Plum Creek to sell 320,000 acres in Swan to conservation groups

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

In a deal announced Monday two national conservation groups will purchase what's been called the largest land conservation purchase in the United States history.

Sen. Max Baucus and representatives from The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land and Plum Creek announced the agreement to purchase 320,000 acres of forestland in western Montana from Plum Creek Timber.

"The signing of the Montana Legacy Project is the largest land conservation in American history," said Baucus at a press conference at Lone Pine State Park in Kalispell. "We have a moral obligation to leave things better than we found them for our kids and grandkids to enjoy."

The purchase will take place over three phases for a total price of $510 million. Half will come from a federal program, the rest is expected to come from other government and private sources.

Lands included in the purchase are scattered over five counties. About 223,400 acres lies in Missoula County, 42,800 in Mineral, 35,500 in Lake, 13,800 in Lincoln and 3,900 in Powell.

Baucus said that half of the funding for the purchase has been secured federally. The rest will have to be raised through private and state funding or donations.

The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land will not be long-term owners of the property.

Ultimately, ownership of the land will be a mix of private, state and federal owners including the U.S. Forest Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Land sold into private ownership would be subject to conservation easements and development restrictions.

"This area is critical fish and wildlife habitat. It has been used for recreation and sustained generations in the timber industry," said Dana Christiansen, board chair of The Nature Conservancy in Montana.

Christiansen said the project will preserve habitat for not only the high-profile wildlife such as grizzly bears, but also for "many, many species of plants and birds."

Eric Love, who works for the Trust for Public Land also praised the agreement.

"It's a place that so clearly defines our Montana way of life," he said. "It would be tragic to loose it to backcountry sprawl."

The lands will be open for public access and still allow for timber harvest. As part of the agreement timber harvest will continue on some of the land to supply Plum Creek mills with wood fiber for up to 15 years.

Hank Ricklefs of Plum Creek said conservation has always been a strong interest of the company and no where more than in Montana.

"We're pleased to be here working with leading conservation groups," he said.

Money for the purchase will come through the federal Qualified Forest Conservation Bonds, designed to address the rapid conversion of traditional timberlands across the United States.

Baucus created the bonds by inserting the provision into the federal Farm Bill passed in May.

Under the conservation bonds, the project is eligible for up to $250 million to acquire lands that would be transferred to U.S. Forest Service ownership. About 90,000 acres of lands within the project area qualify and are located within Forest Service lands.