montana
Landmarks
Annual Report 2015
HELENA
Richard Jeo, Montana State Director
Mark Aagenes, Director of Government Relations
Dave Carr, Crown of the Continent Director
Jennie Corley, Trustee Liaison/Development Coordinator
Whitney Daniel, Director of Operations
Kim Doherty, Grants Specialist
Erin Hendel, Development Writer
Kaylee Kenison, Operations Coordinator
Nathan Korb, Southwest Montana Director of Science & Stewardship
Greg Lambert, Conservation Information Manager & Land Protection Specialist
Brian Martin, Director of Science & Northern Montana Prairies
Gail Moser, Donor Relations Coordinator
Amy Pearson, GIS Analyst
Debra Sattler, Donor Relations Manager
BLACKFEET STEWARDSHIP OFFICE
Dylan DesRosier, Blackfeet Reservation Land Protection Specialist
BOZEMAN
Sierra Harris, Freshwater Conservation Project Manager
Sally Schrank, Director of Development
CENTENNIAL SANDHILLS PRESERVE
Julie McLaughlin, Sandhills Preserve Manager & Land Steward
CHOTEAU
Dave Hanna, Crown of the Continent Director of Science & Stewardship
MATADOR RANCH
Charlie Messerly, Matador Ranch Operations Manager
Jolynn Messerly, Matador Ranch Operations Administrator
Brandon Nickerson, Matador Ranch Land Steward
MISSOULA
Jim Berkey, High Divide Headwaters Director
Chris Bryant, Land Protection Specialist
Alison James, Associate Director of Development
Helen Jenkins, Associate Director of Development
Eleanor Morris, Strategic Initiatives
Letter from the State Director
Dear Friends,
On a sunny weekend this September, I stood under the shadow of
towering ponderosa pines in Primm’s Meadow, a cathedral of oldgrowth trees hidden in a sea of former industrial timber lands.
Longtime supporters, as well as a new generation of conservationists,
surrounded me. We were gathered to celebrate the ClearwaterBlackfoot Project, our newest acquisition, and to work together on thinning
encroaching Douglas-fir trees that pose a real threat to the grove.
This will be my third year as the Montana State Director, and I’ve learned a lot over
the past couple of years. One big lesson learned is that Montana’s forests need help.
Time will heal some of these areas, but protecting water quality, reducing the buildup of dangerous fuel loads and ensuring that wildlife can thrive will require
thoughtful, innovative management. We need a new forest restoration strategy, one
that takes the whole system into account.
Across the West, water quality and wildlife habitat are connected to the health of
our forests, and those forests are facing unprecedented threats. Drawing on our
scientific expertise, on-the-ground experience and entrepreneurial spirit, The
Nature Conservancy in Montana is working to develop some new forest restoration
strategies, starting in the new Clearwater-Blackfoot Project area. But we can’t do it
alone—it will take cooperative efforts with agencies, other conservation
organizations and communities.
The Conservancy has long been invested in our core landscapes: the Crown of
the Continent, the High Divide and the Northern Montana Prairies. Anchored
by these whole systems, we are working to transform the way that people interact
with forests, water and wildlife.
In Primm’s Meadow that September weekend, I saw a preview of conservation’s
future: the future of Montana is the responsibility of all who love it. I hope you’ll
join me in shaping that future.
OVANDO–BLACKFOOT RIVER VALLEY
Steven Kloetzel, Western Montana Land Steward
PINE BUTTE SWAMP PRESERVE
Nathan Birkeland, Rocky Mountain Front Land Steward
Richard Jeo, Montana State Director
ON THE COVER Willet
in flight at the Conservancy’s Matador Ranch © Brandon Nickerson
State Director, Richard Jeo © Bebe Crouse/TNC
OPPOSITE PAGE Black bears are one of many species that rely on connectivity between wildlife habitats to survive. © Dave Hanna/TNC
THIS PAGE Montana
2 MONTANA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Executive Committee
Dan Pletscher, Chair
Jan Portman, Vice-Chair and
Development Committee
Jamie Shennan, Vice-Chair
Wym Portman, Treasurer and
Finance Committee
Leo Barthelmess, Government
Relations Committee
Eliza Frazer, Government
Relations Committee
Charlotte Caldwell, Nominations
and Governance Committee
Todd Buchanan
Amy Cholnoky
John Cholnoky
Page Dabney
Carla Pagliaro
Gary Rieschel
Steve Running
Jeffrey Schutz
Janna Shennan
Dale Veseth
Jeff Welles
Maud Welles
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve
the lands and waters on which all life depends.
3
Protection
MONTANA’S PRAIRIE POTHOLES: Hidden Treasures on the High Plains
Among Montana’s rolling grasslands,
glistening gems—some 220,000 of them—
provide vital habitat for species that don’t
otherwise occur on the prairie. Stretching
north of the Missouri River, from the Rocky
Mountain Front to the North Dakota border,
these shallow wetland features, also known as
prairie potholes, were formed 10,000 years
ago by retreating glaciers.
