A bill designed to limit the effectiveness of conservation easements in Montana by limiting their lengths will not advance forward after testimony by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and other conservation and hunting groups, and many concerned private landowners.
“Conservation easements uphold private property rights and are a critical tool for hunter-driven conservation across our state,” said Blake Henning, RMEF chief conservation officer. “We recognize the importance of using many different tools to incentivize private land conservation for agriculture, wildlife habitat and hunting access. Easements aren’t for everyone, but they need to be an option for the landowners we work with here in Montana and beyond.”
RMEF refers to conservation easements as voluntary conservation agreements (VCAs) since they are exactly that – voluntary. Landowners willingly work with RMEF and other groups to protect the wildlife values of their land while keeping it in private ownership. Added benefits include keeping working lands in production and providing access or wildlife habitat benefits to all Montanans.
VCAs also help family ranchers pass land from one generation to the next. Perpetual agreements make sure that generational exchanges and security take place for landowners.
RMEF supplied testimony during the 2023 legislative issue to help defeat a similar bill. Click here to listen to a recent Randy Newberg podcast highlighting the importance of VCAs.
Go to 9:00:00 to view Henning’s testimony. His entire comments are below.
Mister Chairman, members of the committee, my name is Blake Henning (pictured on left). I am the chief conservation officer at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation based in Missoula. Conservation easements uphold private property rights and are a critical tool for hunter-driven conservation across our state.
Since our founding in 1984 in Troy, Montana, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has worked with more than 40 Montana families, keeping their working ranch and timberlands working and open with perpetual conservation easements. As a hunter-conservation organization with more than 15,000 members in Montana, we recognize the importance of using many different tools to incentivize private land conservation for agriculture, wildlife habitat and hunting access.
Easements aren’t for everyone, but they need to be an option for the landowners we work with here in Montana and beyond. And I thank Senator Tezak for tabling this bill.
(Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation & Montana Public Affairs Network)