1 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: From Mediators World News headquarters in Bozeman, Montana. This is 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: Cal's We Can Review with Ryan cal Callahan. Now here's Cal. 3 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:20,759 Speaker 1: All right. 4 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 2: So a lot of folks don't know this, but my 5 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 2: dad was a lawyer here in Montana, and if you 6 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 2: are a practicing lawyer, and they do this for a 7 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 2: lot of other professions. But it's like continued legal education 8 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 2: is something that you need to need to do, stay 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 2: up on your hours, what's new and stuff like that. 10 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: So that's really the spirit of these additional drops here 11 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: on Cal's Weekend Review. It would be like continued conservation education. 12 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 2: It sucks that the legal crowd has something that you 13 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: can actually say, like klee, which is a term you 14 00:00:58,040 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 2: hear a lot. 15 00:00:58,600 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: This is just. 16 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 2: But you know it'll it'll catch on them, very confident. 17 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:11,119 Speaker 2: So on this week's special drop here we have the 18 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 2: Montana Association of Land Trusts and we are going to 19 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 2: learn about what the heck of land trust is. Lots 20 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 2: of states have lots of land trusts and don't you 21 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 2: want to know why? So that's what we're gonna attempt 22 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 2: to do today. So we'll go clockwise and we'll end 23 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 2: with the executive director of the Montana Association of Land Trust. 24 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 2: But Chet, would you like to start us off? Just 25 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: introduce yourself, what you do here in town and. 26 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: Why you do it. Sure? Sure. My name is Chetwork. 27 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: I'm the executive director of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, 28 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: which is the regional lan trust based here in Bozman. 29 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: We cover Park County, Gallatin County, Madison County three, three 30 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: counties on the north end of Yellstone National Park, and 31 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: our mission is to conserve important agricultural lands and wildlife habitat. 32 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: We also facilitate trails here in the Bozman area, over 33 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: one hundred miles of trails or part of our purview 34 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,399 Speaker 1: in partnership with the City of Bozeman. But I came 35 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: to this work probably like most people. I spent a 36 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: lot of time hunting and fishing as a kid. I 37 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: had a real appetite for being outdoors and wanted to 38 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: find a career, maybe like you, in the outdoor industry, 39 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: and so passion for wildlife. Went to graduate school and 40 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: realized in sort of a spark moment that private lands 41 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: were the key to habitat and to populations of wildlife. 42 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: And we spent so much time and energy in this 43 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: country focused on public lands, and I realized that private 44 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: lands are often the best habitat. It took me about 45 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: eighteen seconds of googling how do you save private lands 46 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: to come up with the word land trust And that's 47 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: twenty four years ago. I've had the great pleasure of 48 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,839 Speaker 1: working with four different lands trusts and conserving some really 49 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: important private lands with probably the best landowners you can imagine. 50 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: Awesome. Yeah, So if you're a local listener, I want 51 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 2: to say, they're typically like light blue signs or they're faded. 52 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: But GVLT is. 53 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 2: The acronym you need to know their Gallatin Valley Land Trust. 54 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: So plenty of yeah, hiker friendly trails and a little 55 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 2: bit on the fishing side too, but we'll get more 56 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 2: into that. 57 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: And then Kendall Van Dyke, what do you do? 58 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 2: Why are you here? 59 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 3: Well, I'm here because Marcus told me to be. But 60 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 3: I am a managing director of the Montana Land Alliance 61 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 3: and so the Montana Land Alliance operates statewide. We have 62 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 3: one point three million acres under conservation in Montana, so 63 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 3: I think Glacier Park times another third, so pretty significant 64 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 3: holding of easement. It's about a thousand different families we've 65 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 3: partnered with in our forty plus years of doing business. 66 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 3: I came to this work in kind of a similar 67 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 3: fashionist chat. I actually grew up in the Gallatin Valley 68 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 3: down on the Lower Madison in an agricultural family. Always 69 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 3: had kind of a passion for the nexus between agriculture 70 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 3: and wildlife habitat and how they can coexist, and so 71 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 3: I come professionally more from the public lands space. My 72 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 3: previous job was with Trout and Limited, and really coming 73 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 3: to this job was fairly interesting and self serving. I 74 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: served in the legislature and during one day, during a 75 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 3: commit after a committee meeting, Trout and Limited's lobbyists came 76 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 3: up to me and he said, have you are you 77 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 3: familiar with the Montana Land Alliance And I said, yeah, 78 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 3: they're the they're the cows, not condos, bumper sticker people, right, 79 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 3: And he's yeah, And he said, well, you know, they're 80 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 3: looking for someone to work in eastern Montana. And I 81 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 3: lived in Billings at the time, and I said, you know, 82 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 3: I'm pretty happy. And he said, well, you're going to 83 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 3: fish more with that job than you do with this job. 84 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 3: And I said, let's set up an interview. So I 85 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 3: interviewed with my predecessor, and the rest was history. Started 86 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 3: working in Billings and doing Eastern Montana landscapes, and then 87 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 3: my wife and kids and I moved to Helena and 88 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 3: over time became a managing director and it's starting to 89 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 3: feel like a career now. 90 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: And then Marcus strange Kel, what are you doing here? 91 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: That's a good question. I asked myself that a lot. 92 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 4: So I am the executive director of the Montana Association 93 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,640 Speaker 4: of Land Trusts, which is a fairly new role for me. 94 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 4: Before this, much like chet and Kendall, I was working 95 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,239 Speaker 4: in the public land space. I was doing wildlife conservation work, 96 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 4: and then this amazing opportunity came along to work with 97 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 4: the state Association for the land trust So what basically 98 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 4: what I do is support the good work that all 99 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 4: the land trusts in the state are trying to do. 100 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 4: There's twelve member organizations all across Montana that are doing 101 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 4: various types of land trust related work. You know, everybody 102 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 4: from folks like GVLT you know who are working in 103 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 4: local communities up to you know, you know Nature Conservancy, 104 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 4: who's working all across the state in a lot of 105 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 4: different places. So we do policy work so work very 106 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 4: closely with the legislature. It's been probably two or three 107 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 4: days up at the Capital Complex every week, making sure 108 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 4: that we have good policies that support the work that 109 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 4: we're trying to do, and then just ensuring that we 110 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 4: have strong funding through things like the Land and Water 111 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 4: Conservation Fund, the NRCS programs, and then making sure that 112 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 4: our communication is flowing both internally and externally, so we 113 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 4: have a weekly newsletter that we put out and social 114 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 4: media and all that stuff. And if it looks like 115 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 4: somebody was doing it who has no idea what they're doing, 116 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 4: that's because I'm doing it, and I have no idea 117 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 4: what I'm