Success Stories

Perched just to the south of the Burnt Fork drainage in Stevensville, where more than 7,000 acres of working lands have been conserved over the last decade by local families in partnership with BRLT, sits Sunset Bench – a natural, long section of prime agricultural land and wildlife habitat with steep slopes leading to the green valley below.

Landowners Mike Sylvester and Meghan Hanson look around at the ground they protected through a conservation easement in 2019 in partnership with BRLT and think about what might have been – which, more than likely, would have been a subdivision. With panoramic mountain views of the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountain ranges, this piece of land was ripe for development. The property was subdivided into 13 different lots, complete with septic, wells, and underground electric.

“This is the right thing to do,” says Mike. “Other parts of the country have already changed so much. To have these open spaces is amazing.”

With conservation values including a mix of agriculture, ponderosa pine forest (with a year-round spring for wildlife) and open sage fields, Mike and Meghan saw a brighter, more open future for the land which serves as a secluded haven for wildlife.

When it came time for Mike and Meghan to consider building a residence on the property, they agreed they wanted to have as low of an impact on the land as possible. As such, they planned for a net zero small house on the edge of the property – the first in Montana to be certified Passive House through PHIUS (read more about the design here). They sited the home on an area previously disturbed as a riding area with storage sheds nearby that have been repurposed as a garden shed and a bunk house.

“This home is 5.5 miles away from where I was born and spent the first 17 years of my life,” says Meghan. “Having moved away I returned back to this piece of land so spectacular it required that a home here be integrated into and take nothing from it.”

Through working with BRLT to place a conservation easement on the property, the character of the property, as well as Sunset Bench and the surrounding Burnt Fork neighborhood, will continue to be safeguarded for future generations.

“We feel fortunate to have this choice,” says Mike. “The decision to conserve the property was clear, these are special places. My hope is that this inspires more landowners to consider conserving their land.”

Thank you to landowners Mike and Meghan for their vision for conservation, and to supporters like you for helping to make it possible.

With the rich soil of Lonerock under his feet and a calm, clear winter sky above, Sam Gates looks around the family farm with great joy and satisfaction. He and his siblings recently conserved their 160 acre farm, honoring what their parents had worked so hard to create 65 years ago.

Sam’s deep voice carried the love he had for his father, “This is what he wanted to do. This is where he wanted to be.”

When you first get to the large, white farmhouse, some very vocal geese and ducks make your acquaintance, while friendly cats and dogs await your affections. Their large field, with views of St. Mary’s to the west, is irrigated and leased to local folks. The Gate’s parents, Joseph and Lois, used to grow different crops and had good success raising pigs for a time.

Sam reminisces about simpler times. “There are just so many memories wrapped up in this place,” he said. “All of these things that have tied us together as a family are right here in this place that we grew up. My brother and I chased each other all over these 160 acres.” He motioned to the field, the creek, and the willows, “We were renegades, just running wherever we wanted up and down the creek. We had so much freedom.”

You Can Always Go Home

Life isn’t quite so simple anymore. Children, even rural kids, aren’t as connected to the natural world, playing in fields or running through the trees like Sam and his siblings did. Often they don’t get to spend as much time with other family members like grandparents.

That won’t be the case for this family, or this farm.

“I definitely didn’t want to see this place broken up,” Elizabeth Gates said. “I never would have been able to come back here again if that had happened.” Sam’s daughter Elizabeth and her partner are raising their infant daughter on the farm, carrying on a family tradition. “I cherish the childhood memories I have here, spending precious time with my grandmother.”

Now four generations of the Gates family have made this farm their home. While his siblings live close by in Missoula, Sam lives on the farm and will see his granddaughter grow up here, run through the same creek, and enjoy the same freedom he felt as a boy.

Sam feels good about the decision to conserve the farm.

“Right from the very first time that we started talking about it, everyone was on board,” he said. “I think my dad is smiling down at us right now and I think mom would be too now that we’ve completed the process. It’s a wonderful thing when you know that you can always go home.”

