River 2 Lake

The Flathead Land Trust was recently awarded a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Small North American Wetlands Act (NAWCA) grant of $75,000 to fund a conservation project on the north shore of Flathead Lake. River to Lake Initiative partners are excited to be working on another north shore conservation project.

This is the fourth NAWCA grant awarded to fund River to Lake Initiative projects.

NAWCA grants help the Initiative compensate landowners for placing a conservation easement on critical wetlands and bird habitat.

These projects along the Flathead River and on the lake’s north shore conserve clean water, healthy habitat, prime farm land, scenic vistas, and recreation opportunities.

For more information about the Flathead Land Trust, visit their website at www.flatheadlandtrust.org.

by Flathead Land Trust

The Flathead Land Trust announced the completion of its latest conservation project, a 305 acre parcel in the Kila/Smith Lake area once destined for a luxury residential development with a private airstrip.

Photo by Calypso Ecological Consulting

The parcel includes both existing agricultural land and critical wetlands. Conservation of the land required extensive cooperation between the land trust and its partners, a local farmer with a need for more agricultural land, and a local bank with the desire for a positive community outcome for the land. This cooperative effort has resulted in increased public benefit to a site already treasured for its beauty, recreational opportunities and important wildlife habitat.

The parcel includes 189 acres of critical wetlands adjacent to the existing Smith Lake Waterfowl Production Area (WPA), land that is being added to the WPA through transfer to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The additional acreage will help insure the biological integrity of the WPA, already one of the most popular bird-watching areas in the Flathead Valley.

Farmer Pete Wade worked with the Flathead Land Trust to preserve 305 acres of land near Kila.

Also included in the parcel are over 100 acres of open-space land, currently in agriculture. Through the terms of the conservation easement, these traditional farming practices – so important to the cultural and historic fabric of western Montana – will remain.

The wetlands, farm fields and riparian habitat along Truman Creek, vital to the ecological integrity of Ashley Creek, Smith Lake and the greater Flathead River watershed, provide important natural habitat for native plants, fish, waterfowl and other wildlife.

An additional benefit to the Flathead Valley community is the protection of scenic views for those traveling on U.S. Hwy 2, Kila Road, Smith Lake Road and Browns Meadow Road.

“This project really benefits the local community in so many ways,” said Marilyn Wood, Executive Director of the land trust. “It significantly increases the wetlands habitat of the Smith Lake Wildlife Production Area, helps protect water quality all the way down to the Flathead River, keeps another parcel of agricultural land in local food production and traditional use, and preserves the beautiful scenic views we all enjoy. It’s just an amazing project!”

The project was completed with a US Fish and Wildlife Service grant secured by River to Lake Initiative partners and administered by the Flathead Land Trust. The Flathead Lakers worked with Initiative partners to secure the grant and continue to work to collaboratively implement projects that benefit water quality, fish and wildlife, scenic views and recreation, and working farms.

Also read:

One Piece at a Time. Flathead Land Trust celebrates its 50th conservation easement, protecting 305 acres in Kila, in the Flathead Beacon, by Justin Franz, October 13, 2012.

Deal Expands Smith Lake Wildlife Area, The Daily Inter Lake, by Jim Mann, September 20, 2012. See Article,

Birdsong Tree Farm gives gift of conservation to future generations, Daily Inter Lake, by Melissa Walther, March 5, 2013. See Article.

The landowners who make a commitment to conservation are the most important partners in efforts to protect the many benefits provided by River to Lake critical lands. River to Lake Initiative partners were honored with the Montana Wetlands Council’s Wetlands Stewardship Award.  The Flathead Lakers and River to Lake partners shared the award with two landowners who recently placed conservation easements on their Flathead River properties.

Flathead Land Trust Executive Director Marilyn Wood presented the award to Aileen and Jerry Brosten, who protected a mile and a half of riparian habitat and prime farm land that has been in the family for four generations.

Montana Land Reliance Western Manager Mark Schiltz accepted the award on behalf of Eric and Becca Smith who recently conserved 97 acres of river front wetlands and riparian areas adjacent to a parcel on which they earlier donated a conservation easement.

Flathead Lakers Critical Lands Program Director Constanza von der Pahlen presented the Flathead Lakers stewardship award to Montana Fish Wildlife Parks.  The award is given to an individual or organization who make a significant contribution to protecting Flathead Lake and clean water.

Von der Pahlen commended the Kalispell FWP staff for their work to protect wetlands, riparian habitat, and floodplains along the Flathead River and north shore of Flathead Lake. FWP is an important conservation partner. Recognition was given to Regional Fisheries Mitigation Coordinator Joel Tohtz, Wildlife Biologist Gael Bissell, Conservation Technician Kris Tempel, Wildlife Mitigation Coordinator Alan Wood, and Fish Technician John Wachsmuth.