doing. So yeah, and yeah, I just you know, 118 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 4: I came to this work much like these fellows, because 119 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 4: you know, I was working in the wildlife conservation space, 120 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 4: very passionate about it, loved it, and I saw an 121 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 4: opportunity to do more work with the private land side 122 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 4: and to be able to really protect a lot of 123 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 4: open space. Montana's losing open space at an alarming rate, 124 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 4: much like a lot of the West. And as somebody 125 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 4: that cares about wildlife, wildlife habitat, wildlife Migration Quarters, working 126 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 4: with our friends in the private space is critical to 127 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,119 Speaker 4: protecting that because you know you're not gonna make more land, 128 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 4: you got to protect the land you have. So I 129 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 4: saw an opportunity to do that with the land Trust 130 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 4: and it's been great. I've been almost a year and 131 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 4: they haven't fired me yet, So I think I think 132 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 4: we're doing okay. 133 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, the bos Angelus area here has got to be 134 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: a case study for somebody as far as what once 135 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: was viable agriculture ground ground that produces food for everybody, 136 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 2: open space and watching how this this valley has been 137 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 2: chopped up and continues to be is certainly something I 138 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 2: spend probably a little bit too much time thinking about, uh, 139 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 2: what type of path we're going down? So, okay, we 140 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: gotta we gotta start laying the foundation here. What is 141 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 2: a land trust? 142 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: Tell me to take that? 143 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 3: Yep? 144 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: I think that a land trust is typically a nonprofit organization. 145 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 1: It's usually founded by concerned citizens who aren't happy about 146 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: the way that their community is growing and developing. Much 147 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: like you just said, what they're choosing to do is 148 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:54,679 Speaker 1: to not create an advocacy organization that's going to march 149 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,680 Speaker 1: on on city hall or the county government and try 150 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:01,960 Speaker 1: and change the rules. A lantra is an organization that 151 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: tries to work with landowners and tries to help those 152 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: landowners conserve their own land. I like to say that 153 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 1: it's not regulatory conservation, it's not changing the rules. It's 154 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: incentive conservation. Can we find landowners who want to protect 155 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: their land, and can we help them give them the 156 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: services they need to protect their land on their own? 157 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 1: So I like to think that a land trust is 158 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: much like any other conservation organization, except that the tactics 159 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: that we use are collaborative instead of adversarial. 160 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's a great definition. I think, you know, 161 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 3: one of the really fun things about this job is 162 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 3: is the voluntary nature of the conservation work that we do. 163 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 3: You know, I can sit around somebody's table and Forsyth 164 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 3: or Jordan or somewhere, and we may have very different 165 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 3: philosophies and how we look at the world generally, but 166 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 3: we're able to sort of rally around the importance of family, agriculture, wildlife, 167 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 3: habitat and and you know, it's a true meeting of 168 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 3: the minds, and it enables you to do some pretty neat, permanent, 169 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 3: impactful things. 170 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 171 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 4: I like to when legislators asked me, you know, who 172 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 4: are the folks that I represent and what do they do? 173 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 4: I say, we're in the business of keeping Montana Montana. 174 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 4: You know, if you care about open spaces, if you 175 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 4: care about wildlife habitat, if you are like me and 176 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 4: you like coming around the corner on a dirt road 177 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 4: and seeing, you know, a farmer or rancher pushing cows 178 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 4: down that dirt road, and you like taking that twelve 179 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 4: minutes to just kind of mosey along with them, you know, 180 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 4: that's what we're doing. We're keeping that traditional Montana the 181 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 4: way that it was well also being progressive in the 182 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 4: way that we think about protecting it. You know, like 183 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 4: Chet said, it's a set of tools, and you know, 184 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 4: we want to make sure this place is you know, 185 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 4: the things that we all love about it for generations 186 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 4: to come. 187 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 2: And what's the need for an association of land trusts? 188 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 2: Like is there a governing body here or a grand 189 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 2: architecture that is trying to be mapped out for the state. 190 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: Yeah. 191 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 4: I mean these guys have been member of Lantrust for 192 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 4: quite a long time, so they can give you a 193 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 4: little the historical context from my perspective. The need that 194 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 4: I see is, you know, we're all busy, you know, 195 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 4: we being the land trust community, we're all working on 196 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 4: different things, and so at the State Association we try 197 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 4: to take some of that burden off in terms of 198 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 4: if each of them had to be sending somebody to 199 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 4: Helena during the legislature, that would just be you know, chaos. 200 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 4: It'd be a lot of staff time taken away. So 201 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 4: having one organizing body that keeps everybody organized, that is 202 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 4: the unifying voice, you know, whether it's in d C 203 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 4: or in Helena, you know, keeping everybody in the loop 204 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,559 Speaker 4: in terms of you know, different workshops or funding and opportunities. 205 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 4: Just like any state association. We do that organizing effort 206 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 4: for these guys. But you know, both of you your 207 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 4: organizations were founding members. I mean, do you guys see 208 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 4: it differently than I do? Not? 209 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 3: So not differently. I would say, you know, since the 210 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 3: State Association are our world like many is full of acronyms. 211 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:15,439 Speaker 3: And when we say that's the Montana Associational address, really 212 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 3: the fundamental, the fundamental function of the executive director at 213 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 3: MALT has been a bill killer once every other year. 214 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 3: The great minds of the fourteenth century assemble in Helena 215 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 3: and bring their great ideas to light, and sometimes there's 216 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 3: work to be done to educate the implications of those 217 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 3: ideas from legislators on their constituents and the people who 218 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 3: want to do this and want to exercise this property right, 219 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 3: which is an exercise of that right to preserve that property. 220 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 3: And so you know, we've been proactive. 221 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 2: It's a great segue on how we can push back 222 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: on chats not adversarial. 223 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 3: So playing defense in the legislature has been a big 224 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 3: part of what we do well. While we always are 225 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 3: trying to advance our mission and what we what we're 226 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 3: trying to accomplish, we're in a pretty good bipartisan space 227 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 3: and we're really spend a lot of time trying to 228 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 3: guard on territory. 229 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,959 Speaker 2: So like, for instance, right would be we talk about 230 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 2: ease months a lot on on this show, which I 231 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 2: imagine in the land trust business, Uh, you're also in 232 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 2: the easement business as well. Would probably be a great 233 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 2: time to define an easement, which is kind of like 234 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 2: defining a national monument, right, Like it's got one title, 235 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 2: but there's a lot of things that can differ from 236 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,959 Speaker 2: monument to monument monument, just like easement to ease month. 