300 acres protected in the Smith and Mission valleys

The Flathead Land Trust helped protect over 300 acres of land important for birds and other wildlife in the Smith and Mission valleys last December. The projects were funded by the North American Wetland Conservation Act grant, which Flathead River to Lake Initiative partners helped secure.

The two conservation projects will protect 180 acres of wetlands and one and a half miles of streams and associated wildlife habitat in perpetuity, and will conserve valuable farm land.

The land donation around Smith Lake will be incorporated into the Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area, managed by US Fish and Wildlife Service.

A conservation easement was placed on the Mission Valley property – one of two sites in northwest Montana where fire flies are present. A big thank you to the landowners and partners for protecting these special places in our watershed.