Five Valleys Land Trust Inc

TO PROTECT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WESTERN MONTANA'S NATURAL LEGACY OUR RIVER CORRIDORS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AGRICULTURAL LANDS, AND COMMUNITY OPEN SPACES.CORRIDORS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AGRICULTURAL LANDS, AND COMMUNITY OPEN SPACES. THE FIVE VALLEYS WE SERVE ARE THE BITTERROOT, THE BLACKFOOT, THE UPPER CLARK FORK, THE LOWER CLARK FORK, AND THE MISSION-JOCKO. WE BELIEVE THAT THE CHARACTER OF THESE VALLEYS, AND THE THRIVING COMMUNITIES IN THEM, ARE ROOTED IN THE CLEAN RIVERS, OPEN LANDS, AND ABUNDANT WILDLIFE THAT SURROUND THEM. WE WORK WITH COMMUNITIES, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, GOVERNMENTS, AND OTHER PARTNERS TO PROTECT THESE NATURAL TREASURES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

THE ORGANIZATION PROTECTS CLEAN WATER, WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES USING FEE ACQUISITION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS OF PRIVATE LANDS. LANDOWNERS ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH THE ORGANIZATION VOLUNTARILY AND KNOWING THEIR LAND HOLDS SPECIAL VALUE TO THEM AND TO THE PUBLIC. EASEMENTS HELD BY THE ORGANIZATION HOLD NO FINANCIAL VALUE, AND THE LANDOWNER RETAINS FULL OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND. THE COST TO ACQUIRE PURCHASED OR DONATED EASEMENTS IS EXPENSED AS INCURRED. THE ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZES IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT REPRESENT THE LOST VALUE TO LAND OWNERS WHO PUT IN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. THE ORGANIZATION ONLY RECOGNIZES IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS IN THIS WAY IF THERE IS AN APPRAISAL TO INFORM THE VALUE. THE VALUE OF IN-KIND EASEMENT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022, WAS $0 AND $1,417,000, RESPECTIVELYDURING THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023, THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED ONE EASEMENT PROJECT. DURING THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED TWO EASEMENT PROJECTS. AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023, THE ORGANIZATION HELD A TOTAL OF 197 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS PROTECTING A COMBINED 83,219 ACRES OF LAND. AT DECEMBER 31, 2022, THE ORGANIZATION HELD A TOTAL OF 196 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS PROTECTING A COMBINED 83,086 ACRES OF LAND.SINCE INCEPTION, THE ORGANIZATION HAS IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES TO CONVERT PRIVATELY HELD LANDS INTO PUBLIC LANDS OVER SEVERAL AREAS IN WESTERN MONTANA. EXAMPLES OF THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE ALBERTON GORGE, HIAWATHA ROUTE, MOUNT JUMBO, MOUNT SENTINEL, AND THE RATTLESNAKE GREENWAY. LAND STEWARDSHIPTHE ORGANIZATION'S STEWARDSHIP STAFF WORKS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS TO IMPROVE PROTECTED LANDS FOR THEIR CONSERVATION PURPOSE. THE ORGANIZATION ENLISTS A BROAD GROUP OF PARTNERS TO COMPLETE THIS WORK INCLUDING STUDENTS, VOLUNTEERS, AND CONTRACTORS.THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED WEED TREATMENT, HABITAT RESTORATION, FUELS REDUCTION, ACCESS DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER SIMILAR ACTIVITIES ON THE MOUNT DEAN STONE, ROCK CREEK CONFLUENCE, AND OTHER PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT ITS SERVICE AREA. PERPETUAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT THE ORGANIZATION HOLDS COMMIT THE ORGANIZATION TO A LONG-TERM RESPONSIBILITY OF STEWARDING THE PROTECTED CONSERVATION VALUES OF THE CONSERVED PROPERTIES FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT AND SUPPORTING LANDOWNERS IN THEIREFFORTS TO MANAGE THEIR LAND WITH CONSERVATION IN MIND. STEWARDSHIP WORK INVOLVES MONITORING THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND VISITING WITH LANDOWNERS ANNUALLY TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND WORK TO HELP THEM MEET THEIR MANAGEMENT GOALS IN A WAY THAT ACHIEVES OPTIMAL PROTECTION FOR THEIR LAND CONSISTENT WITH THE TEMRS OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.TO FUND THESE CURRENT AND FUTURE MONITORING AND DEFENCE RESPONSIBILITIES, THE ORGANIZATION HAS ESTABLISHED A STEWARDSHIP AND LEGAL DEFENSE FUND WITH A BALANCE OF $1,346,343 AND $1,135,560 AT DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022, RESPECTIVELY, THAT IS PRESENTED WITHIN INVESTMENTS ON THE STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION. THE ORGANIZATION PRIDES ITSELF IN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITHLANDOWNERS AND OTHER PARTNERS TO BRING RESOURCES AND SOUND SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX LAND MANAGEMENT ISSUES. IN 2023 AND 2022, THE ORGANIZATION MONITORED EACH OF ITS CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.