FLATHEAD LAND TRUST

CONSERVATION:1. A 24-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT WAS DONATED NEAR THE STILLWATER RIVER NORTHWEST OF WHITEFISH. THE PROPERTY IS ADJACENT TO AND COMPLIMENTS ANOTHER TWENTY-SEVEN-ACRE PROPERTY ALREADY CONSERVED WITH AN FLATHEAD LAND TRUST EASEMENT. CONSERVING THE PROPERTY PRESERVES THIS WILDLIFE HABITAT AS WELL AS ITS WORKING AGRICULTURAL LAND AND THE SCENIC VALUE OF THE PROPERTY ALONG HIGHWAY 93. 2. A 40-ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT WAS DONATED ALONG THE SWAN RIVER NEAR BIGFORK. THE PARCEL BORDERS A THIRD OF A MILE OF THE SWAN RIVER AND CONTAINS A MOSAIC OF RIPARIAN FOREST AND WETLANDS SUPPORTING A MYRIAD OF BIRDS AND WILDLIFE. 3. FLATHEAD LAND TRUST, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND (TPL)AND MONTANA LAND RELIANCE (MLR), OPENED THE HARRELL FOREST COMMUNITY TRAILS LOCATED 1/2 MILE NORTH OF BIGFORK TO THE PUBLIC. THE 238-ACRE RECREATIONAL OASIS, WHICH FLATHEAD LAND TRUST OWNS AND MANAGES, IS NESTLED ON THE FLANKS OF SWAN HILL AND WAS PERMANENTLY PROTECTED THROUGH A CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN 2022 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MLR. LAND THAT WAS ONCE SLATED FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 17 NEW RESIDENTIAL LOTS, THE HARRELL FOREST COMMUNITY TRAILS NOW REPRESENT A TRIUMPH FOR CONSERVATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS. THE COMMUNITY NOW HAS ACCESS TO SEVERAL STACKED LOOPS OF HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS, PROVIDING ROUND-TRIP TREKS OF UP TO 7 MILES, A NEW TRAILHEAD AND AWE-INSPIRING VISTAS OVERLOOKING THE PRISTINE WATERS OF FLATHEAD LAKE AND THE MAJESTIC SWAN MOUNTAIN RANGE. FLT AND PARTNERS WORKED WITH MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS AND DESIGNERS TO BUILD THE TRAILS AND TRAILHEAD OVER THE SUMMER OF 2023, COMPLETING THE PROJECT JUST BEFORE THE GRAND OPENING ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:1. PUBLIC TOURS OF THE OWEN SOWERWINE PROPERTY (MAY - JULY) - ORGANIZED AND CONDUCTED 16 TOURS OF THE PROPERTY WITH OVER 160 TOTAL PEOPLE ATTENDING. TOURS WERE ORGANIZED WITH PARTNERS FLATHEAD AUDUBON AND FLATHEAD LAKERS. 2. CONDUCTED MULTIPLE BIRD EDUCATION PROGRAM TOURS WITH 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS FROM WEST VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, EVERGREEN JR. HIGH AND BIGFORK JR HIGH TO VARIOUS BIRDING SPOTS IN THE FLATHEAD VALLEY INCLUDING WEST VALLEY WETLANDS, OWEN SOWERWINE AND CHURCH SLOUGH.3. GRAND OPENING OF HARRELL FOREST CELEBRATION AND TOURS OF THE TRAILS - CELEBRATED WITH THE PUBLIC THE OPENING OF THE HARRELL FOREST COMMUNITY TRAILS AND OFFERED TOURS TO THE PUBLIC ON SEPTEMBER 22.