It’s incredible what happens when we come together to protect this special way of life that is uniquely Bitterroot. This is something we can all be proud of.

Patti Eldredge didn’t plan to become a conservation hero, let alone a community leader. Soft spoken, with wind tussled hair and a bit of whimsy in her smile, she and her husband Howard had lived on their land for years.

The land’s not far from the Bitterroot River, in the town of Victor. The sweeping views stretch out over Sweat House Creek—home to blue herons, eagles and white tail deer.

“When we conserved our land, almost twenty years ago, we did it because we really love this place,” she explained. What Patti and Howard didn’t know at the time is that they would end up inspiring more than 35 other families like theirs to conserve their own special lands.

In total, it’s 7,300 acres of some of the Bitterroot Valley’s important ranchlands, wildlife areas, and water ways.

Our Community Need These Lands

“Our community needs these lands,” Patti says. “Enjoying nature, hiking, camping– it’s important to our spiritual, mental, and physical well-being. It would break my heart if we, as a community, lost the special quality of the river, the open spaces.”

That sense of connecting to the land has become part of the Eldredges’ conservation ethic. Over the years they have hosted ecology field trips for elementary students on their place along the creek, so “the kids get a chance to love it, like we do,” she says.

“Too often folks think that you don’t own it, or manage it, when you protect your land, but that’s not the case,” says Patti.

“Conserving your land is a big decision, and for us, we are so thankful we did.”

It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, and it still feels that way almost 20 years later. It’s something our family feels good about. If you treasure this valley, the working lands, the water, the wildlife habitat, then this is the best thing you can do to protect it.”

Through the generosity of the people of the Bitterroot Valley, and in partnership with the City of Hamilton, Skalkaho Bend Park officially opened in summer of 2020.

Click here to download the trail map.

For the Bitterroot community, the new outdoor space to exercise and enjoy nature is the reward for all the local support – contributions, helping hands, encouraging voices, and more – that brought the dream to reality. For all of us at the Land Trust, opening day was the happy conclusion of years of planning, fundraising, building, and working with countless partners to coordinate one of our most ambitious projects ever.

BRLT has paired-up with the Hamilton High School cross-country team to knock-out some noxious weeds at the park.

The runners were excited to volunteer their time removing weeds, getting the park ready for the public.

Sophomore Colter looks up from a patch of knapweed, “We need more land that’s close by for people to use. Having the river run right through is so important.”

The cross-country team has added the park to their training route because it’s so close to home and school. Team member Jake wants parents and teachers to know, “It’s important to protect lands for the community, being able to bike, fish, run. It’s not always easy for people to get to the river and have access to outdoor activities.”

Creating this park with you – our supporters – is a momentous accomplishment for the entire community. Caring for the land is the next step. If you are interested in volunteering to help with park clean-ups, weeding, and native plantings, please contact our office at 406-365-0956.

“I always want to give back. I’m glad I get the opportunity. I’ve lived outside of Montana, and the truth is, you don’t have places like this–mountains, rivers, nature. We get to run here. It makes you feel lucky and grateful.”
– Cheyenne, Sophomore on the team

And she feels lucky because of you.

Caring supporters like you who make it possible to bring more young people to land and water, in a way that is meaningful to them.

“Along the river, places open to the public can be hard to find,” says Dan Kimzey.
“That’s why I’m so excited this new park will be here for veterans like me to step out of isolation and begin to mend the emotional injuries, grieve those we’ve lost, and find our own paths, by walking here at Skalkaho Bend.”

It warms the heart to know that places like the future Skalkaho Bend Park – 70 acres of river bottom, cottonwood galleries, easily accessible trails, flanked by views of the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains – can break barriers to nature and bring conservation to more people.

And you make it all possible: nature, close to home, for everyone.

Thanks to you, and so many in our community, Skalkaho Bend Park will be that place for people of all ages and abilities to seek health, joy, and peace for future generations.

Congratulations!

