Mitch Doherty News Today

Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements between a land owner and a land trust that permanently limit development on a parcel of land in an effort to protect its conservation values.

With major project support from the Wildlife Land Trust, Vital Ground’s expansion of the Fowler Creek project gives grizzlies and numerous other species a wider protected area for movement across the Yaak Valley bottom.

The Vital Ground Foundation expanded its Fowler Creek grizzly bear habitat conservation project this month with the acquisition of 64 acres in the Yaak Valley of far Northwest Montana.

More than 150 acres in the Idaho Panhandle and Northwestern Montana are now protected from subdivision and development within an important habitat connection area for grizzly bears and many other wildlife species.

Vital Ground, Yellowstone to Yukon Conserve 129 Acres in Key Bull River Wildlife Corridor

The Bull River-Clark Fork confluence area serves as an important linkage zone for wildlife between the Cabinet Mountains to the north and the Bitterroot Mountains to the south.

Vital Ground, Yellowstone to Yukon Conserve 129 Acres in Key Bull River Wildlife Corridor

Vital Ground, Yellowstone to Yukon Conserve 129 Acres in Key Bull River Wildlife Corridor

As avid animal lovers, the decision was a no brainer, Lisa Levine said. She added that the process was easy, guided by the Vital Ground Foundation.

The Vital Ground Foundation and Montana Freshwater Partners collaborated on a 30-acre easement to preserve forested wetlands near Condon