Prairie potholes range in size from less
than one acre to over 100 acres. They can
be fresh, with abundant plants, or so salty
12.9
MILLION
Number of North American
ducks that breed in
prairie wetlands in Montana
and North and South Dakota.
“Potholes contain so much life and activity. I’ve been out near some of the
shallower, warm water potholes in spring and the sound of chorus frogs
can be deafening.”
- Brian Martin, Montana Grasslands Conservation Director
that no vegetation can grow in or around them.
Renowned for their remarkable biodiversity,
these wetlands serve as critical rest stops for
birds to mate and feast on their productive
food sources. These are also resilient systems
that rely on wind, drought and fire to scour the
bottomland and remove accumulated materials.
Even the seeds and roots of wetland flora are
adapted to these seemingly harsh conditions,
able to lie dormant for long periods of time
before re-emerging when water returns.
Prairie potholes are interknit with grasslands
ecologically. Grasslands capture snow and filter
runoff, removing sediments. They also provide
vital nesting habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.
It isn’t just birds that depend on the health
of these prairie wetlands. We, too, depend on
To protect this vital habitat and the incredible
array of birds that flock to this undulating
mosaic of water and grass, The Nature
Conservancy has secured more than 12,500 acres
of conservation easements on prairie pothole
habitat and owns the 1,130-acre Comertown
Pothole Prairie Preserve. (Potholes also occur
at our Matador Ranch and Pine Butte Swamp
Preserve.) We are partnering with the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service to implement conservation
activities such as easement purchases, enhanced
management of surrounding grasslands and
prairie restoration.
Wildflowers bloom at the Conservancy’s Comertown Pothole Prairie Preserve, a haven for
waterfowl and other birds. © Harold E. Malde; Prairie potholes are magnets for pintail ducks and other
waterfowl that flock north every spring to breed. © istock.com/CarolinaBirdman
OPPOSITE PAGE
4 MONTANA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
healthy systems to filter our water and recharge
our aquifers. Unfortunately, our northern
prairies are disappearing faster than the Amazon
rainforest, being plowed under to create
marginal cropland.
Grasslands
surrounding potholes
provide vital nesting
habitat for waterfowl
and shorebirds.
Often called “pair
ponds,” potholes
are mating grounds
for ducks and other
waterfowl. Hens
return to these
wetland areas with
their broods.
Surrounding uplands
provide most of the
prairie pothole water
through surface runoff
and snowmelt.
Benefits
of Prairie
Potholes
Healthy prairie wetlands filter our
water and recharge our aquifers.
Potholes provide water resources
for large mammals and other
species that otherwise would not
be found on the prairie.
Prairie potholes
support abundant
invertebrates, which
provide food for
migratory birds and
other species.
5
Stewardship
THE ROAD TO RESTORATION: Stewardship in Action at the Clearwater-Blackfoot Project
Three couches. Four lounge chairs. Hundreds
of cans and bottles. One locked safe. More than
half a mile of barbed wire fence. That’s what
one Montana Conservation Corps (MCC)
crew hauled out of Nature Conservancy land
in the Crown of the Continent in just five days
this summer. Supported by a grant that allowed
them to donate their work, this crew of highschool students worked enthusiastically at the
dirty task of hauling trash, removing fence and
pulling weeds—and working to ensure the
future of the landscapes they love.
Young volunteers like this MCC crew are
helping us restore Clearwater-Blackfoot Project
lands, no easy task given the size of the project.
The purchase itself made a big splash, but it’s
the patient, ongoing work of stewardship and
outreach that will set these lands on a path
“For the first time in 30-plus years, I am confident that my grandchildren will
have a solid opportunity to see a grizzly or mountain lion, hunt elk, or work
for local businesses. I am so grateful the Conservancy is gathering input from
residents on the future of this land.”
- Addrien Marx, owner of Rovero’s Ace Hardware in Seeley Lake, Montana
to recovery and lay the groundwork for a
sustainable future.
These 117,000 acres in the upper Blackfoot
River watershed comprised some of the last
remaining Plum Creek timberland in the Crown
of the Continent when they were purchased by
the Conservancy. The project ensures that these
forests, which provide critical wildlife habitat,
will be covered by full legal protection. But
legal protection is just the beginning. Durable
conservation will take time, stewardship and
whole lot of community support.
“These forests are going to need time to recover,”
says Steven Kloetzel, Western Montana Land
Steward. “Our top priorities for the moment are
dealing with the legacy of logging roads, then
developing a deep understanding of what’s going
on in this landscape.” This spring and summer,
crews have been working to survey roads and
THIS PAGE
6 MONTANA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
stream crossings and to map and treat weeds.
