The Montana Land Reliance

The Montana Land Reliance partners with private landowners to permanently protect Montana agricultural lands, fish and wildlife habitat, and open space. The lasting benefits of MLR's work are the perpetuation of a lifestyle and an economy that rely on responsibly managed private land and increasingly valuable Montana open spaces that will continue to nourish the spirit of future generations.

Since 1978, MLR has helped over 1,000 families permanently protect nearly 1.4 million acres of Montana's iconic open spaces and over 2,000 miles of river and stream front. MLR works statewide and is one of the largest nonprofit land trusts in the United States, long recognized as a national leader for its impact on conservation in Montana.

In Park County, MLR has helped 93 families protect 81,448 acres of open space from development forever. This includes conserving 149 miles of river and stream front and over 62,000 acres of elk habitat. The protected acreage not only keeps agricultural lands in family hands, but also provides clean air, water, and wildlife habitat.

As Montana's population grows rapidly and development pressure increases, MLR remains fully committed to expanding outreach to landowners and delivering meaningful conservation in the Paradise and Shields Valleys.

Testimonials

"It all started when I bought the place (The Hammer Ranch) and started to look at improving the streams and thinking about how they could not only be restored but also how agriculture could coexist successfully side-by-side with wildlife and conservation. After we'd done some restoration work on the ranch, we started to look for the ideal partner for a conservation easement to keep the land as it is and a working farm. The Montana Land Reliance was that partner."

--Bob Emery, a local landowner who partnered with MLR to protect his property from development.