Nature Conservancy buys land on Milk River Mt.

[Faster horses]

Wonder how OT feels about this since it's pretty close to home:

The Nature Conservancy has purchased a conservation easement that will preserve another 256 acres of Milk Creek River cottonwood forest on the Cornwell Ranch in northeastern Mt. The easement is the fourth the family has completed with the Conservancy, bringing the total to 12,000 acres.

The Nature Conservancy says the ranch west of Glasgow includes some of the largest blocks of
cottonwood forest remaining on the Milk River. The Great Falls Tribune reports that the Cornwells
have wintered cattle on the property and will continue to do so under the terms of the easement.

The family has operated a cow-calf operation since 1947.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I spent a day last fall with Lee Cornwell on a Sage Grouse tour. He is quite the fellow. We also toured the NC owned Matador Ranch. They have a unique grass bank program that they take in cattle from other rancher to graze. The grass bank members do some required grass managementon their home ranches to get a reduced cost of grazing on the Matador.

 

[loomixguy]

Wonder how OT feels about this since it's pretty close to home:

The Nature Conservancy has purchased a conservation easement that will preserve another 256 acres of Milk Creek River cottonwood forest on the Cornwell Ranch in northeastern Mt. The easement is the fourth the family has completed with the Conservancy, bringing the total to 12,000 acres.

The Nature Conservancy says the ranch west of Glasgow includes some of the largest blocks of
cottonwood forest remaining on the Milk River. The Great Falls Tribune reports that the Cornwells
have wintered cattle on the property and will continue to do so under the terms of the easement.

The family has operated a cow-calf operation since 1947.

He will have to check with DWS at the DNC and also with Borowitz to see what his opinion of the matter is.

 

[mrj]

It has been nice to NOT have OT on this site.

Re. Nature Conservancy, I look at them as better than government ownership of the land, and if the landowner can continue to raise cattle on the land, conserving rare natural features, that is no doubt better care than what federal programs would achieve while removing that land from productivity. This way, that land just might produce some income for private families. I sure hope it works well for the Cornwell family.

mrj

 

[Roundup]

Nature conservancy can be an option. The Cornwell family of course has every right to shape the future of what they own.

 

[Shortgrass]

I fear that these easements may, and often do, work well for the generation that sells them, but that future generations may well find that the government will control their permitted management practices, numbers, type of livestock, what land may not be grazed, etc. It may be a land grab in disguise. The selling generation may be imposing unintended, and unwanted restrictions on their heirs.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I fear that these easements may, and often do, work well for the generation that sells them, but that future generations may well find that the government will control their permitted management practices, numbers, type of livestock, what land may not be grazed, etc. It may be a land grab in disguise.

The Easement is a contract between the seller in this case NC and the Cornwell family. It will stay on the title to protect it into the future but most easements are just protecting something the rancher must have considered worth protecting or it probably wouldn't still be there in that state.

 

[Faster horses]

We have friends who run a Montana ranch (for over 20 years now) for folks that are part of NC. They aren't anti-ranching, though they are for conservation, and they aren't government. They have a very nice herd
of Red Angus cattle.

 

[leanin' H]

Anytime you give up part of your freedom, to do what you may choose to do at a given time, just doesn't sit well with me. While it may provide needed capital for the ranch who sells the easement, they still lose part of their ability to manage as they see fit. Why else would the NC do it if they didn't have a say, regardless of how mush say they have.

If a ranch has been a steward of the land for generations, why would they give part of that stewardship to someone else? Who better to protect the ranch than the rancher? To let the NC come in and do that seems like selling out to me. But I am not very bright.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I feel for for you H, I wonder the same but with ranches changing hands at greater frequency and people buying them with out the attachment that us "Oldtimers"( man I hated to use that term) have to the land maybe they feel it is a way to protect what they love.

 

[leanin' H]

I feel for for you H, I wonder the same but with ranches changing hands at greater frequency and people buying them with out the attachment that us "Oldtimers"( man I hated to use that term) have to the land maybe they feel it is a way to protect what they love.

What is sad is that fewer young people want to continue the ranches and keep the flame burning so to speak. I am not condemning folks who consider or sell conservation easements. I just hope they completely investigate how these organizations are set up and be sure its in the best interest of the land and the family before committing. My question is What's in it for the Nature Conservancy? They pony up big bucks all in the name of?????? The skeptic in me wonders what the fine print in those contracts say.

And I feel your oldtimer comment is spot on. We branded claves yesterday and my back is giving me fits today. Just pushing calves up the alley to the table!!! I am much to young to feel this dang old!

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Some rancher use the proceeds to fund a retirement or pay off non ranching family so that the ones that want to continue to ranch can. I have been a skeptic of easements for a long time and some of the groups buying easements. You sure do have to do your homework on their objectives. It is a legal contract so they shouldn't be able to change terms with out both sides consent. But I bet the wrong outfit could make it miserable for the land owner if they so wanted.

 

[jodywy]

http://wsgalt.org/

Stock growers thought if a Rancher is looking at an conservation easement, for, estate planning, endanger species ( money for easement for sage grouse) or what ever reason they might want an easement, that a AG based organization would be better to hold that easement, the some of the other groups that provide that service.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

That is a real informative site Jody. Thanks for posting it.

I think maybe some ag based groups might have problems matching dollars of some conservation ones but if donating and using tax credits that shouldn't be a problem

 

[mrj]

That WSGA program had slipped my mind, Jody. I'm sure the 'closer to home' one can get such arrangements, the better, and have heard it is a good one.

We haven't heard anything bad about Nature Conservancy, and as an alternative to government agencies, it seems a good program, based on our limited knowledge of it and if one is in a bind, or being forced to compete with government to keep coveted land in something closer to private ownership.

mrj

 

[Angus 62]

There is a article in the latest High Plains Journal about conservation easements. It is entitled, Attorney calls easements a 'government land grab.' I've heard this woman speak and she has some real horror stories. Rather than post a link simply go to the High Plains Journal's website where the article can be viewed.

 

[Roundup]

How is it a land grab when the rancher/owner along with their ranch legal council makes a conscientious decision to enter into the agreement? Nobody is grabbing or taking..... such as Montana access groups attempt to do.

 

[Angus 62]

The Nature Conservancy gets $100 million annually from the Government. That should indicate who owns the Nature Conservancy. If there is the ability to sell these easements to another party as the article indicates, you may end up with a partner you hadn't planned on with quite different ideas. We own some pasture land that had a state hunting easement on it when we bought it. I can tell you the state believes they own it when push comes to shove.