237 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 2: So would anybody like to I mean, you guys are 238 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 2: the pros. Would anybody like to define an ease month 239 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 2: in a general sense? 240 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 3: Of course? Well, I think you know for starters. Whoever 241 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 3: came up with the bright idea to call these conservation 242 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 3: easements easements ought to have bad things done to them 243 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 3: because when you typically when you think about an easement, 244 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,440 Speaker 3: you think of a road right of way or access 245 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 3: or those sorts of things. But in the context of 246 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 3: where we work, a conservation easement is an exercise of 247 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 3: a private property right to give up certain rights, namely 248 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 3: subdivision and residential development to an extent into perpetuity. We 249 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 3: these lantrusts. In Montana, we work in perpetuity. We don't 250 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 3: do term easements. We all work a little bit different. 251 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 3: But it is a exercise of a private property right 252 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 3: to protect open space. 253 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: In my mind, it's a it's a it's a contract 254 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: between a willing landowner and a lantrust that permanently restricts 255 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: the type and amount of development that can occur on 256 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: the property. And and trusts come with an interest in 257 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: ensuring that agriculture can take place and that habitat can 258 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: be preserved and the scenic open space can be preserved. 259 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: Landowners are often coming just trying to get their their 260 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: farm or their ranch to the next generation. They're they're 261 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: coming with an interest obviously in those ecological things, but 262 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: also in the preservation of their business, and the easement's 263 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: a tool that they can exercise. And I like to 264 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: think that land trusts provide a service much like an 265 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: appraiser or a herbicide dealer, or like or anyone else 266 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: that a farmer or rancher might reach out to. We 267 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: provide a service that they can engage in. And like 268 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: Kendall said, they're exercising a right that they have on 269 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: the property, which is they could develop the property and 270 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: they can save the property. That's a right that they 271 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: have and they're seeking our assistance in doing that. 272 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: And what so the incentives as a landowner, as you know, 273 00:15:55,640 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: for for instants, like you said, you're preserving your business 274 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 2: model if you're in the agriculture game, right by ensuring 275 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 2: the fact that that land that you need to harvest 276 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 2: or graze or preserve for timber sales down the road 277 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 2: gets to stay that way. I guess what are you 278 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 2: giving up because we do need to hit on that. 279 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 2: So if you want to keep it in agriculture, obviously 280 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 2: you need the open space that has great habitat benefits 281 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 2: as well. But in order to ensure that you can 282 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 2: do that, you're giving up the right, the private property 283 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 2: right or private ownership right to develop that at some point. 284 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 2: And so again to bring up the Bozeman Gallatin Valley here, 285 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 2: there's a lot of great examples on my late arrival today, 286 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 2: cutting through Love Lane, that area of town where you 287 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 2: can see, you know, agri culture, butting right up to 288 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 2: subdivision that was probably agriculture within the last five years. 289 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:14,959 Speaker 2: So how does that negotiation get laid out? When you 290 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 2: kin to Like when you go and talk to someone 291 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 2: who's interested in this, you kind of lay all your 292 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 2: cards on the table and say, Okay, this is the 293 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 2: potential gain from developing, this is what you can do 294 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 2: through preservation. 295 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you know, much like any legal contract, 296 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 3: this stuff is complex. There's a variety of different incentives, 297 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 3: and originally, in the early days of land trust work, 298 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 3: it was quite simply you give up these rights. There's 299 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 3: a value established for those rights you're giving up, and 300 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 3: you can take a tax deduction on the value of 301 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 3: those rights. That works for some of the people who 302 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 3: have moved here in the last you know, several years. 303 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 3: They're high income earners, you know, all that kind of stuff, 304 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 3: and they're they're doing something that creates a public benefit. 305 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 3: That doesn't work for everybody. You know, if you're relying 306 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,640 Speaker 3: on selling calves in the fall for a living, you've 307 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 3: got more tax deductions around your place, and you know 308 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 3: what to do with You've got to cash infusion problems. 309 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 3: So you know, in the last twenty twenty five years, 310 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 3: there's been various programs that have been created through the 311 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 3: Farm Bill. Is a big one that we all use 312 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 3: called the Agricultural Lands Easement program. That can fund a 313 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 3: percentage of that value of the easement for your more 314 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 3: traditional egg producers. In certain areas like where Chat operates, 315 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 3: there's local bonds that kind of stuff that can match that. 316 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 3: So you sometimes blend funding when you need to, but 317 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 3: you know, to not to put too fine of a 318 00:18:56,760 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 3: point on it. For the For the wealthier landowners who 319 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 3: have done this, it's mostly you know, think of the 320 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 3: flying d ranch. That's a tax deduction right the preservation 321 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:10,640 Speaker 3: on some of those landscapes have been purely donated, and 322 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:15,719 Speaker 3: the tax deduction scheme are they're treated better tax wise 323 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 3: than say a donation to Montana Landrolines for example. You're right, Meacheck. 324 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 3: You can use that against your income in that year 325 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 3: when that large value is established for what you've given up, 326 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 3: you have the year of the gift plus fifteen years 327 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 3: to soak up that tax deduction. So you know, if 328 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 3: you have the income to offset or you have a 329 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 3: tax event. For those folks, donating an easement can be 330 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 3: a really valuable tool. For the rest of the folks, 331 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 3: we really look to try to put some cash in 332 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:47,959 Speaker 3: their pocket. 333 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, any anything you want to jump in on there. 334 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:54,880 Speaker 1: No, I think I think Kendall handled the incentives well. 335 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: I think every now and then you see a landowner 336 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: who's trying to trying to plan for the future with 337 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: regards to a state planning, and they're seeing that their 338 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 1: property values are getting pretty high. When you do a 339 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: conservation easement, you lower your property value. You may be compensated, 340 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: as Kendall said, by a federal tax deduction, or you 341 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: may be compensated by cash. But I think for a 342 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: lot of these families, especially in a place like the 343 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: Gallatin Valley where where you're seeing acreage prices at one 344 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: hundred thousand bucks an acre for developable property. A lot 345 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 1: of these agricultural families having a state tax problem in 346 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 1: trying to get that property to the next generation. Easements 347 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 1: can help with that. 348 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 2: Even if the place is free and clear, the transfer 349 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 2: of that ownership creates a huge You're putting the family 350 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 2: place right back into debt by trying to keep it 351 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 2: in the family. 