MISSOULA — A large ranch that lies near a rapidly growing area of the Missoula Valley will be conserved as open space in perpetuity, protecting its habitat, wildlife and current ranch operations, so long as the required funding is approved.
The Missoula City Council on Wednesday gave initial approval to allocate $344,000 in funding from the Open Space Bond to help secure the easement. Missoula County did the same.
“This project is fully consistent with what people voted for,” said Commissioner Josh Slotnick. “It checks every box.”
The Indreland Ranch is comprised of both grasslands and forest and was identified by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks as a Tier 1 focus area for wildlife. It was also identified as a key piece of the Yellowstone to Yukon wildlife corridor.
Along with its wildlife diversity, advocates of the project said it would also preserve a working ranch and its grasslands. It also offers scenic values, as the property is visible from the Missoula Valley.
“We always vet open space projects through whether or not it complies with the 2019 open space plan,” said Zac Covington, the city's open space project manager. “There's been a lot of background work in that sense on the city side. It's a large tract of land with a high amount of leveraged funds.”
While the 1,660-acre property is valued at $2.4 million, the National Resource Conservation Service has already awarded 50% of the purchase price. Coupled with private donations and other funding sources, the project is seeking just $688,000 from the Open Space Bond — an amount split 50-50 between the city and county.
Kali Becker, the county's open space project manager, said language in the Open Space Bond identified the Missoula Valley planning region as a jurisdictional boundary. Inside that boundary, the city's portion of open space funding would come into play while projects outside that boundary would fall to the county.
The Indreland project lies on the boundary, hence the city-county funding split.
“It was deemed to be a good opportunity for a joint project,” said Becker.
Benefits
Project advocates said the property represents a prime cornerstone of the Missoula Valley. It lies close to the Lolo National Forest and the Rattlesnake Wilderness and is fed in part by LaValle Creek.
Another 160-acre conservation easement sits to one side while a second 1,000-acre easement, held by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, sits on the other.
Given the property's blend of native grasslands and timber, advocates said it provides “untouched” habitat for a range of species native to the area. It also serves as critical winter habitat for the North Hills elk herd.
The creek is home to genetically pure native cutthroat trout.
Growth in the Missoula Valley has already placed development pressure on the property and now is the time to conserve it, advocates said.
“The town is rising to meet that. There is growth there,” said Whitney Schwab, executive director of the Five Valleys Land Trust. “This project creates an opportunity to look into the future. The opportunity to conserve the landscape happens once.”
County commissioners approved the funding request from the Open Space Bond unanimously. The City Council approved it as well but with two opponents, including council members Sandra Vasecka and Bob Campbell.
Both governments will officially approve the funding at a future meeting.
“My feeling is, when folks within city limits at least passed this bond, they were doing it with the intent that it would foster more recreational opportunities, public access and even more farmland preservation in the area,” said Campbell.
Several other council members said the project's location was a stretch for city open-space funding. But they also acknowledged the region's population growth and the need to conserve critical habitat and open space while the opportunity is at hand.
“I know how much that Wye area is changing and is poised to change, and I also appreciate that this (Inderland) family is willing to enter into a conservation easement,” said council member Jennifer Savage. “But I am one of the people that would like to see a little prioritization for the rest of our city funds to start looking inward, especially as our land-use plan is having us do that as well.”
Council member Kristen Jordan supported the project as well.
“We need to be setting land aside at rates as fast as possible given growth and that public lands are getting snapped up and being prioritized forever and in perpetuity,” she said.
