CRESTON — Another chunk of land has been acquired as a conservation easement in the Flathead.
A total of 497 acres near Creston is now permanently protected to remain farmland with some of the richest topsoil in the valley.
Along with the farmland, this easement protects a mile-long stretch of Eagan Slough, which is a prime bird habitat.
The Jaquette family has owned the land since 1907 and has farmed everything from canola and potatoes to pigs on the property.
This new conservation easement is adding to the more than 13,000 acres already protected around Flathead River and the north shore of the lake.
“So basically conservation easements are protecting everybody's quality of life here in the Flathead. So protecting things like our excellent water quality, ability to see birds and wildlife regularly and a place to have food produced on rich soils. That's important locally but also for the nation as a whole. For someone to be thinking ahead to having some of the land that is the most fertile, still available for farming,” said Flathead Land Trust Land Protection Specialist Laura Katzman.
You can visit Flathead Land Trusts website for information about other easments and more about what they do.
