Thank You, Senator Baucus, for preserving Montana's Irreplaceable Hunting and Fishing Lands!

Senator Max Baucus worked diligently with groups including the Trust for Public Lands and The Nature Conservancy to secure 320,000 acres of western Montana forests and wildlands from the Plum Creek Timber Company.  The $510 million purchase will maintain these forests in productive timber management and protect the area's clean water and abundant fish and wildlife habitat, while promoting continued public access to these lands for fishing, hiking, hunting and camping.

Senator Baucus was key in facilitating the purchase agreement between Plum Creek and the conservation groups.  Baucus said in a statement, "This project is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to protect these lands for our families and future generations.  It will keep jobs in Montana, help maintain our communities and our working forests, and preserve public access for hunting and fishing. This will be the most significant land conservation project in the state's history, by far, and I'm proud to be part of it."

The forest lands in the agreement, which include part of the Swan Valley and areas surrounding Missoula, are located in the heart of the "Crown of the Continent," one of the most ecologically diverse and intact biological systems remaining in the United States.

"This is a landmark conservation project that will benefit the environment and help to maintain strong local communities," said Kat Imhoff, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Montana. "We are pleased that we were able to agree on terms that will protect some of the nation's most important wild areas."

As reported on Senator Baucus' website, an important goal of the agreement is the continued support of local timber economies. Though several factors impact the timber industry in western Montana, the conservation of these lands for forest uses will contribute to stability of the land base and its forest productivity. A condition of the agreement provides for continued timber harvesting on some of these lands to help supply Plum Creek mills with wood fiber for up to 15 years. This harvesting will be third-party certified as sustainable forestry.

The lands to be purchased offer important habitat for wide-ranging big game animals, grizzly bears, lynx, wolverine, bull trout and numerous other wildlife.

As explained in Senator Baucus' news release, funding for the $510 million purchase could come from several private and public sources, including the new Qualified Conservation Forestry Bonds mechanism in the recently passed Farm Bill.  These bonds would fund the purchase of lands adjacent to Forest Service ownership, lands that would eventually be transferred to the Forest Service.

"We are grateful for how hard Senator Baucus worked to create this new funding mechanism, which will enable the protection of lands and livelihoods," said Will Rogers, president of The Trust for Public Land. "We hope the Forestry Bonds will serve as a model for other similar places that are experiencing this trend in land ownership conversion."

Funding is also being sought from other sources, including private philanthropists and investors. The plan is for the purchased lands to be transferred into a mix of private, state and federal ownership. The lands sold into private ownership will be subject to conservation easements that will restrict subdivision and home development.

A key goal is the continuation of public access to these lands for hunting, fishing, camping and recreation, as Plum Creek allowed during its ownership.

Neither The Trust for Public Land nor The Nature Conservancy plans to retain long-term ownership of any lands.  The property will be acquired in three phases, with phase I expected to close in December 2008, Phase II in December 2009, and Phase III in December 2010. The sale is subject to the issuance of certain federal rules pertaining to conservation bonds and related tax refunds, along with other contingencies typical in a transaction of this size and complexity.

"This is literally a now or never opportunity," said Hank Goetz, Blackfoot Valley resident and lands director for the Blackfoot Challenge. "Prices for these lands will continue to go up, so it is great that this agreement has been reached. I think our kids and grandkids will say ‘we're sure glad they made this happen."'

For more information and background on the land purchase, see The Missoulian article by Michael Jamison - June 17th, 2008.