September 17, 2025 – For siblings Kari Wiley and Allen Chrisman, their family’s 310 acres in the North Fork have been a place of wonder and challenge for more than six decades. From unforgettable wildlife encounters to the hard lessons of beetle-killed forests, the family has embraced active forest management to keep their land thriving. Partnering with The Montana Land Reliance, they placed their property under a conservation easement in 2024, ensuring it will remain whole and wild forever.
September 8, 2025 (Bigfork, Mont.) – Montana landowners are stepping up to protect one of the state’s most misunderstood but vital species: bats. Through the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), families like Denny and Kitty Kellogg of Bigfork are hosting acoustic monitors on their property to help researchers track bat populations and species diversity.
August 27, 2025 (Whitefish, Mont.) – Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of Montana’s boating season, when families and friends gather on our state’s lakes to soak up one last stretch of summer. As you’re out enjoying the sunshine, remember that many of the forested hillsides, open fields, and rugged shorelines you enjoy from the water aren’t there by chance. They’re the result of generations of private landowners who chose conservation over development, keeping Montana’s lakes wild and scenic for generations to come.
July 25, 2025 – Behind the pristine views of one of Montana’s most beloved rivers is a quiet legacy of private land conservation.
April 25, 2024 (Havre, Mont.) – At over 3,000 feet in elevation, Saddle Butte is the highest point near Havre, Montana. Its rocky formations and deep coulees were formed by ancient lava flows and pressure seams. From the summit of Lieberg Peak, you can see the Sweetgrass Hills to the northwest, the Bears Paw Mountains to the southeast, and the Highwood Mountains to the south.
January 19, 2024 (Bozeman, Mont.) – Protecting agricultural heritage: Legacy family conserves farm west of Four Corners.
January 4, 2024 (Bozeman, Mont.) – The Montana Land Reliance (MLR) announces the completion of a conservation easement with Milo Todd to permanently protect his 146-acre Gallatin County property from future development. This furthers conservation wins in an ever-growing area of numerous private landowners partnering with land trusts to keep land intact for all future generations.
November 13, 2023 (Bigfork, Mont.)The Montana Land Reliance (MLR) announces the completion of a conservation easement with Myron and Vicky Mast on their 731-acre Creston-area property located east of Kalispell.
January 24, 2022 (Alder, Mont.) – Dan and Janet Doornbos and Kristy Sauerbier (Sauerbier Ranch) recently permanently protected their 8,000-acre ranch located near Alder, Mont., and in the Sweetwater area of Beaverhead and Madison Counties.
January 24, 2022 (Jordan, Mont.) – Some of the most prolific, intact grasslands in Montana can be found along Highway 200 between Jordan and Circle. This prairie landscape is home to a rich tradition of ranching, as well as abundant wildlife, including the greater sage grouse, pronghorn, Baird’s sparrow, Sprague’s pipit, McCown’s longspur, and lark bunting to name a few.