352 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 1: Yeah right, yeah, I mean, oftentimes some of these properties, 353 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: these big ranches are so valuable that you know, if 354 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: you know, if they're five million dollars more than the 355 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 1: estate tax benefit, where your kid's going to come up 356 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: with with the amount of money they got to spend 357 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 1: two and a half million dollars to pay the estate tax, 358 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: They're going to have to sell the ranch to do so, 359 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: and that's a real hindrance. So you can for certain properties, 360 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: this can be really beneficial to get it down below 361 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:20,880 Speaker 1: those estate tax liabilities. I think that's an incentive that 362 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: that oftentimes landowners don't understand, and we can help them. 363 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: That's our that's our role in providing the services to 364 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: inform them of the opportunities. 365 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 2: That's great, And how to folks be made aware of 366 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 2: land trusts or this option, this tool in the toolkit 367 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 2: like traditionally are do you have people lining up and 368 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 2: knocking on your door or are you out doing the 369 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:47,600 Speaker 2: door knocking. 370 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 1: I think it's a little of each and I think, 371 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:54,360 Speaker 1: to be honest with you, I don't think Kendall will 372 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: disagree with this. The best advertising comes from within their communities. 373 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 1: And I like to say that the gvlt Gauton Valley 374 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: Land Trust, if we were a public company and we 375 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 1: had stock for sale, our stock is bought and sold 376 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:11,919 Speaker 1: at the corner market and the church parking lot on 377 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: a Saturday morning, and we're not even there to advocate 378 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: for ourselves. So if we've done well by by a landowner, 379 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 1: a farmer, ranchers, neighbor, they're going to hear about it. 380 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: And likewise, if we've not done well by them, they're 381 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:27,359 Speaker 1: going to hear about it. And so we take a 382 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: lot of time and energy to make sure that we're 383 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,399 Speaker 1: communicating clearly and honestly and with as much integrity as 384 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: we can with each of these landowners. Because we know 385 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 1: that the best best way of a of our word 386 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: getting out is neighbored and neighbor You know. 387 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 3: If you look at it historically, you know we've we've 388 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,199 Speaker 3: been sort of living in this COVID post COVID boom. 389 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 3: But this isn't the first time. You know, we joke 390 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 3: at the land reliance. We we call it the movie 391 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 3: that came out in the nineties. We don't give it 392 00:22:55,640 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 3: a name, we shall not be named. But when that 393 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,360 Speaker 3: movie came out and there was a lot of migration 394 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 3: out west and buying ranches in Montana, particularly for my organization, 395 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 3: we really tried to set the tone through peer to 396 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 3: peer networking that if you're gonna come by these places 397 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:21,199 Speaker 3: in Montiana, you should really consider having an obligation to 398 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 3: protect it forever. And so you know, when some of 399 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 3: these really wealthy folks start coming out in that migration, 400 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 3: that sentiment really existed this time, maybe not so much 401 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 3: because it's so fast, so furious. So there's that piece 402 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 3: of it, and then Chet's exactly right. One example that 403 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,679 Speaker 3: we've been living through here lately is in Broadwater County, 404 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 3: which has per capital of the highest growth in the state. 405 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 3: Now for someone who lives in Bozeman, you're saying, well, 406 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 3: it's because nobody lives there, but it's got the Bozeman 407 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 3: overflow right. And so around Canyon Fairy Lake there's been 408 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 3: this perfect storm of a huge subdivision that got proposed 409 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 3: and was denied in court, and then really one or 410 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 3: two sort of lynch pin families that everyone looked at 411 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 3: and they go, Chet's family can do this, my family 412 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 3: can do this, right, And so that really has cascaded 413 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 3: into the phone ringing off the hook, and we've done 414 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 3: some outreach, but it's really elevated the level of interest 415 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 3: to a point where we really don't even have. 416 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 2: To It is odd to think about right, like nineteen 417 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:44,360 Speaker 2: ninety five, the pace of communication is so much we're 418 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 2: obviously living in the future then, but it's so much 419 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:51,679 Speaker 2: different now. Like the ability to purchase real estate without 420 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,719 Speaker 2: ever having an interaction if you want to, right just 421 00:24:55,880 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 2: really didn't exist to the level that it's I don't know, 422 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:04,439 Speaker 2: like a real time time frame now versus in ninety 423 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 2: five when we see recreational booms influxes, and you know, 424 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 2: at that point, more so than now, you're getting people 425 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 2: with much different perspectives on the value of land than 426 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:27,200 Speaker 2: a traditional operator agriculture operator here in the state had 427 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 2: right when we made that shift from Okay, well, the 428 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 2: value of that property is based off of the income 429 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 2: that we can get off of it through agriculture, and 430 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 2: that's it versus Now, there's a one hundred different ways 431 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 2: that you can assign value to property, all of which 432 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 2: greatly outweigh the animal unit months right, I mean. 433 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 3: We all heard the stories right after COVID which were 434 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 3: real cash buyer's sight unseen right buying these properties. And 435 00:26:02,960 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 3: unfortunately some of that has seemed to have subsided. But 436 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 3: it's not based on commodity prices anymore. 437 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, bring all these things bring up the opportunity though, 438 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,439 Speaker 2: when you can interact with these people, you can have 439 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 2: that conversation of like, you know, the value of your 440 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 2: your property is tied to the open space, the recreation. 441 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:29,919 Speaker 2: You should go ahead and preserve that or start looking 442 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 2: at the best trust model easement model that would work 443 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 2: for you right now. The scary part though, is it 444 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 2: can be seen as a limitation on the value of 445 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 2: that property. Right, a pre existing easement could remove a 446 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 2: buyer from the slice of the pie potentially correct. 447 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 1: For sure, obviously the developer gets removed from that that slice. 448 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:01,120 Speaker 1: Potential buyers when you have the easement on the property. 449 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 1: But I think that if you look at the moment 450 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: that an easeman is consummated with a landowner, they're made 451 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 1: whole at that moment, and so they may have realized 452 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: a tax benefit or a cash benefit at that moment. 453 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: They won't realize it again later when when a developer 454 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:19,879 Speaker 1: buys their property to subdivide it and put in a 455 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,200 Speaker 1: golf course. They've given that one up. But they're made 456 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: whole as much as possible at the moment the Eastman 457 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: is consummated. I think the one thing I wanted to 458 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: add to Kendall is I would really love it if 459 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: we could reward the multi generational families that have stewarded 460 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: these farms and ranches for generations, rather than wait for 461 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: the newcomer to buy it and quote unquote do the 462 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: right thing in this new community that they've joined. And 463 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,360 Speaker 1: so I know the Kendall's organization and with the support 464 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 1: of Marcus and the Montana Associational Intrust, we've been trying 465 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: to find funds, federal funds to compensate these longtime landowners. 