Montana Land Reliance

THE MISSION OF THE MONTANA LAND RELIANCE (MLR) IS TO PARTNER WITH LANDOWNERS TO PROVIDE PERMANENT PROTECTION FOR PRIVATE LANDS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND OPEN SPACE.

LAND PROJECTS: MLR WORKED WITH NUMEROUS LANDOWNERS IN 2021 TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT THEIR PRIVATE LANDS FOR CONTINUED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, OPEN SPACE, AND NATURAL HABITAT. SIXTEEN LANDOWNERS DONATED OR SOLD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO MLR THAT PROTECTED APPROXIMATELY 48,952 ACRES, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL ACREAGE IN THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE AND NORTHERN CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ECOSYSTEMS BORDERING YELLOWSTONE AND GLACIER NATIONAL PARKS. OVER 25 MILES OF RIVER/STREAM FRONTAGE ON SOME OF MONTANA'S BLUE RIBBON TROUT FISHERIES WERE PROTECTED IN PERPETUITY. MLR HAS PROTECTED A TOTAL OF 1,220,084 ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL/RECREATIONAL LANDS IN MONTANA. THAT ACREAGE INCLUDES 328,207 ACRES IN THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM; 20,822 ACRES IN THE NORTHERN CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ECOSYSTEM; 209,665 ACRES OF CROP/HAY/PASTURE LANDS; 1,010,419 ACRES OF RANGE AND FOREST LANDS; 611,369 ACRES OF ELK HABITAT; AND OVER 46,742 ACRES OF WETLANDS. OVER 1,900 MILES OF STREAM FRONTAGE HAVE BEEN PROTECTED BY EASEMENTS HELD BY MLR TO DATE. SPECIFIC EXPENDITURES RELATED TO LAND PROJECTS: TOTAL EXPENDITURES WERE $14,308,825 IN 2021. THESE EXPENDITURES RELATED TO POTENTIAL LAND PROJECTS, COMPLETED CONSERVATION EASEMENTS (DONATED), AND PURCHASED CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. GENERAL LAND PROJECT PLANNING AND EASEMENT DISCUSSIONS AMOUNTED TO $234,273; COMPLETED EASEMENT PROJECTS AND NEW LAND PROJECTS BEING NEGOTIATED EXPENDITURES WERE $110,264; NON-COLLECTIBLE PROJECT ACCOUNTS TOTALED $35,088; AND PURCHASED EASEMENTS AMOUNTED TO THE REMAINING $14,022,157 (KEY O RANCH - $3,777,000; SAUERBIER I - $3,901,000; SAUERBIER II - $800,000; FAUTH - $1,764,660; NORTHGATE 444 - $573,345; MURDOCK - $553,000; SODA CREEK - $1,312,500; GRUEL - $1,320,000; HALL - $20,652).

STEWARDSHIP AND MONITORING: MLR STEWARDSHIP STAFF (CONSISTING OF 1 LANDS MANAGER; 1 GIS COORDINATOR/LAND STEWARD; 1 STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR; AND 19 PART-TIME LAND STEWARDS) MONITOR EACH PROPERTY ON WHICH MLR HOLDS A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. THIS MONITORING INCLUDES A VISIT TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LANDOWNERS/MANAGERS. THE STEWARDSHIP STAFF ALSO WORKS WITH EXISTING EASEMENT HOLDERS TO SUPPLY NATURAL RESOURCE INFORMATION AND CONTACTS FOR THE LANDOWNER TO IMPROVE THEIR LAND HOLDINGS FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES. STEWARDSHIP STAFF WORKS WITH LEGAL COUNSEL IN REGARD TO ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT ARISE REGARDING INTERPRETATION OR ENFORCEMENT OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY MLR. MLR IS IN THE PROCESS OF DIGITIZING ALL THE EASEMENT PROJECT FILES FOR THE 938 EASEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND ARE OF RECORD SCANNING OF THIS DOCUMENTATION WILL ENHANCE STAFF'S ABILITY TO WORK EFFICIENTLY WITH EASEMENT HOLDERS ACROSS THE STATE. MLR GRANTED 324,853 TO THE MONTANA LAND RELIANCE FOUNDATION INC., TO BE INVESTED INTO THE LAND PROTECTION FUND TO COVER STEWARDSHIP AND MONITORING EXPENDITURES. TOTAL EXPENSES RELATED TO THE STEWARDSHIP, MONITORING, AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE 938 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS HELD BY MLR AMOUNTED TO $653,308, INCLUDING $324,853 GRANTED TO THE MONTANA LAND RELIANCE FOUNDATION. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM; MAPPING OF NEW/POTENTIAL PROJECTS; DIGITIZING OF ALL EXISTING EASEMENT FILES/DOCUMENTS ACCOUNTED FOR $45,149. THE REMAINING $283,306 COVERED THE COSTS OF THE LANDS MANAGER, LAND STEWARD/GIS COORDINATOR, STEWARDSHIP COORDINATOR, AND 19 PART-TIME LAND STEWARDS (SALARIES/BENEFITS - $201,209; FEES FOR SERVICES - $8,701; OFFICE EXPENSES - $6,945; INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - $10,974; OCCUPANCY - $8,113; TRAVEL/PER DIEM - $46,587; AND CONFERENCE/CONVENTIONS - $777). STEWARDSHIP/MONITORING ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY STAFF INVOLVES VISITING OR VIEWING AERIAL PHOTOS OF EACH EASEMENT PROPERTY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO ENSURE THAT THE TERMS OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE BEING UPHELD.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES: MLR STAFF TRAVEL ACROSS THE STATE OF MONTANA CONDUCTING MEETINGS WITH POTENTIAL CLIENTS, COUNTY PLANNING BOARDS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL GROUPS/ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS TO PROVIDE ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS AND TO CONDUCT GENERAL EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON THE BENEFITS OF LAND CONSERVATION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. FOR THESE OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, MLR PUBLISHES VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL BROCHURES AND AN ANNUAL REPORT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND ENHANCE THE TRANSPARENCY OF ITS PUBLIC INTEREST ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONALLY, STAFF PARTICIPATE WITH NUMEROUS CONSERVATION GROUPS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE LAND TRUST COMMUNITY'S CONSERVATION EFFORTS. EXPENDITURES RELATED TO MLR'S OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES AMOUNTED TO $444,351 IN 2021. THOSE EXPENDITURES INCLUDED GENERAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO LANDOWNERS, ATTORNEYS, ACCOUNTANTS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, ETC. - $364,193; PUBLICATION MATERIALS (BROCHURES, ANNUAL REPORT, NEWSLETTERS, ETC.) - $32,006; AND MEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH TO STATE, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL LAND CONSERVATION/AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION, ETC., - $48,152