TOWNSEND — In a press release sent Friday afternoon, Prickly Pear Land Trust (PPLT) says they acquired thousands of acres of farmland that will be added to its protected properties list.
The Tri G River Ranch between Townsend and Toston is the second conservation easement in Broadwater County that PPLT has acquired.
The easement will protect key fish and wildlife habitats downstream from the Toston Dam.
The project aims to continue PPLT's mission of protecting properties that provide for wildlife while maintaining farm and agriculture heritage.
In the press release Mary Hollow Executive Director of PPLT said, “You drive right through it between Helena and Bozeman and now, it is protected and will remain as open farmland forever. The value of open space like that will only increase in the future. What a generous legacy that this family is leaving. PPLT is just happy to be a small part of it.”
PPLT has been working in Townsend to protect valuable property and the project lead for Tri G Ranch Travis Vincent said in the press release, “We have been working in the Townsend area for a couple of years now, these projects are complex and it is great to get one over the line. We hope to see farmers and ranchers working the land long into the future. We want the land to stay in agriculture.”
The new addition also was partnered with the Montana Army National Guard. In total PPLT and the Montana National Guard have partnered to protect over 1,700 acres around Fort Harrison and the Limestone Hills Training Area.
“We’re very proud of our ongoing partnership with the Prickly Pear Land Trust,” said Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, the Adjutant General for Montana and head of the Montana National Guard in the press release, “conservation easement projects like this help preserve this land for future generations of Montanans while also ensuring we have the ability to continue to use nearby training areas.”