466 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: And I can think of nothing better than to keep 467 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,680 Speaker 1: some of these multigener national families in control of their 468 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 1: properties in these valleys really hard when you think that, 469 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 1: you know, I don't know, Kendall. Do you call it 470 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 1: the show, the new movie? The movie was in the nineties. 471 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 3: It show. 472 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 1: We talk about the Paradise Valley and you see it 473 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: in that in that in the Yellowstone Show, and it 474 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: is or it's portrayed in the show. There are properties 475 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,200 Speaker 1: now in Montana that are selling for forty fifty million 476 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 1: dollars that have been legacy family ranches and farms forever. 477 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: How do you work with those families to try and 478 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: compensate them enough to keep it in their family hands 479 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:37,640 Speaker 1: when it's got that kind of a price tag. It's 480 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: really hard. But I can think of nothing better for 481 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: a legacy for my work than to keep as many 482 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:45,440 Speaker 1: of those families in control of their properties as possible. 483 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: So that's why we're trying to utilize as much cash 484 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 1: as we can to compensate them and keep it in 485 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 1: their hands. They can sell it, but at least it 486 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 1: got protected by them and they didn't. And we don't 487 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 1: have to and we don't have to wait for the 488 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: transition to either a conservation minded wealthy individual who's coming 489 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:05,400 Speaker 1: in from outside or the other side is the developer. 490 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 3: That's a really good point, and I think, you know, 491 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 3: when we're working with these multi generational families and we do, 492 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 3: you know, say we find some federal funding and we were, 493 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 3: It's been my experience and maybe chets organization as well. 494 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 3: By the time that deal is done, the person that's 495 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 3: actually fixing the fence and moving the cows and stuff 496 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 3: like that on the ranch typically doesn't walk away with 497 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 3: a red penny. He or she has bought off a 498 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 3: cousin or you know, done the things that they need 499 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 3: to do to keep their family on the ranch, which 500 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 3: is a big reason why they called GVLT or MLR 501 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 3: in the first place. 502 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 2: And to circle back to the funding side of things, 503 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 2: is that largely weighing on how much cash gets authorized 504 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 2: for the Farm bill every year? Is that like the 505 00:29:57,160 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 2: biggest piece of funding for land trause I guess specifically 506 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 2: here in Montana those is the federal part of the breakdown, 507 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:08,719 Speaker 2: the largest side of funding. 508 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 4: You two both play in slightly similar but also different spaces, 509 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 4: so fill in the gaps here, But yes, farm Bill 510 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 4: is a huge piece of the funding that we get 511 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 4: a lot of our land trusts in the state work 512 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 4: with a state or sorry, a federal agency called the NRCS. 513 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 4: The NRCS has for many years been an incredible partner 514 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 4: to the land trust in Montana and fund a large 515 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 4: part of the work that we do. So, you know, 516 00:30:38,680 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 4: the work on the ground is being done in the state, 517 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 4: but a lot of the background work is being done 518 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 4: in DC. And so our folks not only have to 519 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 4: be you know, good community members and showing up and 520 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 4: knocking on doors and having coffee table conversations with folks, 521 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 4: but they also have to be keeping their eye on 522 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 4: what's going on, you know, thousands of miles across the 523 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:01,520 Speaker 4: country to make sure they're works get done. So when 524 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 4: you see a land tress and it looks like the 525 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 4: duck swimming on top of the water, the feed are 526 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 4: really moving underneath to make sure that that money's coming in. 527 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 4: But you know, you guys, like I said, you both 528 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 4: represent really unique spaces. Do you want to kind of 529 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 4: touch on from your perspective how you go about funding 530 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 4: your work? 531 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: I guess I would say, you know, I know your 532 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 1: audience is national and we've been hitting Montana pretty hard, 533 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: but I like to think of land trust employees as 534 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: experts at being able to get out on a piece 535 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: of property and to look at it pretty quickly and 536 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: see funding sources. Landowners don't know what's out there, and 537 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 1: so this is that service that we provide. And we'll 538 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 1: walk onto a piece of property and we'll see some 539 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: really interesting timber. Okay, there's some funding sources around conserving timber. 540 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: We might see a creek, Okay, what kind of fish 541 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:48,960 Speaker 1: are in that creek? What kind of amphibians are around 542 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: that creek? Okay, we're in this kind of a grassland, 543 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 1: there's funding for that. Oh my gosh, I saw sage 544 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: grouse go by. There's a huge pot of funding for 545 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: sage gross conservation. We can look at this ranch, say 546 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: a thousand acre somewhere in Montana, but it could be 547 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: anywhere and quickly say, okay, here's four or five potential 548 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 1: funding sources around important species, important habitats, geography of where 549 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: you are, and we can move a lot faster on 550 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 1: behalf of that landowner than they could on their own, 551 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: or than the agencies have the capacity to do and 552 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: bring those funding sources together. So State of California a 553 00:32:24,040 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 1: lots more than a billion dollars a year for conservation. 554 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: That's probably more than the rest of the nation. But 555 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:34,479 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania's using oil and gas money, Colorado is using lottery money. 556 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: Wyoming set aside oil and gas money long ago and 557 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 1: continues to use that. Each state has their own sources, 558 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 1: and I think in general it's probably a little bit 559 00:32:45,280 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 1: too much to say every land trust is expert. But 560 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: for the most part, we've proved ourselves to be really 561 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: talented at finding what those local funding sources are and 562 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:56,800 Speaker 1: being able to assist landowners in applying for them and 563 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 1: bring them to bear on these conservation acquisitions that benefit 564 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: the community, that benefit the public. 565 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's it's really interesting. I've been trying to get 566 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 2: the heck out of Gallaton Valley for a long time, 567 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 2: and you know, not having the multi generational family wealth 568 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:23,640 Speaker 2: to pick and choose. I when I look at chunks 569 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 2: of ground, I'm really using a lot of resources in 570 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 2: the conservation community to try to do that right and 571 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:35,240 Speaker 2: be like this is historic wetland, Like how much could 572 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 2: I get for that? This? You know, this is native prairie? 573 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 2: Is there something in it for that? CRP is a 574 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 2: is something we could do, but it's going to take 575 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:48,840 Speaker 2: five years to get it into CRP. Yeah, right, and 576 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 2: try and connect all these dots to try to make 577 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 2: it just silly stupid enough to be a good idea, right. 