“That’s why I’m so excited this new park will be here for veterans like me to step out of isolation and begin to mend the emotional injuries, grieve those we’ve lost, and find our own paths, by walking here at Skalkaho Bend.”
– Dan Kimzey, retired veteran

It’s a big sky kind of day. The clouds are on cue, floating overhead in dreamy fashion. In front of landowners Pam and Mark Smithers, the blue and gold sparkle of the West Fork River tumbles by.

Behind them, the rich velvet green forest is in repose. And all around is the song of birds – the rumble of grouse, bald eagle chatter, and honks from Canada geese.

Pam and Mark can’t help but smile at each other. They just recently protected 33 acres of open land at the confluence of Nez Perce creek and the West Fork of the Bitterroot River.

They raised their two boys, Ryan 30 and Will 26, hiking and exploring the wilderness, instilling a love of the outdoors. The natural world has always played a role in the Smithers’ lives, and Montana is where they wanted to be.

“This place in particular, with its views up the Nez Perce drainage, is very special. It was love at first sight! My volunteer work with other land trusts has shown me how powerful conservation easements can be in protecting wild lands for future generations,” says Pam.

The development potential is high due to the desirability of the area with its blue-ribbon fishing and middle-of-nowhere feel. The good news is conservation is making a difference. This stunning half mile of river frontage – with its lush evergreen, cottonwood and aspen forest, beautiful meadow, and wildlife habitat – is protected forever.

“We do worry a bit about the future, but many people are trying very hard to protect the Earth for future generations and we are grateful we can participate in our small way.”
– Pam Smithers

There is still much work to be done. But with thoughtful families like the Smithers, and support from caring community members like you, a future full of beautiful, protected open lands is possible.

“You know, maybe I’m sacrificing a little bit, but it’s really, really minimal compared to what my grandmother and my dad did before me. They are the ones that held this place together.”

Dan’s eyes twinkled in the warm light of the afternoon sun that shone through tall, oversized windows in his upstairs family room.

You wouldn’t know it now, but for a time this room of the 120-year-old house on Severson’s Flying E Ranch was called “home” by chickens. That was decades ago, when world wars and economic decline took their toll on the Bitterroot Valley. The family, and the ranch, would prove to be stronger than their circumstances.

It was Dan’s grandmother, Toi Long Logan, who spent a life-time caring for the ranch, working hard, and paying off debts, so they wouldn’t lose the land – all the while putting herself and her two daughters through college. After World War II, Dan’s dad came home and got to work rebuilding the ranch right alongside the whole family.

When the ranch was passed down to Dan, he contemplated how to honor their sacrifice and hard work, and secure the future of the ranch.

A Turning Point

Then, in 2006, Ravalli County voters passed the Open Lands bond program which provides funding to conserve water, wildlife habitat, and working farms and ranches.

It was a turning point for Dan. To him, it meant that the people of this valley were willing to come together to protect our beautiful valley and rural way of life. After he and Debbie conserved the ranch in 2011, Dan recalls, “When my neighbors started telling me they were glad about what we did, that meant everything to me.”

Since then, over 7,000 acres have been protected in the Burnt Fork alone. The area includes 15 miles of streams and creeks, varied wildlife habitat for birds, deer and elk, and large amounts of productive hay ground.

For Dan, it was a decision made 100% from his heart.

“The feeling of protecting this place is second only to seeing your kids grow up right. I have four kids—two sons and two daughters – and now it’s possible for this farm to continue for future generations of my family or another family that believes in the importance of agriculture for the community.”
– Dan Severson

While there may still be pressure for some farmers and ranchers to subdivide, it’s because of you – our supporters – the land trust can continue to work with families like the Seversons, and help them figure out if conservation is right for them.

Not too long ago, a couple hundred acres of hay ground and wild meadows with an uncertain future lay tucked away in the Burnt Fork area of Stevensville. The land was neglected, fences falling down, and the landowners who stewarded this land long ago were a distant memory.

That was until Troy and Dena Griffin found this diamond in-the-rough, and spent a number of years breathing life back into the soil and grasses, repairing fences and irrigation infrastructure.

