Guest Column: Optimism Inspired by Shared Values for the Conservation of Private Land

By Chet Work, Gallatin Valley Land Trust Executive Director

Bozeman Daily Chronicle

At a recent event, I was asked whether I remain optimistic about the future of land conservation work, and my answer was a quick and resounding, “yes!”

I am optimistic because I know that even in this time of perceived division, one of the things Americans — and Montanans in particular — have in common is a shared value for open lands.

According to a recent poll conducted by a bipartisan research team on behalf of The Nature Conservancy, 92% of Americans want more protection of land, water and wildlife habitat and an even greater 95% support continuing to allow private landowners the ability to conserve their lands through voluntary land protection agreements, also known as conservation easements.

This level of consensus is rarely found on even the most benign topic. Some of the top reasons listed for wanting to conserve more land included the protection of working farms and ranches, sources of local drinking water, local food production, and wildlife habitat.

These results reinforce my experience working with people from all walks of life. Whether you are a farmer or rancher, elk hunter, trout fisherman, or community member concerned about the type and amount of growth in your town or city, the work of land trusts and other conservation organizations benefits things you care about — helping to preserve your quality of life.

I also remain confident that conservation easements are one of the most efficient and effective tools for permanently protecting the working farms and ranches, clean water, high-quality wildlife habitat, and scenic open space that people value.

This week marked the 50th anniversary of the Montana Open-Space Land and Voluntary Conservation Easement Act, which revolutionized land protection in Montana by creating the legal framework necessary for private landowners to conserve their land in perpetuity.

Not surprisingly, Montana was one of the first states to adopt conservation easement laws. In the past 50 years, this tool has stood the test of time.

As of 2021, Montana had approximately 2,600 conservation easements created by nearly as many private landowners. The majority of these were established in partnership with the dozen land trusts that call Montana home, including the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT).

But land trusts alone can’t protect Montana’s open space. It is up to all of us. The future can be bright if we all see ourselves as the solution. Through our collective action, in our own small ways, we can protect the land that supports us.

Wondering what you can do? My advice is to start small. It can be as simple as picking up dog poop to protect our clean water, staying on the trail during shoulder season to protect delicate soils and plants and prevent erosion, keeping your dogs on-leash in habitat areas, using our Main Street to the Mountains trail system to walk or ride your bike to work, supporting local food production by signing up for a CSA, and sharing your conservation ethic with your children, because they are inheriting this special place.

I also encourage you to support your local land trust. And if you start to feel overwhelmed or sense your optimism is waning, remember to connect with the land by getting outside. Explore a new trail, watch the birds, and soak up the signs of early spring.

Let’s act now so future generations can enjoy lands as wild and awe-inspiring as what we cherish today.