February 2012

The Time is Near for Make Tracks for Trails on Sunday, February 26, 2012  - at Bohart Ranch! ** Due to lack of snow in town, we will move the event to Bohart Ranch on Sunday, Feb. 26th. **

Gallatin Valley Land Trust, in conjunction with partners Bohart Ranch and Bridger Ski Foundation (BSF) invites the public to our Nordic skiing fundraiser – Make Tracks for Trails (MT4T). Please join us on SUNDAY, February 26 at Bohart Ranch, starting at 8:30am and concluding at 4pm. MT4T participants who raise pledges of $50 or more for GVLT can ski at Bohart free all day and will be thanked with a $15 gift certificate to Montana Ale Works, a Sauce headband, snacks throughout the day, and a chance to win great raffle prizes donated by local businesses. The day features ski related activities for all ages and ability levels, and concludes with a fantastic party with food, beer and a raffle. We will provide breakfast and lunch items to keep you full of fuel for a great day of skiing. There will be BSF coaches on hand for basic and intermediate skate and classic skiing clinics. IF you raise over $200 then your name will go in the raffle for a Bridger Bowl 2012-13 season pass!! Click here for the entire newsletter.

January 2012

Brooks Conservation Easement Closes in Late December
GVLT is honored to celebrate our newest conservation easement, donated by John and Carol Brooks in December on their 1,240-acre ranch in Madison County. This easement is the 88th conservation easement project for GVLT in our 20 year history, and we now hold 38,295 acres of permanently conserved land.  In conjunction with several other adjacent conservation easement properties, the Brooks property secures permanent protection on over 8,000 acres of prime winter range for wildlife including a wide swath of classic southwest Montana foothills country. The Brooks Ranch is prime habitat for deer, elk, moose, antelope, bear and mountain lion with abundant scenic, open space, and agricultural values making it a wonderful addition to our other conservation easement properties throughout southwest Montana.  We are enormously grateful to the Brooks family for their generosity, conservation ethic and commitment to maintaining the rural feel and high wildlife value of southwest Montana. Click here to read the entire newsletter.

December 2011

A Year in Review from the Land

2011 was another busy year of land conservation work, and we expect to complete new conservation projects on over 1,000 acres in Gallatin and Madison Counties by year-end. In 2011, a number of projects demonstrated the intersection of our trails and lands programs. While not every conservation easement allows public access to private lands, we certainly appreciate the generosity of private landowners that memorialize this public benefit on their conservation easement property. But the relationship does not stop there; successive easement owners that are willing to carry on the legacy of the original donor, have an amazing opportunity to further support and promote local land protection and public benefit.   Click here for the entire newsletter

November 2011

Sourdough Canyon Trailhead – REOPENED
Sourdough Canyon Trailhead reopened in late October with brand-new improvements featuring expanded parking, a turn-around for emergency and large vehicles, boulder stepping-stones for safe and sustainable access to Sourdough Creek, a new vegetative buffer to protect the creek from the road, and new signage. The Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) is proud to have completed these vital improvements to improve public safety, enhance recreational uses, and protect wildlife habitat.  Click here for the entire newsletter.

October 2011

Boulder Grand Opening – Saturday, October 8
Join the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, the Bozeman Boulders Initiative, and REI on Saturday, October 8th to complete the latest community climbing boulder at the Gallatin County Regional Park. This is the fifth and final boulder to be installed on the Main Street to the Mountains trail system through a partnership with GVLT, the Bozeman Boulders Initiative, the City of Bozeman, Gallatin County, and many others. Click here for the entire newsletter.

September 2011

Construction Season Is In Full Swing

Fall is always a very busy time for trail construction and this year is no exception. Please understand that some trails may be closed for your safety during construction, and wish us luck in completing the work before the snow flies! In late September we will be working on flood damage repair on the East Gallatin Recreation Area. We will be rerouting some trail sections that are continually flooding and repairing others that have been damaged.

