Kat Imhoff is director of the Conservancy's work in Montana. She has a distinguished 27-year career in land and water preservation. She is currently the treasurer of the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and has received numerous awards recognizing her leadership in growth management issues. Video Get Involved! Join the Conservancy's online community and you can explore new places, receive email you want and build your own personalized nature page! “Protecting this region is a priceless gift to future generations.” —Kat Imhoff, director of the Conservancy in Montana. Slideshow Experience Montana's beautiful landscape with these stunning photos. Enlarge this map Go Deeper 320,000 Acres Protected in Western Montana Find out more about the June 2008 acquisition that protects forestlands in the unique "Crown of the Continent" ecosystem. The Nature Conservancy in Montana See how the Conservancy is protecting working ranches and critical wildlife habitat all across the Big Sky state. The Crown of the Continent Learn why the Conservancy's lead scientist Sanjayan thinks the "Crown of the Continent" is worth saving.

In June 2008, The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land preserved 320,000 acres of western Montana forestland — one of the most significant private land conservation sales in U.S. history.

But what makes this land — part of a region known as the "Crown of the Continent" — so ecologically valuable? And how does this purchase — known as the Montana Legacy Project — fit into the Conservancy's global conservation efforts? Nature.org spoke with Kat Imhoff, the Conservancy's Montana state director, to get the answers.

Nature.org: What does the Crown of the Continent refer to — and what makes it so special?

Kat Imhoff: The Crown of the Continent refers to a 10-million-acre expanse of lands in Montana and Canada that represent some of the last great pieces of the wild American West.

Explorer George Grinnell initially coined the phrase to describe the high country of Glacier National Park, but it applies to a greater landscape that extends well beyond the boundaries of Glacier. It is a magnificent stretch of wide valleys, forests and sparkling rivers that form the wild heart of the continent.
 

Nature.org: What kind of habitat does this land provide — and why is it crucial to preserve it?

Kat Imhoff: This is a region that has experienced no animal extinctions over the last two centuries. All the species in this region then — including grizzly bear, wolverine, Canada lynx and bull trout — are here today. That speaks to its rural, wild character. The area is a rich, intact landscape where people and animals find food, shelter and connection with the outdoors.
 

Nature.org: What about the human factor? How will people benefit from this project?

Kat Imhoff: The people who live here want to see the character of these lands stay the same. They live, work and play here. These are some of the most popular recreation lands in the country.

This project will allow people to continue to make a living while preventing the fragmentation that not only harms wildlife, but is costly to communities struggling to provide services to remote developments.
 

Nature.org: What will change about the way this land is managed?

Kat Imhoff: Not much. The land will continue to provide sustainable timber harvesting and access to the public for skiing, hiking, snowmobiling, hunting and fishing. It will continue to be the wild place we know and love.

Nature.org: How does this project fit into the Conservancy's global conservation plans?

Kat Imhoff: This region holds perhaps the greatest store of ecologic riches in the Lower 48. It’s a vast, untrammeled landscape that is increasingly rare in the world. By virtue of this fact, we have the potential to make a tremendous contribution toward the Conservancy’s global conservation goals, particularly in the areas of temperate grasslands, fresh water and forestry.

Nature.org: As a Montanan, what does this deal mean to you? How do you feel knowing this land will be preserved for future generations?

Kat Imhoff: This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect our wild heritage. Our children and their children will be able to come here to rest their souls, to contemplate nature and wildness, and to experience a way of life enjoyed by our ancestors. I think protecting this region is a priceless gift to future generations.

(June 2008)

Nature picture credits (top): Photo © John Lambing (Salmon Lake, Swan Valley); © Kat Imhoff (Kat Imhoff); © TNC (video); © Janet Haas (slideshow)