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Montana Legacy Project: Victory or Montana

| July 3, 2008 11:00 PM

Preserving Our Way of Life

Montana is like no other place on earth. As Montanans we have at our fingertips world class hunting and fishing, unmatched hiking, camping and snowmobiling and a view of the heavens so complete, and so unique, that our state is known simply as Big Sky Country. Without a doubt, Montana is the Last Best Place, and we know how lucky we are to live here.

But Montana won't stay like this all on its own. We as Montanans, must do everything we can preserve our outdoor heritage.

Montana Legacy Project

That is why I'm so excited about the Montana Legacy Project. Earlier this week the Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land and the Plum Creek Timber Company sealed the deal on a historic land agreement that will protect hundreds of thousands of acres in Montana. The agreement, called the Montana Legacy Project, will keep the land open to the public and free from development, forever.

Prime Hunting and Fishing Land

The 320,000 acres included in the project include hunting and fishing land in the Swan Valley, the Fish Creek Valley, and around Potomac and Lolo. This is some of the best hunting and fishing land in the state, and our grandkids will now get to enjoy it just as we do today.

Leading the Way

I'm proud to have had a leading role in making the Montana Legacy Project a reality. As the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and a senior member of the Agriculture Committee and key author of the Farm Bill, I secured $250 million to help purchase the land, through the new Forest Bonding Provision.

This is big. It's one of the largest land conservation deals in American history, right here in Montana.

Boosting Montana's Economy

Our identity as Montanans is so closely tied to the land; it's hard to overstate the importance of preserving Montana's outdoor heritage.

However, there is another pressing issue that affects every moment of our lives, and that's our economy. The truth is, no matter how much time we spend outdoors, we still need a good paying job to live here.

Supporting Sustainable Timber

And so, written into this historic agreement is a commitment to Montana's economy. The deal will ensure the forests remain working forests, providing sustainable timber harvests that will create jobs and support the local economies that have relied on timber for generations.

Increasing Tourism

The preservation of this land is also a tremendous boost to Montana's tourism industry. More than 10 million tourists visit our state every year. They come to hunt in our forests, fish in our streams, and take in our scenic views. They spend millions of dollars for their very own Montana experience. Those dollars are the life blood of our state, creating jobs, putting food on the table and gas in our cars.

I'm committed to doing what's right for the people of Montana. And that's what the Montana Legacy Project is about. It will benefit not only our outdoor heritage, but our economy and our future.

A Model for Future Conservation

The Montana Legacy Project is more than an investment in Montana, it's an investment in the United States and in our future. I want this first deal to become a model for future conservation bonds across the country. The Forest Conservation Bonding Provision provides a roadmap for conservation groups to make agreements similar to the Montana Legacy Project a reality in other states.

The groups will focus on large blocks of private land bordering U.S. Forest Service land parcels whose long term conservation will benefit fish and wildlife and provide unprecedented public access. Combining these so-called checker-boarded, private-public lands can cut the costs and threat of wildfire to communities and while promoting long-term forest health.

Keeping Montana the Last Best Place, Forever

Montanans are proud of our rural character, our valleys with farms and forests, and our tradition of public access to land for hunting and fishing. The Montana Legacy Project is a tool to preserve our outdoor heritage.

Because of the Montana Legacy Project, Montana will forever be the Last Best Place. This deal ensures there will never be a last generation of Montanans to fish the Blackfoot River, a last log from the Lolo headed to the mill, a last hunting trip into the Swan Valley. Because of the Montana Legacy Project, the Last Best Place will last forever.

Max Baucus is Montana's senior U.S. senator. He is the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He can be contacted at (800) 332-6106 or on the Web at Baucus.senate.gov.