The dream to bring this ranch back to life, some would say, came from an unlikely place. At a young age, the Griffin’s son, Garrett, joined 4-H and fell in love with raising animals and working the land. It became his passion to have his own ranch someday.

More often than not, young people are seeking out careers outside of agriculture, creating uncertainty for many long-standing Montana farms and ranches.

That’s not the case with the Griffin family.

It’s Not Always a Sure Thing

“It’s my son’s dream to have a ranch. The odds of that happening are low. He started 4-H, kept steers at the neighbor’s, and showed them in competition. We wanted that for him. We want to help him fulfill his dream. With help from the land trust and the conservation easement funding, now we can,” Troy smiles warmly.

Now, what was once a big unknown is a sure thing. Garrett is a Bitterroot rancher, and Griffin Ranch is protected, forever.

With resolve in his voice, Troy Griffin softly says, “When we’re gone, it’s over. But if we can leave something that lives on – we’d know that it will always be here. That’s a legacy to leave behind.”

Not only does Griffin Ranch conservation easement fortify the ongoing conservation in the agriculturally and historically significant Burnt Fork neighborhood, it stands as a beacon of hope for the future of Bitterroot Valley farms and ranches, and the young folks who desire to work them.

The cows are relaxing in the sunshine by the barn and there are a few deer browsing down in the draw, out of the wind. Brother and sister, Willis Curdy and Mary Rodriguez are quiet for a moment, gazing across the fields of their family farm in Corvallis.

Mary and brother Willis, grew up farming with their parents Frances and Everett Curdy. There was always something to grow, tend, and prepare for market.

Over the decades, the family has seen its share of good times, hard times, and lots of honest work. Like many farms and ranches in the Bitterroot Valley, over time, it gets harder to continue working the land.

Years ago, mom and daughter ran quite the chicken egg operation, supplying markets, police and fire stations all over the Bitterroot and into Missoula. Mary recalls, “We’d load the eggs the night before, then drive all over hill and dale the next day, delivering about 1,500 eggs. It’s crazy to think we fit all those eggs in that old Dodge Dart station wagon.”

A Family Decision

Many years later, family discussions centered around the future of the farm. Who would work the farm? What will happen to the land when we’re gone? Frances and Everett knew they wanted it to always remain a farm. They knew it should be here for the next generation to work the land. Mary and Willis carried out the family decision to conserve the farm with the land trust.

“We did this for them, saw it through to the end. It’s something we know they wanted. And now, the farm will be here for someone else to farm In the future. That’s the reason for doing it.”
– Mary Rodriguez

Families don’t take these decisions lightly, and often it takes years to go through the conservation easement process. It starts with those early conversations, all the way up to the day it’s complete.

Mary clears her throat, “When my neighbors tell me, ‘I’m happy that you kept the land a farm,’ that means everything to me. My parents worked so hard for that land. And someday a new family will build their life on this farm.”

It was sunny and warm. The perfect day for a huckleberry lemonade, conversation, and “big gun sprinklers” to keep the rhythm of the afternoon. It was an unusual break from daily chores on Kerslake Ranch, east of Stevensville.

Sari Kerslake and her mom, Julie, were in between irrigation sets. The land they’re irrigating was conserved in 2013 by Hattie Farrell, a Burnt Fork legend who ran the ranch with her late husband, George, since 1963. Back then it was a dairy, evolved into a beef cattle operation, and is now the base of operations for the Kerslake Ranch.

Overcoming Obstacles

Before this 93 acre ranch was conserved, Sari and her husband, Dan, were leasing Hattie’s place and a few other fields to grow grass hay. Over many years, they developed trust with Hattie, at first working hard, leasing the land, and then becoming friends. “She began to trust us after we had worked the land those 5 years. And that’s how it all started,” recalls Sari.

The average age of a Montana rancher is 60 years old. The Kerslakes were less than half that age at the time. Land is expensive, and in high-demand. Finding and financing land would prove to be nearly insurmountable barriers. As Sari puts it, “We looked terrible on paper. We had no money, it was tied up in equipment, and we didn’t own any land.”