In late October we will be finishing the Sourdough Canyon Trailhead parking lot and road improvement project. This work could take several weeks and you can expect the area to be closed during week days. We will advertise the closings and post the road so that users can be informed of our progress. Click here for entire newsletter.

August 2011

Evening on the Land Partners: Edward Jones- Kyle Andersen, Jim Hamilton, Marty Haskins, Montana Import Group, Schnee’s Boots & Shoes   

As a local steward, the Gallatin Valley Land Trust strives to preserve a timeless landscape to be enjoyed by all. One of the primary missions of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust is to conserve southwest Montana’s heritage of open landscapes, working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat. All of these treasures will be featured and Celebrated at an Evening on the Land on August 27th!  Click here for the entire newsletter.

July 2011

Longest Day of Trails

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the fifth annual Longest Day of Trails on Friday, June 24th headquartered at Montana Ale Works!!! The Longest Day of Trails is a dawn-to-dusk membership drive for Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) held at Montana Ale Works (MAW). This year from 5am until 10pm over 125 riders came out to enjoy leisurely paced rides (lead by cyclist on the GAS/ Intrinsik Architecture team) and were introduced to the Main Street to the Mountains trail system. Over 40 children and families came down for the kids loop!  Jawbone Railroad donated their time to play wonderful live music on the outside patio. Pascal Beauvais and Sonya Iverson donated their time to capture the day on film. We are SO grateful to all of our supporters!!! Click here for the entire newsletter.

June 2011

Chestnut Mountain Trail Dedication – Thursday, June 30th

Join GVLT, the Trust for Public Land (TPL), and other partners to celebrate the new Chestnut Mountain Trail. Meet at 3:30 at the Trailhead on Trail Creek Road for a ribbon cutting and dedication of this fantastic new trail. A public hike and children’s activities by the Montana Outdoor Science School will follow. From 6:00 – 8:00 pm join us on the patio at Starky’s Authentic Americana to continue the celebration with ½ priced pints, snacks and cheer, with proceeds to benefit GVLT and TPL! Click here for the entire newsletter.

May 2011

GVLT is excited to introduce a NEW field guide

Please join us on Saturday, June 4th, 2011 at 4pm at the Country Bookshelf, located at 28 W. Main St., to celebrate the launch of a fabulous new field guide to local flowers, Flora of Montana’s Gallatin Region: Greater Yellowstone’s Northwest Corner. Author Whitney Tilt, and GVLT Executive Director, Penelope Pierce, will give a brief presentation, followed by a book signing. Books available for purchase for $25 and proceeds go to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. We hope to see you there after all the fun events of National Trails Day! Click here for the entire newsletter.

April 2011

SAVE THE DATES!

Fundraiser – Schnee’s Boot sale April 29th and 30th
Schnee’s will once again be welcoming the longer, warmer days of spring with their Annual Hiking Event. All hiking and trail running footwear will be $10-$40 off! Representatives from Oboz, Lowa, Merrell, Vasque, Asolo, Garmont, Scarpa, The North Face, Keen, LaSportiva, and Salomon will be on hand to anwer question and provide fitting advice. Register for free shoes! As in past years, Schnee’s will be donating a portion of the proceeds to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust!!

National Trails Day – Saturday, June 4th

Longest Day of Trails – Friday, June 24th

Click here for the entire newsletter

March 2011

Advertise to Trail Users While Helping GVLT

GVLT is working on several exciting new trail improvements, including new trail information kiosks and a reprint of our popular trail map. Businesses can sponsor these projects and receive advertising space, all while supporting GVLT’s community trails program. Kiosks are available at several new trail locations and the maps will be printed this summer. Please contact Kelly Pohl, Program Director, for more information. Click here for the entire newsletter.

February 2011

Make Tracks for Trails -

Every participant gets a $10 gift certificate from Montana Ale Works and a ski hat from Sauce!

Pledge forms are available on line (click, download, and print) and at the office. NEW – Skiers do you want to solicit and collect your donations electronically? Set up your MT4T page today – http://www.razoo.com/team/gvlt-maketracksfortrails . Need instructions - click here to learn how!

