Northern Yellowstone Open Lands: 2025 Year in Review

2025 brought exciting wins and challenging setbacks in our efforts to support land conservation throughout the county. Read on to learn more about the projects, the partnerships, and the people who make this work possible.

The Projects

Thirty years ago this December, the Malcom and Brutger families partnered with GVLT to protect over 100 acres along the Yellowstone River. Today, that land remains as it was—a refuge for wildlife along the banks of the longest undammed river in the lower 48, and productive hay ground that supports local agriculture.

Three decades later, our commitment to this landscape remains unwavering. This past year, GVLT’s Northern Yellowstone Open Lands team partnered with three families to conserve nearly 3,000 additional acres—bringing our total impact in Park County to over 20,000 acres protected. While each family has their own motivation for making the impactful decision to protect their land, they all share a common sentiment—there are parts of Park County that must remain open lands. With increased pressure and interest in this region, the natural beauty and agricultural benefits of these areas must be protected.

As Laurie Redfield, co-owner of Warfield Ranch, said, “When you’ve been on the land this long, it’s not just a chunk of ground, it’s your heartbeat.”

The Partnerships

GVLT’s Northern Yellowstone Open Lands led a partnership of six local organizations to secure a $25 Million U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Unfortunately, before we could celebrate this historic opportunity, we received the devastating news that the $25 million grant had been rescinded as part of a larger, $1 billion cut to the RCPP program nationwide.

Despite the loss of this grant, the message is clear—this is a landscape of national significance. We remain committed to securing the resources needed to support the landowners and communities in this county. With the loss of these federal funds, strong local partnerships and private support are more critical than ever to help us bridge the gap.

The People

We are proud to have two local staff members working in our Livingston office, Cole Herdman and Kelsie Huyser. Cole and Kelsie are supported by GVLT, an organization with 35 years of land trust expertise in Southwest Montana and the high standards of a nationally accredited land trust. We also want to share a special thanks to GVLT Board member Lara Birkes, an invaluable advisor to our Northern Yellowstone Open Lands initiative.

Stay tuned in 2026 as we introduce our Advisory Council members—dedicated Park County residents who will help ensure our land conservation work remains grounded in local priorities.

Thank you for caring so deeply about the future of Park County.