Forest, vegetation and predator assessments—
some conducted in partnership with partners
such as the Blackfoot Challenge and Montana
Trout Unlimited—will soon be underway to help
staff develop long-term restoration plans.
Developing strong partnerships and listening
to the community are important to building
a strong base of support. In the past year,
Conservancy staff members have met with
many stakeholders and helped establish a
Clearwater-Blackfoot working group composed
of community members. “We often think about
conservation in terms of acres protected,” says
Land Protection Specialist Chris Bryant. “That’s
easy for people to grasp. But with this project,
we’re stitching together a landscape fragmented
by policies dating back to the nineteenth century.
That gives us an opportunity to reimagine the
future of this land and how we relate to it.”
Montana Conservation Corps crew members celebrate a hard day’s work of clearing trash and removing fence in the Crown of the Continent. © Jason Hanlon/TNC
The Clearwater-Blackfoot Project encompasses 117,000 acres of land cherished by Montanans for recreation, inspiration and economic value. © Ecoflight
OPPOSITE PAGE
RIDGE TOP TO RIVER BOTTOM
Healthy forest systems lead to healthy streams and
rivers. That’s why careful, adaptive management of
these lands is so important.
The Nature Conservancy has been working with
partners on many of our myriad challenges—from
roads to stream crossings to improperly sized
culverts—that prevent fish from accessing habitat
and contribute to erosion problems. By employing
restoration work on the ground, we can help
improve stream quality for wildlife and fish and limit
disturbance to these areas from motorized vehicles.
The Conservancy is also employing fire as a
restoration tool. Fire is part of the natural cycle,
but it has long been excluded from many of these
landscapes. In the High Divide Headwaters alone,
approximately 800,000 acres of low-elevation
Douglas-fir forests haven’t burned in a century.
These dense forests are now at risk for large,
high-severity fires rather than the patchy, mixedseverity fires of the past. In addition, post-fire rains
can cause sediment and debris to wash into these
streams. Improved fire-management strategies,
including carefully controlled prescribed burns,
are a critical part of maintaining a healthy forest.
7
Wildlife
THE POWER OF COLLABORATION: Restoring Habitat for Greater Sage-grouse
In September, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell
announced the decision that greater sagegrouse did not warrant protection under
the Endangered Species Act. Jewell praised
unprecedented collaboration by leaders all across
the West for helping to recover this iconic bird,
whose populations had plummeted from an
estimated 16 million a century ago to fewer than
400,000 today.
The home range of a
greater sage-grouse
can exceed 230 square
miles in a single year.
The Nature Conservancy in Montana is proud
to be part of this cooperative effort to restore
the habitat that sage-grouse—and many other
sagebrush species—need to thrive. But the
announcement doesn’t mean that our work
is done. Habitat loss and fragmentation due
to energy and residential development and
cropland conversion remain threats to the
survival of this unique American bird.
Greater sage-grouse cannot thrive in isolated
pockets—in fact, the bird’s home range can
exceed 230 square miles in a single year.
Across Montana, scientists have identified
14 sage-grouse “core areas” of habitat. These
areas are based on habitat quality and current
population numbers. Collectively, the core
areas house 75% of the species population and
account for 25% of the remaining range in the
state. Many of Montana’s best core areas are
in the High Divide and Northern Montana
Prairies, places where the Conservancy
is a conservation leader, having already
protected tens of thousands of acres of
greater sage-grouse habitat with conservation
easements and improved many more through
stewardship incentives.
In the end, conserving greater sage-grouse is
about more than just the birds. The species
is a bellwether for the overall health of native
grassland and sagebrush steppe and the myriad
species that rely on it for survival. Conservation
of sage-grouse provides leverage to protect
intact whole systems across the state. “We want
to make sure our work is benefiting more than
a single species,” says Brian Martin, Montana
Grasslands Conservation Director. “We need to
understand the complex ecology of these systems
and keep them whole.”
THIS PAGE Greater sage-grouse in flight © Tatiana Gettelman
Working with landowners, the Conservancy has protected 60 percent of private land in the
Centennial Valley, including areas critical to the survival of greater sage-grouse. © 2015 Thomas Lee;
The second fastest land animal in the world, pronghorn depend on sagebrush for food and hiding places
for their fawns. © Janet Haas; The plight of the greater sage-grouse, which only occupies 56 percent of its
historical range, has brought together many partners working to protect its habitat. © Bob Wick/BLM
OPPOSITE PAGE
8 MONTANA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
We are working to build on that protection
with a suite of projects that will permanently
conserve the highest quality sage-grouse habitat
in whole systems across Montana. Our Matador
grassbank and our stewardship-for-grazing
exchanges in the Centennial Valley are models
for encouraging sage-grouse management on
private land. Earlier this year, the Montana
state legislature—with some input from our
Government Relations team—launched a state
sage-grouse fund to direct substantial funds to
projects protecting habitat on private land.