Click here for the entire newsletter.

January 2011

Make Tracks for Trails 2011

Join GVLT, the Bridger Ski Foundation, and Bohart Ranch the last Saturday in February for Make Tracks for Trails – a day of skiing fun for all ages and abilities!  Raise $50 in pledges to support GVLT’s Community Trails program and you can enjoy excellent skiing on Bohart’s groomed trails all day. Join us for free ski clinics, kids activities, and refreshments in the warming hut. Stick around for our raffle and party at the end of the day. Ski as an individual or as part of a Golden Ski Team and win exciting prizes as you Make Tracks for Trails! Click here for entire newsletter.

December 2010

We completed Phase I of the improvements in October of this year with the installation of a vault toilet and expansion of parking.  In 2011, we plan to begin Phase II and complete our vision for making the trailhead a safe, enjoyable destination in our Main Street to the Mountains trail network.

We have already raised nearly $70,000 from grants, business sponsorships, in-kind contributions, and donations from generous individuals, but we need to raise another $180,000 to complete this project.  Please consider a year-end gift to help improve this fantastic community resource! Click here for entire newsletter.

November 2010

GVLT is proud to announce its newest conservation easement on the Braaksma Farm, south of Churchill.  This 200-acre property contains fertile agricultural soils and high ridgelines visible from Norris Road.  The Braaksma family has farmed the land since 1938 and today a fourth generation lives on the land.  Within five miles of this conservation easement are eight other properties GVLT has helped conserve.  This project was partially funded by the Gallatin County Open Space Program (read more in the History section below) and made possible by the vision and generosity of the Braaksma family. Click here for entire newsletter.

October 2010

GVLT is excited to make available commemorative 20th anniversary posters featuring Margaret Emerson’s Aspen Grove collage.   Posters are available for $20 at the GVLT office or at our 20th Anniversary Celebration on October 20th.

GVLT is also delighted to offer a collection of Margaret Emerson’s collages on note cards.  Available at GVLT, Cashman Nursery, and the Community Food Co-Op, cards are $2 each or $12 for a pack of 8. Click here for the entire newsletter.

September 2010

20th Anniversary Celebration, Wednesday, October 20 @ The Baxter – You are invited to join the board and staff of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust at our 20th Anniversary Celebration! GVLT is excited to celebrate 20 years of private land conservation and community trails. Join us from 6 to 9pm on October 20th for music, local food, drinks, and stories from our 20 year history in the Gallatin Valley. Details will follow or contact GVLT for more information. Click here for the entire newsletter.

June 2010

You are invited to participate in the fourth annual Longest Day of Trails on Friday, June 18th headquartered at Montana Ale Works. The Longest Day of Trails is a dawn-to-dusk celebration of Bozeman’s extraordinary trail system and a membership drive for Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT). Members of the Gallatin Valley Bicycle Club and GAS/Intrinsik cycling team will ride a 25-mile loop through town from sunrise (5am) to sunset (10pm) to showcase the Main Street to the Mountains trail system. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join in a spin around town, be it for a few miles, a single loop, or the entire day. Click here for the entire newsletter.

May 2010

Thanks to generous grants from REI and DA Davidson & Co., GVLT is moving forward with ambitious plans for improvements to the Sourdough Canyon/Bozeman Creek trailhead.  But we still need an additional $50,000 to complete final design and permitting and install a permanent vault toilet.  We need to complete these three pieces of the project this summer or lose funding from MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks.  We hope to complete the entire project before next winter’s ski season, if we can raise the funds to complete design and permitting and secure construction help from Gallatin County and the US Forest Service.  Thousands of people use this trailhead each year! If you would like to see a high quality trailhead and a safe road at Sourdough Canyon, we need your financial support, and we need you to tell a hiking or skiing friend. Please help us get the word out that GVLT can meet this goal – but only with everyone’s help! Click here for the entire newsletter.