Gallatin Valley Land Trust

GALLATIN VALLEY LAND TRUST CONNECTS PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES, AND OPEN LANDS THROUGH CONSERVATION OF WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES, HEALTHY RIVERS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND THE CREATION OF TRAILS IN THE MONTANA HEADWATERS OF THE MISSOURI AND UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVERS.

LAND CONSERVATION - GVLT FURTHERED ITS MISSION TO CONSERVE WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND RIVER CORRIDORS IN SOUTHWESTERN MONTANA. WE IDENTIFY STRATEGIC AREAS WITH HIGH CONSERVATION VALUES AND CONSERVE BLOCKS OF OPEN LAND THAT PROTECT SPECIAL PARTS OF OUR LANDSCAPE. WE HOLD 125 CONSERVATION EASEMENTS COVERING 63,167 ACRES. OUR STAFF VISIT EACH CONSERVATION EASEMENT ANNUALLY TO MONITOR THEIR CONDITION AND PARTNER WITH LANDOWNERS ON RESTORATION PROJECTS TO IMPROVE ERODING STEAM BANKS, PLANT VEGETATION,AND ENHANCE FLOODPLAINS. IN FY23 WE CONSERVED 10,868 ACRES OF LAND IN THE PARADISE VALLEY, EAST GALLATIN, AND AMSTERDAM/CHURCHILL CONSERVATION AREAS.

COMMUNITY TRAILS GVLT CONNECTS PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES, AND THE LAND THROUGH COLLABORATIVE TRAIL PROJECTS. WE EXPANDED AND MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BURKE PARK (PEETS HILL) TRAILS; COMPLETED THE HOMESTEAD CONNECTOR TRAIL IN HIGHLAND GLEN TO LINK THE EAST RIM AND WELLNESS TRAILS; AND WE COMPLETED A NEW CONNECTOR TRAIL IN THE LAKES IN VALLEY WEST, BRINGING OUR VISION OF LINKING THE WEST SIDE OF OUR VALLEY TO THE MOUNTAINS CLOSER TO FRUITION. STAFF AND 668 VOLUNTEERS SPENT OVER 2500 HOURS MAINTAINING TRAILS AT BURKE PARK, DRINKING HORSE, TRIPLE TREE, PAINTED HILLS, HIGHLAND GLEN NATURE PRESERVE, KIRK HILL, AND THE WELLNESS TRAIL. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH OTHER LOCAL RECREATION GROUPS ON AN OUTSIDE KIND CAMPAIGN TO SHARE MESSAGES ABOUT CONSIDERATE OUTDOOR BEHAVIOR.

EDUCATION GVLT SHARES MONTHLY NEWS WITH OVER 18,000 SUPPORTERS ON COMMUNITY TRAILS, PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION, AND RELATED PUBLIC EVENTS. GVLT PUBLISHES OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, IRS FORM 990, AND AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE WEBSITE. THE 22 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ON THE NEXTGEN ADVISORY BOARD EDUCATE AND INSPIRE THEIR PEERS TO VOLUNTEER AND SUPPORT GVLT. GVLT HOSTED OVER 800 VOLUNTEERS FOR OVER 4,300 HOURS OF SERVICE AND EDUCATED THEM ALL ON GVLTS MISSION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH RANDOM ACTS OF SILLINESS, WE BROUGHT THE TRAILS TO LIFE WITH THE EVER-ENCHANTING FAIRY VILLAGE. THE SUMMER TRAILS CHALLENGE ENGAGED THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPLORE THE TRAILS AND LOG 92,674 MILES OF TRAIL USE IN FOURWEEKS.