Conservation
Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) has reached a historic milestone in regional land conservation: 75,000 total acres of highly productive agricultural, wildlife-rich, and scenic open lands permanently protected across Gallatin, Park, and Madison counties.
This marks a significant acceleration in GVLT’s efforts to protect Southwest Montana’s iconic landscapes. After taking 30 years to protect its first 50,000 acres, GVLT responded to the region’s unprecedented development pressure three years ago by setting an ambitious goal: conserve an additional 25,000 acres in just five years. GVLT recently met that goal—two years ahead of schedule.
"We knew we had to move faster to keep pace with the changes in our region," said Chet Work, GVLT Executive Director. "Reaching 75,000 acres ahead of schedule is a testament to the visionary landowner families who choose to conserve their land and our generous supporters who help fuel these projects."
This work ensures the permanent protection of:
- Working Lands: Protecting farms, ranches, and our region’s agricultural legacy.
- Wildlife Connectivity: Conserving critical habitats and migration corridors.
- Scenic Open Spaces: Preserving Southwest Montana’s inspiring viewsheds.
- Rivers and Streams: Safeguarding our clean water and blue-ribbon trout streams.
“We could not have reached this milestone alone,” says Work. “We stand on the shoulders of our founders’ bold dreams and the decades of leadership that preceded us. Most importantly, we owe this success to the landowners and donors who share our commitment to preserving this region’s unparalleled natural landscapes.”
Looking ahead, GVLT has no plans to slow down. The land trust has 18 additional projects in the pipeline between Gallatin and Madison counties, as well as Park County, where the organization has increased its emphasis with its new place-based Northern Yellowstone Open Lands initiative. These active projects represent another 20,000+ acres of potential conservation in the near term.
“In the face of rapid growth and increasing development pressures, our foot remains firmly on the gas pedal,” shares Work.
In a growing community, GVLT acknowledges that development can and should happen in suitable areas, which is why the organization prioritizes conservation projects adjacent to other protected and public lands with the highest community and conservation benefits.
Since its founding in 1990, GVLT has partnered with landowner families to complete 137 conservation easements. As a regional land trust, GVLT works on a localized scale in its three-county service area, with five specific focus areas including Bozeman Pass, the Gallatin and East Gallatin River Corridors, Amsterdam/Churchill, Gooch Hill, and Park County.
About Gallatin Valley Land Trust
Gallatin Valley Land Trust connects people, communities, and open lands through the conservation of working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat, and the creation of trails in the Montana headwaters of the Missouri and Upper Yellowstone Rivers. For more information, visit gvlt.org.