578 00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 2: And so yeah, if you're your local trust is the 579 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 2: brain trust that can connect all those dots for you. 580 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 2: It's a heck of a resource for sure. 581 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: Somewhere between twelve hundred and thirteen hundred land trusts across 582 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 1: the country, and some of them are protecting one parcel 583 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:19,600 Speaker 1: and some of them, like Kendall and the Montana Land Reliance, 584 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:24,440 Speaker 1: are focused on an entire state. The geographies vary, but 585 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: I've found these to be some of the most dedicated 586 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 1: and conscientious folks that are just out there trying to 587 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:33,399 Speaker 1: help landowners the best they can. 588 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 3: I think one thing too that is important, particularly for 589 00:34:38,239 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 3: your listeners, is you know, for every we pride ourselves 590 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 3: in having a tool for every landowner and their desires 591 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 3: to conserve their property. So if it's in the case 592 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:51,960 Speaker 3: of MLR and they want to, you know, use this 593 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 3: federal program or do it donated, is what we help 594 00:34:56,360 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 3: with that. You know. Sometimes folks are so you know, 595 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 3: their longtime participants in the Block Management Program, which is 596 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 3: something that's near and dear to all of us. They've 597 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 3: enjoyed that history and that legacy of public access. They 598 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:11,879 Speaker 3: you know, at least technically are supposed to be able 599 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:14,480 Speaker 3: to work with Fish Wildlife and Parks, and Fish wild 600 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 3: Life and Parks has an easement program that does enable 601 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:23,560 Speaker 3: that level of access into perpetuity, and so you know 602 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:27,240 Speaker 3: that's a non starter for some people, and for others 603 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 3: it's part of their family legacy and really important. And 604 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 3: so well, Fish Wildlife and Parks has its own barrel 605 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:37,759 Speaker 3: of politics around it, you know, as we know, those 606 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 3: options are available to folks who want to go that route. 607 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 4: And maybe just to put a bow on kind of 608 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:47,319 Speaker 4: this funding conversation, something I think about a lot for 609 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:49,239 Speaker 4: a member of land trust is, you know, we've been 610 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 4: talking a lot about you know, wildlife habitat and open 611 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 4: space and you know, keeping ag and production. But a 612 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:58,359 Speaker 4: lot of our land trusts are giving you know, they're 613 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 4: giving back trails to the communities, doing parks, they're doing education, 614 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 4: and so a lot of a lot of our member 615 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 4: land trusts derive a lot of support from community members. 616 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:11,839 Speaker 4: You know, somebody giving them twenty bucks once a year. Yeah, 617 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,840 Speaker 4: that's not going to fund everything, but that's that's critical, 618 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 4: and I think the community support aspect is one thing 619 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:21,720 Speaker 4: that makes land Trust really strong and very unique. 620 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:23,399 Speaker 1: You know, whenever you. 621 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:25,719 Speaker 4: Go to a GVLT event, or you go to a 622 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 4: Prickly Pair land Trust event, or you go to a 623 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 4: Five Valleys event, the turnout from the local communities is 624 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 4: unlike anything I've ever seen. I mean, a lot of 625 00:36:34,760 --> 00:36:37,879 Speaker 4: your members are familiar with Rocky Mount Oak Foundation. They're 626 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 4: a member land Trust of ours, They're they're working in 627 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:45,680 Speaker 4: the space obviously incredibly member driven, members supported, and so 628 00:36:45,800 --> 00:36:47,879 Speaker 4: I just I think it's really important that yes, farm 629 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 4: bill is huge, lw SEF funding is huge for the 630 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 4: work that we're doing, but also the community support is 631 00:36:54,640 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 4: critical and all of us could not do what we 632 00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:00,719 Speaker 4: do if it weren't for you know, the members, you know, 633 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,360 Speaker 4: our friends and our neighbors who see the value in 634 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,800 Speaker 4: what we're bringing, whether that's a trail or a view shed. 635 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,360 Speaker 4: They're driving some benefit from the work of land Trust 636 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:12,279 Speaker 4: and they contribute to that, and so I think that's 637 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 4: really important, and sometimes we forget to talk about that. 638 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:17,520 Speaker 4: But you know, we're very community supported in the state. 639 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 4: In fact, when I talk to other associations across the state. 640 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 4: They ask me all the time, like how do we 641 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:25,280 Speaker 4: do what you guys are doing in Montana? 642 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:25,960 Speaker 1: Like how do you. 643 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,160 Speaker 4: Get that level of support and buy in? And I 644 00:37:29,160 --> 00:37:31,560 Speaker 4: think it's a unique part of our state. I think 645 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 4: it's hard to replicate just because of the culture and 646 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 4: the tradition that Montana's have for showing up well for 647 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 4: each other. That translates into the work that land trusts do. 648 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:46,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a really interesting thing in GVLT. Like here 649 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 2: in Bosmane, I'm sure is not like the best buddy 650 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:55,480 Speaker 2: of a lot of developers, but if you look at 651 00:37:55,680 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 2: the benefit of the trail systems to the development groups, 652 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 2: I mean, the proximity to public space is a huge 653 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:15,280 Speaker 2: multiplier in land value in that condo house townhouse value 654 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 2: is proximity to these green belts and open space and 655 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:24,319 Speaker 2: they're heavily used here in the Gallatin Valley And so 656 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:27,840 Speaker 2: hopefully folks are paying attention to the signage. 657 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:34,400 Speaker 1: We'd always love more people, right. I think recognizing for 658 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: your listeners, recognizing those organizations that are contributing to their 659 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,719 Speaker 1: quality of life and supporting them is a critical thing 660 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:45,400 Speaker 1: wherever you are and we're sometimes amazed. We have about 661 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:48,480 Speaker 1: two thousand people here in the Bozeman area that support us. 662 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: A community of about one hundred thousand people in this county. 663 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: I can guarantee that ninety five thousand people in this 664 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: community utilize the trail system that we've helped to catalyze 665 00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:01,359 Speaker 1: and create with our partners. It would be great if 666 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:03,440 Speaker 1: we had ninety five thousand members, we could do a 667 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:06,799 Speaker 1: lot more. So you know, I don't know we need 668 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:09,879 Speaker 1: toll booth or something on one of the trails, but. 669 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:15,120 Speaker 2: Just a couple of pop up shots it just says, hey, yeah, 670 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:16,240 Speaker 2: we try and do our best. 671 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 1: But I would just encourage everybody to think about what 672 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:23,480 Speaker 1: organizations it's oftentimes not your city or your county or 673 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:26,800 Speaker 1: your municipality, that are that are contributing to the quality 674 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:29,120 Speaker 1: of life, whether that's hunting or fishing, or recreation or 675 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,879 Speaker 1: something like that. Seek out those organizations and find out 676 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:36,239 Speaker 1: what they need. Because we're seeing this community explode. Like 677 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:38,600 Speaker 1: a lot of amenity communities around the country, we know 678 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:41,759 Speaker 1: what's attracting people. I have personally been blamed that the 679 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:46,960 Speaker 1: trails around Bozeman are driving a lot of the growth 680 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:50,319 Speaker 1: and development that we have so much great recreation don't 681 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:55,440 Speaker 1: come here. And it's also one of those things that 682 00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: that we all love. I don't want to have bad 683 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,200 Speaker 1: trails in the place where I live. So our goal 684 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:03,320 Speaker 1: is to is to try and keep up and continue 685 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,840 Speaker 1: to expand conservation and recreation in the face of this growth, 686 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 1: and do the best we can to maintain a