Tohtz accepted the award on behalf of Fish, Wildlife & Parks.  He credited the Region 1 office’s tremendous field staff for their work and said “We all very much appreciate this recognition.  On behalf of my staff, thank you for what the Flathead Lakers do.”

What do warblers, cottonwoods, Flathead Lakers members, and anglers have in common? Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife biologist Gael Bissell pointed out several things, but the most important is that they are all part of the many connections that make up a healthy river system.

Bissell presented the keynote address at the Flathead Lakers 2012 annual meeting on July 26. The Flathead Lakers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting clean water in Flathead Lake and its watershed.

She emphasized that protecting the Flathead River’s riparian zone, or the area along the river that is influenced by the river, is key to protecting clean water in the river and downstream in Flathead Lake. It sustains habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife and provides recreation opportunities that both residents and visitors enjoy.  Riparian vegetation filters pollutants from support runoff before it reaches the river and lake and absorbs flood waters.  All of these services benefit the local economy.

Bissell pointed out that 70 percent of birds depend on riparian areas. Aquatic fur bearers, bald eagles, grizzly bears, moose and deer all use the habitat and travel the river corridor

When the river moves it creates substrate where cottonwoods can grow, gravel bars and fish habitat.  Its meanders, islands, backwater channels, and connected shallow groundwater and wetlands are all part of the free water purification system that keeps Flathead Lake clean and supports an amazing diversity of wildlife.

The Flathead Lake and river system is a worldwide treasure, said Bissell.  The Flathead Lakers initiated a collaborative effort by agencies, conservation groups, and landowners that is working to protect this treasure.  “You are what is between the lake and the rest of the world,” she said about the role the Flathead Lakers and its partners play in protecting these important resources that make the Flathead unique.

She explained how the Flathead Lakers brought  a group together a decade ago to review the scientific information, develop maps, and then embark on a plan to “protect the best and conserve the rest.”  By protecting wetlands and the best riparian habitat, she said, you will protect Flathead Lake.

She commented that initially she thought the 2002 Critical Lands Report “would be shelf art” rather than a plan for action.  But the tenacity of the Flathead Lakers staff and some early conservation success got  20  groups working together and got what is now called the River to Lake Initiative off the ground.

That led to success in raising money for conservation and restoration projects from federal, state and foundation grants and generous donations of land value by landowners working on conservation projects.

Since 2003, over 5,000 acres along the river corridor and at Flathead Lake’s north shore, including 1,600 wetland acres, have been protected, Bissell reported.  And over 3 1/2 miles of river banks have been restored.  The result is that about 30 percent of the mainstem Flathead River channel has been protected and will continue to sustain the Flathead’s natural heritage of clean water, healthy habitat, fish, birds, and other wildlife, prime farm lands, recreation opportunities, and scenic beauty.

Volunteers help protect and restore riparian vegetation at Foys Bend

River to Lake Initiative partners and volunteers helped Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) staff fence several areas at the Foys Bend Fisheries Conservation Area where new trees will be planted next Fall, to protect them from deer, and individually fenced cottonwood trees near the river banks  to protect them from beavers.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) purchased this 243- acre property along two miles of the Flathead River in 2009.  The high-quality, riparian riverbank has outstanding habitat values for both fish and wildlife.  The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which funded the acquisition to mitigate fisheries impacts of Hungry Horse Dam, holds a perpetual conservation easement on the property and is funding restoration work on the property.

Deer browsing is one of the biggest problems and can ruin an entire restoration project by eating young trees.  Fencing, at least 8 ft high to exclude deer from the new restoration areas for the first five years of a project – or until trees are large enough – is critical to the success of restoration projects.

Last year, FWP fenced several large areas  to see what trees would come up when protected from deer browsing. Within a year, hundreds of young aspen and cottonwood trees were coming up – volunteer shoots from older trees nearby. This natural restoration method is providing a great – and inexpensive – start to restoring riparian vegetation at this site.

For more information contact Kris Temple, Fisheries Lands Conservation, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks at 751-4573.

Flathead Lakers Annual Meeting

Join the Flathead Lakers Thursday, July 26 to celebrate River to Lake Initiative conservation achievements, honor landowners who have completed conservation projects, learn about the state of the lake, and enjoy a social gathering on the lakeshore. This evening meeting will be held at the Flathead Lake Biological Station at Yellow Bay. For more information visit the Flathead Lakers’ website at www.flatheadlakers.org or contact Robin Steinkraus, Executive Director, at 883-1346. An agenda for the evening event will be posted soon.