Landower Donates Conservation Easement: Centennial Valley Ranchland Protected from Subdivision
June 14, 2006
The owner of the J Bar L Ranch in Montana’s Centennial Valley has donated a conservation easement covering 723 acres of her ranchland to The Nature Conservancy. The property, owned by Peggy Dulany, is bounded by conservation protected private properties and public land, including Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
"I’m a firm believer in protection of this ground. I eventually intend to place easements on the whole ranch," said Dulany.
The Centennial—with its expansive wetlands and some of the oldest forest in southwest Montana—is one of the last undeveloped valleys in the Greater Yellowstone region and is a connecting route for large animals migrating from Yellowstone to the northern Rockies.
The 6,330-acre ranch stretches across the north side of the Centennial. It contains 18 winding miles of the Red Rock River and is home to almost 200 species of birds as well as antelope, river otter, fox, coyote, badgers and the occasional moose and elk. With this land deal, the Conservancy and its partners have completed conservation easements with 16 ranching families covering more than 32,000 acres.
"Most all the ranching families here want to see the valley’s character remain the same—for ranching and wildlife," said Tim Swanson, the Conservancy’s southwest Montana program director.
Dulany, an international philanthropist and member of the Rockefeller family, purchased the ranch in 2000 with the intention of raising cattle. As a newcomer, Dulany knew it would be a challenge, so she enlisted the help of her ranching neighbors.
“I am proud that our group has been able to overcome differences to work
together to preserve this
amazing valley.”
Peggy Dulany
Owner, J Bar L Ranch
"I knew I needed help," she said. "I started asking questions and basically apprenticed myself to these very generous people. And they have been patient and tolerant in teaching me."
"Living in the natural world is wonderful if you don’t have to worry about whether you’re going to make it. Ranching can be a hard life," said Dulany. "I wanted to find a way to make it economically as well as environmentally sustainable."
Dulany has also supported many stewardship activities on her ranch. A few years ago, The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program enlisted interns and conservation crews to plant willows along Red Rock River which flows through the property. Those willows are now tall enough and thick enough to provide overhangs and shade for fish. She also brought a few ideas of her own, such as low-stress weaning of calves, intensive rotational grazing and marketing natural, grass-fed beef. She used wildlife-friendly fencing on the ranch and "set very high standards for grazing," said Swanson.
Dulany and several of her neighbors started the Centennial Valley Association a few years ago to address issues of concern to landowners in the valley. These include ranch profitability, weeds, road maintenance, recreational impacts, hunter-landowner conflicts and stewardship projects such as water developments, stream restoration and grazing management.
"I am proud that our group has been able to overcome differences to work together to preserve this amazing valley," said Dulany.
The group is concerned about growth in the Centennial and is exploring its options by inviting outside groups, including environmental groups and funders, to its meetings.
"We’ve come to understand that we need to protect the Centennial," said neighboring rancher Allen Martinell. "We don’t want this valley to become another Jackson Hole."
The Martinell family recently placed a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conservation easement over 4,054 acres of their Centennial Valley ranch.
The Centennial is one of the most biologically rich valleys in the West. It has the largest wetland complex in the Greater Yellowstone region, supporting 270 bird species including trumpeter swans and the densest populations of peregrine falcons and ferruginous hawks in Montana. Red Rock Creek is one of only two streams in the lower 48 states with indigenous populations of Arctic grayling.
For More Information:
- Where We Work: The Nature Conservancy in Montana
The Conservancy has worked with Montana landowners and communities since 1979 to conserve almost 500,000 acres of important ranchland and wildlife habitat.
- Places We Protect: Centennial Valley, Montana
Located 20 miles from Yellowstone Park's western border, the Centennial provides a critical corridor for grizzlies and other wildlife that travel from Yellowstone to the northern Rockies. The valley's expansive wetlands are home to hundreds of bird species.
- How We Work: Conservation Easements
Conservation easements are one of the most powerful, effective tools available for the permanent conservation of private lands in the United States. The use of conservation easements has successfully protected millions of acres of wildlife habitat and open space, keeping land in private hands and generating significant public benefits.
- Archive of our Saves of the Week and Success Stories
Read more about The Nature Conservancy's work to save the last great places on Earth.