quality 687 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:12,400 Speaker 1: of life. And I think that's I think that's what 688 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:14,319 Speaker 1: land trust's across the country are trying to do. 689 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:17,840 Speaker 2: We need to wrap this up. It's a ton of 690 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:19,920 Speaker 2: ton of good info, but I want to tackle just 691 00:40:19,960 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 2: one more thing that we're kind of like circling back 692 00:40:22,200 --> 00:40:25,880 Speaker 2: to earlier part of this conversation. But you know, certainly 693 00:40:25,920 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 2: one of the things that I have heard over and 694 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:35,560 Speaker 2: over again in opposition to land trusts ease months, permanent 695 00:40:35,719 --> 00:40:41,200 Speaker 2: ease months, that was a big buzzword last year, is well, 696 00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:48,879 Speaker 2: you're removing that land from the maximum potential tax revenue 697 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:52,440 Speaker 2: in in any county. But that becomes more of a 698 00:40:52,440 --> 00:40:59,640 Speaker 2: conversation in these counties that you know, maybe or now 699 00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:04,439 Speaker 2: a spit over type of county, but for a long 700 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:08,360 Speaker 2: time was just not There wasn't much of a population 701 00:41:08,480 --> 00:41:14,799 Speaker 2: there to tax, So what is the response when you 702 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:17,279 Speaker 2: hear that, Oh, you know, if you can serve that, 703 00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,239 Speaker 2: then we're not going to have the cash for the 704 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:25,440 Speaker 2: snow applows or the county maintenance that we need to do. 705 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:29,319 Speaker 1: My first response would be, there's probably some validity to 706 00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:32,720 Speaker 1: that if the land trust were just willy nilly picking 707 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:36,880 Speaker 1: properties that are in the center of town. And in 708 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:40,319 Speaker 1: our community, like many's, there's still some agricultural properties that 709 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:43,960 Speaker 1: are kind of weirdly inside the urban growth boundary. Those 710 00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 1: are not properties that a wise land trust would be 711 00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:51,279 Speaker 1: seeking to conserve. That's not where agricultural habitat is going 712 00:41:51,360 --> 00:41:54,640 Speaker 1: to have a long life. Those properties should be developed. 713 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:57,880 Speaker 1: I'd love to say that that land trusts are anti sprawl. 714 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: We're not anti growth. So if we can keep bit tight, 715 00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:03,759 Speaker 1: we can have plenty of people in this community. Our 716 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:08,440 Speaker 1: goal at the Gallatin Valley Land Trust is to seek 717 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:12,239 Speaker 1: out those properties that are most valuable for recreation, for habitat, 718 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:14,799 Speaker 1: that are on the margins of town, that are up 719 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:17,359 Speaker 1: against the Forest Service, that are up against the public lands, 720 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:20,640 Speaker 1: and we're going to work from those protected areas towards town. 721 00:42:20,719 --> 00:42:23,000 Speaker 1: At the same time the developers are working out from 722 00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:26,320 Speaker 1: town maybe someday down the line we'll meet in the middle. 723 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,239 Speaker 1: But it's been proven over and over again that to 724 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:34,719 Speaker 1: subdivide a property way out from town, the services to 725 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:38,640 Speaker 1: provide for those neighborhoods that are created out in the 726 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:41,640 Speaker 1: middle of an egg community are much more expensive than 727 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:43,719 Speaker 1: they would be if you were in town. And we're 728 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:48,160 Speaker 1: not being efficient if we allow subdivisions way outside of town, 729 00:42:49,640 --> 00:42:52,799 Speaker 1: because getting trash and plows and road services out there 730 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:55,359 Speaker 1: just costs more and more. Those communities that are being 731 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:58,120 Speaker 1: allowed to be built out there are taxing the system 732 00:42:58,239 --> 00:43:03,000 Speaker 1: much more high density residential area close to town, and so 733 00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:06,000 Speaker 1: in some ways, we're only working with the landowners. We're 734 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:10,160 Speaker 1: not trying to change the rules and make a regulatory mechanism. 735 00:43:11,480 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: But we think that where we are conserving land on 736 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:17,319 Speaker 1: the margins of our community are actually helping to make 737 00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:20,680 Speaker 1: a more efficient, tax, tax effective community than if we 738 00:43:20,880 --> 00:43:26,319 Speaker 1: let those landowners subdivide and build large subdivisions on the 739 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:27,040 Speaker 1: margins of town. 740 00:43:28,320 --> 00:43:30,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I think some of these decisions need 741 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:32,680 Speaker 3: to be made locally. You hear that stuff coming out 742 00:43:32,719 --> 00:43:34,719 Speaker 3: of Helena, you know, And for one thing, you know, 743 00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:38,040 Speaker 3: as far as the immediate tax implication. It does not 744 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:43,960 Speaker 3: change a conserved area, does not change the property taxes 745 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:46,480 Speaker 3: assessed the same. I hear what you're saying, though long 746 00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:50,040 Speaker 3: term you have more you know, residential, more tax revenue 747 00:43:50,080 --> 00:43:54,000 Speaker 3: of that kind of stuff. But you know, these communities, 748 00:43:54,840 --> 00:43:59,080 Speaker 3: many of them care deeply about their agricultural heritage and 749 00:43:59,320 --> 00:44:05,120 Speaker 3: that is the identity. And so not only economically, as 750 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:09,880 Speaker 3: Chet said, do those sort of rural subdivisions tax the system, 751 00:44:10,239 --> 00:44:14,560 Speaker 3: but by and large they're not what people want. They 752 00:44:15,400 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 3: communities have a tendency to rally against some of these 753 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:22,160 Speaker 3: real subdivisions, and they do have meaningful impact on water supply, 754 00:44:22,239 --> 00:44:26,120 Speaker 3: whether it's groundwater or surface water, and so there are 755 00:44:26,239 --> 00:44:32,080 Speaker 3: real impacts that affect neighbors. And you know, the tax 756 00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:36,160 Speaker 3: discussion is a very complex one. But I think it's 757 00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:40,239 Speaker 3: incumbent upon us to communicate with county commissioners and the 758 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:43,360 Speaker 3: like on what our conservation priorities are going to be 759 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:45,360 Speaker 3: and where they're going to be. And there is a 760 00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:49,280 Speaker 3: venue in statute for County commission two or county planners 761 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:53,600 Speaker 3: to review every easement before it closes, and so it's important, 762 00:44:53,640 --> 00:44:56,440 Speaker 3: it's an important discussion to have with them and understand 763 00:44:56,480 --> 00:45:00,879 Speaker 3: where those growth patterns are, and to be smart as 764 00:45:00,880 --> 00:45:03,680 Speaker 3: a l interest, we have take that obligation seriously. 765 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:08,200 Speaker 2: What would be the the number one concern from a 766 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:13,040 Speaker 2: county commissioner seat when evaluating an ease month. 767 00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:16,319 Speaker 3: Well, one that we hear a lot is, uh, you know, 768 00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:19,200 Speaker 3: gravel is a tricky thing in easements, especially if a 769 00:45:19,239 --> 00:45:22,080 Speaker 3: tax deduction that they're you know, getting a scoop of 770 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:25,080 Speaker 3: gravel is technically surface minding, which technically isn't allowed in 771 00:45:25,120 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 3: a conservation isment. And so one of the comments that 772 00:45:28,080 --> 00:45:31,040 Speaker 3: we get a lot, particularly in real rural areas, is 773 00:45:31,239 --> 00:45:33,560 Speaker 3: there's only so many places we can get gravel, and 774 00:45:33,640 --> 00:45:35,799 Speaker 3: first they try to get it for free, and then 775 00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:37,880 Speaker 3: they try to pay land owners a teeny teeny tiny 776 00:45:37,880 --> 00:45:42,400 Speaker 3: bit for gravel, and so they're concerned with all that 777 00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:45,000 Speaker 3: kind of stuff. But the biggest concern that we have 778 00:45:45,719 --> 00:45:48,399 Speaker 3: h is gravel. And then there's some you know, some 779 00:45:48,520 --> 00:45:51,279 Speaker 3: sort of hocus pocus concerns that you know, we could 780 00:45:51,360 --> 00:45:53,080 Speaker 3: we could go down that rabbel hole for a while 781 00:45:53,560 --> 00:45:56,439 Speaker 3: that that are aren't real or meaningful. But that's the one. 782 00:45:56,480 --> 00:46:00,839 Speaker 3: I think the growth pattern impact to emergency services infrastructure 783 00:46:00,920 --> 00:46:03,480 Speaker 3: if it is on the edge of town, so to speak, 784 00:46:04,880 --> 00:46:07,640 Speaker 3: and then just access to continued road maintenance. 785 00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:11,479 Speaker 4: Yeah, I guess I'll just add I think you guys 786 00:46:11,480 --> 00:46:14,640 Speaker 4: covered the technical part of this pretty well, so I'll 787 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:17,600 Speaker 4: just kind of add my stereid dreamer perspective here. You know, 788 00:46:17,640 --> 00:46:19,840 Speaker 4: we can always find ways to make more money, Like 789 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:23,399 Speaker 4: man kind of shown that they will find a way 790 00:46:23,440 --> 00:46:25,080 Speaker 4: to make money if there's a way to be made money. 