After several years of working with Dan and Sari, Hattie began thinking about moving off the ranch into town, and wondering who would own the land after her. She wouldn’t just sell it to anyone.

“I grew up on a big cattle ranch and feel we should save all the ranch land we can.”
– Hatte Farrell

Hattie believed in the young Kerslake couple and reached out to them. She told Dan, “I would love to have you buy the ranch. Look at this option, it might be a way to make it work.” Hattie saw a pathway to transfer her ranch from one generation to the next. That’s when she approached BRLT to conserve her family land and help transition it to the next generation.

But the Kerslakes still needed to make buying the ranch pencil out.

They met with Ross Rodamacher at Farmers State Bank. After running all the numbers and scenarios he said, “You know, I think you kids can make this happen.” An individualized loan was created to make the transition from on ranch family to the next as seamless as possible.

A Model for the Future

Now seven years later, on this warm September day, Dan and Sari are working on some diverse business practices. Honey bees now buzz the ranch, pollinating and creating local honey. Sheep and cows dot the pastures, and their hay operation continues to grow.

“All our hay was sold before we made it this year. Which sounds great at first, but then it’s a delicate balance to achieve and deliver on all those sales,” Sari said. “Our sheep and cows graze the fields and make our ground much more productive because they naturally fertilize it. They poop on it from fall to spring.”

Sari and Dan have been thinking about the future of the ranch, now that they’ve owned it for seven years. “Dan and I think about who will come after, and if we have kids someday—or not—we’ll find someone who wants to keep this going,” smiles Sari.

“It could be young ranchers just like you, Sari,” Julie said. Mom’s words ring true for so many farming and ranching families in the Bitterroot, “Supporting open lands is supporting a tremendous amount of moving parts that sustain this valley, and keep it in the hands of the people that understand it, and keep it producing.”

Self-reliance, trust, and hard work brought this story to life. There is a way to pass on our Bitterroot way of life, our rural heritage, and ensure it is vibrant and thriving now, and for generations to come. Hattie, Dan and Sari, have provided a model showing how to do so. Together, we can help keep local agriculture and open lands thriving for future Bitterroot generations.

There was never a dull moment at home with his mom Dolly and dad Ed. Mom worked right alongside the men. Many times outpacing them. Dad could usually be found fixing farm equipment, elbow deep in engine grease.

Running a small ranch required an “all hands on deck” approach to getting the work done.

And that’s still true today.

After his dad passed away in 2014, Dwight Auch’s mom told him—with unwavering conviction in her eyes—they had to make sure the ranch stayed in ranching hands. Over time, they’d seen a great deal of farmland rapidly convert to other uses. Yet it wasn’t so simple. How could they keep it in ranching, knowing that someday they might have to sell it, even if that meant generations from now?

Future Ranchers

“It was after a lot of thought and discussion that my mom and I decided that the right thing to do, for our family, was to conserve our ranch,” explains Dwight. “We felt we could honor our family, and make it possible for future ranchers to work the land, for years to come. It just made sense.”

Given their ranching heritage, the Auchs know, perhaps better than many of us, that with the uncertainty of agriculture markets, unforeseen family hardships, and the continual growth of communities, there will likely be pressure to develop farm and ranch land.

When Dwight reflects on why he wanted to conserve the land, he quietly says “I feel so fortunate to have grown up and been able to spend so much time outside on our small cattle ranch in Corvallis. Now, there’s a greater chance that others will be able to do that in the future; it gives us peace of mind.”

“As more working land is preserved in this magnificent valley. I hope that more young people who choose agriculture as a career will be able to do so.”
– Dwight Auch

More affordable access to land is part of the solution, and often conserved lands are more affordable than those competing for the estate or development market. The Auchs see that as a real benefit.

Other ranchers and farmers are coming to the same conclusion. Thanks to you, our members and supporters, we are now in conversations with a number of local families to help them figure out if conservation is right for them.