "I have never seen them on our side." Well, you must not have looked.

Instead of getting defensive, why don't you just admit you have no idea what you're talking about and thank us for showing you how wrong you were?

 

[mtmiller]

TNC puchased some land in my neck of the woods (or flats as the case may be) and allows hunting for everything but sage grouse. Not only do they allow the hunting, but have also removed much of the fence that was not wildlife friendly.

You know, that kind of fence you always see Moosie aroud...sheep fence.

 

[wyomingtim]

Why would I look??? I haven't had any instance close to me to worry about the NC. And No, I don't surf the web everyday to find things to post on here.

You challenge the fact that I never saw anything about it? Well, you lose. I haven't. I just love the fact that there are a certain few that are on this board to take every opportunity to try and prove that they are more informed (right or wrong) just to make themselves feel better. Maybe a bit of compensation going on, who knows.

 

[mtmiller]

Alright, everyone count to 10 and go hunting.

This is a good place for the decimination (sp) of info. Now let's work on not bashing everyone when there is a disagreement.

Did I mention I am headed to Wyoming in 5 hrs?

 

[Oak]

Good luck finding that monster muley, Miller!

Oak

 

[wyomingtim]