791 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:26,759 Speaker 4: What we can't make more of is we can't make 792 00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:31,960 Speaker 4: more l cabitat. We can't make more you know, farm land. 793 00:46:32,520 --> 00:46:35,560 Speaker 4: We can't find more places to put quality trails. You know, 794 00:46:35,640 --> 00:46:38,640 Speaker 4: those things are limited. And so when we get into 795 00:46:38,680 --> 00:46:41,359 Speaker 4: this conversation of you know, you know, is there going 796 00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:44,319 Speaker 4: to be a negative impact to taxes or you know, 797 00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:48,719 Speaker 4: you know, municipal structures whatnot, I think it really comes 798 00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:51,400 Speaker 4: down to what do we want those communities to look like. 799 00:46:51,480 --> 00:46:54,040 Speaker 4: We can find a way to get more revenue, for sure, 800 00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:56,759 Speaker 4: But if you care about these things, then you've got 801 00:46:56,800 --> 00:46:58,720 Speaker 4: to make some hard choices and you've got to decide 802 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:01,879 Speaker 4: what's more important is you know, is having a few 803 00:47:01,920 --> 00:47:04,719 Speaker 4: more dollars coming in more important, or is having the 804 00:47:04,760 --> 00:47:07,640 Speaker 4: things that we all love about these communities protected forever 805 00:47:07,960 --> 00:47:11,000 Speaker 4: important And you know that's a hard conversation that we're 806 00:47:11,000 --> 00:47:12,759 Speaker 4: going to have to have because there's not there's not 807 00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:15,000 Speaker 4: more land, but there's a lot more people coming in 808 00:47:15,080 --> 00:47:17,200 Speaker 4: the state every day, and so I think your your 809 00:47:17,280 --> 00:47:19,320 Speaker 4: question is a really critical one that we're going to 810 00:47:19,360 --> 00:47:21,080 Speaker 4: continue to wrestle with for a while. But I think 811 00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:23,520 Speaker 4: it really just comes down to why DoD you move here? 812 00:47:23,520 --> 00:47:24,160 Speaker 1: And what do you want? 813 00:47:25,280 --> 00:47:30,959 Speaker 2: I think that's awesome? Yeah, well, put, well, put, Yeah. 814 00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:34,239 Speaker 2: We know that living in the beautiful place is a 815 00:47:34,239 --> 00:47:35,880 Speaker 2: double edged sword, right, I. 816 00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:39,319 Speaker 3: Would say, just an understanding, particularly thinking of the demographic 817 00:47:39,400 --> 00:47:42,960 Speaker 3: that tends to be your your listener, you know, challenge 818 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:45,920 Speaker 3: people to think. You know, we all love our public 819 00:47:46,000 --> 00:47:50,520 Speaker 3: lands and we all feel very passionate about those. But 820 00:47:51,120 --> 00:47:54,120 Speaker 3: you know, as you're you know, when you put the 821 00:47:54,239 --> 00:47:56,920 Speaker 3: rifle back away and you're thinking about ice fishing or 822 00:47:56,960 --> 00:47:59,440 Speaker 3: whatever it is for the long winter months, you know, 823 00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:01,640 Speaker 3: think about where a lot of that winter range is 824 00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:05,920 Speaker 3: and think about who's providing the forage for those animals 825 00:48:05,920 --> 00:48:09,080 Speaker 3: that you love, love to chase all falls. So you know, 826 00:48:09,239 --> 00:48:12,880 Speaker 3: we might not be there protecting that national force that 827 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:16,400 Speaker 3: you care about, but we're there. You know, year round 828 00:48:16,800 --> 00:48:20,040 Speaker 3: helping protect that habitat. And you know, if you want 829 00:48:20,040 --> 00:48:22,920 Speaker 3: to drive to your spot and drive through a subdivision 830 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:27,279 Speaker 3: like Colorado Springs, great if you want to, you know, 831 00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:31,359 Speaker 3: enjoy your road beer out on the open gravel road. 832 00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:32,640 Speaker 3: Not that I would condone such. 833 00:48:34,960 --> 00:48:38,279 Speaker 2: An old Montana Yeah, old old. 834 00:48:38,280 --> 00:48:41,640 Speaker 3: But but there's forces there that you don't know about 835 00:48:41,800 --> 00:48:45,239 Speaker 3: or see that are helping protect some of those landscapes. 836 00:48:46,160 --> 00:48:48,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'll just jump in here and make a plug. 837 00:48:48,719 --> 00:48:51,719 Speaker 4: You know, a lot of my work is advocacy and 838 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:55,719 Speaker 4: policy work, and so I mean, obviously the folks that 839 00:48:55,800 --> 00:48:57,880 Speaker 4: listen to this are are very well versed in getting 840 00:48:57,920 --> 00:49:01,680 Speaker 4: involved in advocacy. But we need it for our issues, 841 00:49:01,719 --> 00:49:03,040 Speaker 4: just like any other issues. 842 00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:03,960 Speaker 1: You know. 843 00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:08,880 Speaker 4: I think the legislators here in Montana by and large 844 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:11,360 Speaker 4: are some of the best people you could you know, 845 00:49:11,719 --> 00:49:14,839 Speaker 4: possibly work with on policy work. You know, they care 846 00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:18,680 Speaker 4: deeply about their communities, being a citizen legislature. They live, 847 00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:22,440 Speaker 4: you know, in our towns, they their kids go to 848 00:49:22,480 --> 00:49:25,520 Speaker 4: our schools. You know, their grandkids go to our schools, 849 00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:29,160 Speaker 4: you know, whatever it might be. And so frequently we 850 00:49:29,239 --> 00:49:31,800 Speaker 4: just need help, you know, getting them up to speed 851 00:49:31,920 --> 00:49:35,960 Speaker 4: on conservation issues and once they're once they're informed, they're 852 00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:40,800 Speaker 4: they're you know, whole hog bought in. Frequently, our issues 853 00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:44,600 Speaker 4: get caught up kind of by accident, right, you know, 854 00:49:44,640 --> 00:49:46,520 Speaker 4: somebody's trying to do a good thing and they just 855 00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:50,440 Speaker 4: don't know, you know, the side effects of what they're proposing. 856 00:49:50,480 --> 00:49:53,800 Speaker 4: And so I would just encourage people to get involved. 857 00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:56,360 Speaker 4: You know, take your local legislator out for a coffee 858 00:49:56,400 --> 00:49:58,759 Speaker 4: and tell them about the things you care about. They 859 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:01,600 Speaker 4: will go with you, I promise you. They love coffee, 860 00:50:01,920 --> 00:50:03,919 Speaker 4: Buy them a beer, Tell them why you care about 861 00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:09,239 Speaker 4: public lands, conservation, all those things. I think we need 862 00:50:09,280 --> 00:50:12,799 Speaker 4: more of that in Montana is a really lucky place 863 00:50:12,800 --> 00:50:14,760 Speaker 4: where you can still do that kind of stuff. 864 00:50:14,840 --> 00:50:15,960 Speaker 1: So that would be my plug. 865 00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:21,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's super important for everyone listening. 866 00:50:21,160 --> 00:50:22,360 Speaker 3: To this show to. 867 00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:26,560 Speaker 2: You know, we all get focused on our thing, but 868 00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:31,879 Speaker 2: as we point out weekly here, it's never just one thing. 869 00:50:33,280 --> 00:50:36,080 Speaker 2: It's always a bunch of pieces of a puzzle have 870 00:50:36,160 --> 00:50:39,120 Speaker 2: to come together to get anything done. When you think 871 00:50:39,160 --> 00:50:44,920 Speaker 2: about your yearly excursions hunting and angling, you know that 872 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:48,920 Speaker 2: just the fact life is, it is a complex web 873 00:50:49,080 --> 00:50:57,760 Speaker 2: of public and private, and we just know that animals 874 00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:01,840 Speaker 2: have no clue of what happens on either side of 875 00:51:01,840 --> 00:51:06,640 Speaker 2: the three strand Barboyer fence, and we need to look 876 00:51:06,680 --> 00:51:12,680 Speaker 2: at this thing holistically if we want to preserve huntable populations, 877 00:51:12,680 --> 00:51:17,080 Speaker 2: fishable populations, and access to them for the long haul. 878 00:51:17,400 --> 00:51:19,880 Speaker 2: So thanks a bunch for coming in. Guys, Where do 879 00:51:19,920 --> 00:51:23,760 Speaker 2: we find GVLT. If folks are interested in learning more. 880 00:51:24,600 --> 00:51:28,719 Speaker 1: Gallatin Valley Lanterrust GVLT dot org, you can look us 881 00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:32,399 Speaker 1: up Instagram, Facebook, everything like that. We'd love to love 882 00:51:32,440 --> 00:51:34,759 Speaker 1: to hear from more people who are interested in conservation 883 00:51:34,840 --> 00:51:37,120 Speaker 1: here in southwest Montana and locally. 884 00:51:37,480 --> 00:51:39,880 Speaker 2: You always have a big barbecue over the summer too, 885 00:51:40,040 --> 00:51:40,880 Speaker 2: right fundraiser. 886 00:51:40,960 --> 00:51:45,280 Speaker 1: We've got big fundraisers and we have a trails event 887 00:51:45,360 --> 00:51:49,200 Speaker 1: that happens all during June, and our website will have 888 00:51:49,239 --> 00:51:52,000 Speaker 1: a series of events the community can join lots of 889 00:51:52,080 --> 00:51:54,320 Speaker 1: volunteering around maintaining trails, et cetera. 890 00:51:54,920 --> 00:51:56,279 Speaker 2: Awesome and Kendall. 891 00:51:57,080 --> 00:52:00,279 Speaker 3: Mt Land Reliance dot org. Same thing. Give us a 892 00:52:00,320 --> 00:52:04,120 Speaker 3: follow on the social media. We're trying to keep the 893 00:52:04,160 --> 00:52:05,920 Speaker 3: public up on the good work that we do. We're 894 00:52:05,960 --> 00:52:10,400 Speaker 3: trying to highlight landowner stories and the contributions that they're making. 895 00:52:10,520 --> 00:52:14,080 Speaker 3: And yeah, you know, as you said, bone up on 896 00:52:14,120 --> 00:52:18,239 Speaker 3: these issues, knowing that it is a complex web. It's 897 00:52:18,280 --> 00:52:20,680 Speaker 3: super important and when it's gone, man, it's gone. 898 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:21,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. 899 00:52:21,239 --> 00:52:24,279 Speaker 4: And then you can find the Montana Association of land 900 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:27,839 Speaker 4: Trust MALT at Montana land Trust dot org. And then 901 00:52:28,040 --> 00:52:32,239 Speaker 4: we're our empty malt across the social media platforms. 902 00:52:32,440 --> 00:52:33,920 Speaker 1: So yeah, give us a follow. 903 00:52:33,920 --> 00:52:36,560 Speaker 4: We put out a lot of information, mostly elevating the 904 00:52:36,600 --> 00:52:40,080 Speaker 4: member land trust, but we do during the legislature we'll 905 00:52:40,120 --> 00:52:42,520 Speaker 4: have a lot more information about bills that affect the 906 00:52:42,560 --> 00:52:45,920 Speaker 4: work that land trusts do and private land conservation. So 907 00:52:45,960 --> 00:52:48,520 Speaker 4: it's a good way to stay involved. If you're new 908 00:52:48,600 --> 00:52:51,600 Speaker 4: to this or just need a like a clearing house 909 00:52:51,640 --> 00:52:52,680 Speaker 4: for all the issues. 910 00:52:53,760 --> 00:52:57,359 Speaker 2: Great. And if you know you're listening and you want 911 00:52:57,360 --> 00:53:00,239 Speaker 2: to write into ask c a l ask how at 912 00:53:00,239 --> 00:53:03,399 Speaker 2: the meteater dot com with any questions that you have 913 00:53:03,600 --> 00:53:07,840 Speaker 2: regarding land trust I can always reach back out to 914 00:53:07,880 --> 00:53:10,960 Speaker 2: these fellas and we can knock that out on a 915 00:53:10,960 --> 00:53:14,200 Speaker 2: segment on the on the regular show. So right in. 916 00:53:15,280 --> 00:53:18,160 Speaker 2: Uh and uh, you know, as we always say, if 917 00:53:18,200 --> 00:53:22,440 Speaker 2: you don't weigh in, you don't wrestle. So uh, if 918 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:25,080 Speaker 2: you got a question to ask, that's it. Even even 919 00:53:25,080 --> 00:53:28,920 Speaker 2: if it's for a family member, we'd appreciate it. So 920 00:53:29,320 --> 00:53:31,520 Speaker 2: thank you very much and we'll talk to you again 921 00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:32,040 Speaker 2: next week. 922 00:53:32,440 --> 00:53:32,959 Speaker 1: Thank you. 923 00:53:33,000 --> 00:53:33,320 Speaker 3: Thanks,