Staff Q&A
MEET SIERRA HARRIS
Q
By restoring native plants and trees, we create habitat for
birds and help keep the water cool for fish. We’re also
raising water levels to store more water in the ground so it
can eventually re-enter the streams in late summer. As our
climate continues to change, cool water and late-season
flows will definitely help nature and people.
How did you become interested in
freshwater conservation?
When I was a kid, I attended a science camp at Canyon
Ferry Lake that was entirely focused on freshwater
education and teaching kids how to do water-based
research. I spent two summers as a camper and then
returned as a counselor. The camp directors, who were also
local teachers, encouraged me to continue in science, and
water in particular.
In spring 2015,
Sierra Harris joined our
team as Freshwater
Conservation Project
Manager. A Montana
native, Sierra has
already logged many
miles visiting projects
from the High Divide
to the Northern
Prairies. We spoke
with her recently about
her work assessing
freshwater resources
across the state.
Q
Q
Partnering with Montana Aquatic Resources Services,
we are identifying landowners who are willing to let the
Yellowstone River move wherever it needs to along their
property. By restoring the floodplain, we can reconnect
smaller streams and bring back the trees and vegetation
that have disappeared because the river was restricted into
a tight channel. And as far as we know, no one else has ever
done this before in Montana.
Your job involves some innovative work—tell
us about that.
I’ve been working in the upper Missouri headwaters on
several natural water storage projects where we take very
simple materials we find on the land, things like brush and
willows, and put them in the streambed to raise up the
water to the level of the floodplain. It’s pretty simple, it’s
what beavers do and we’ve seen remarkable results.
Q
Q
How does reconnecting these streams to their
floodplains make a difference?
Montana’s Freshwater Conservation Project Manager, Sierra Harris © Bebe Crouse/TNC
The Conservancy is working to reconnect the Yellowstone River with its flood plain and
restore trees and vegetation that have disappeared from the river banks. © Kenton Rowe
OPPOSITE PAGE
10 MONTANA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
What’s your biggest challenge?
The stream migration easements are a brand new tool, so
we spend a lot of time jumping through hoops. We hope
that after the first easement, landowners will become more
interested and we will have “lessons learned” to streamline
the process.
We’re basically kick-starting restoration of these degraded
streams. The banks have been cut down so deeply that
they’ve lost all the vegetation that should be along them.
THIS PAGE
You are also creating a new type of
conservation easement called a stream
migration easement. How does that work?
This summer, after a great deal of thought and consultation, we
decided to end commercial operations at the Pine Butte Guest Ranch.
This was a very difficult decision that hinged on two factors:
economic sustainability and alignment with our mission.
UPDATE
Although ranch guests have supported our conservation work in
many different ways, operating the ranch for tourism consistently lost
money. We could no longer justify continuing to subsidize the public
tourism operation using increasingly scarce conservation dollars.
The Nature Conservancy will continue to maintain the Ranch and
use it to host visitors and small groups, but it will no longer be open
to the general public.
We are proud of the unique place we created at Pine Butte Guest
Ranch and feel good knowing so many visitors formed lasting
memories there. Thanks to everyone, from staff to supporters, who
helped make this place so special.
11
From the Field
STEVE KLOETZEL, The Nature Conservancy’s Western Montana Land
Steward, provides a look into how we are helping heal our forested landscapes.
Status of project lands within
Crown of the Continent
and rely on coordination with partners and
engagement with local communities.
Steve Kloetzel © Bebe Crouse/TNC
I started working with the Conservancy in 2004
as the Blackfoot Land Steward. I joined a team
of two other people in western Montana and was
entrusted with the monumental task of leaving
the land in better condition than we received it.
Today, that is still the mantra I use in my work
to manage 162,000 acres of former corporate
timberlands acquired under the Blackfoot
Community, Montana Legacy, and ClearwaterBlackfoot Projects.
The Conservancy’s work has literally changed the
maps of western Montana and produced cleaner
waters, healthier habitat and a brighter future
for plants, animals and people. From restoration
and mapping to biological inventories and weed
abatement, our stewardship activities are varied
12 MONTANA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
They also rely on funding—a factor that can be
a challenge. Finding money for conservation
is an uphill battle, but one worth fighting. To
keep our work going, we rely heavily on the
Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as
collaboration with the critical partners such as
Blackfoot Challenge; Five Valleys Land Trust;
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; and Montana
Trout Unlimited, all of which help us manage our
vast holdings and carry out restoration work.
Over the past five years, as part of our
stewardship activities on the Legacy Project, we
inventoried 2,500 miles of road and 450 stream
crossings, then fixed all of the problems we
encountered. No easy task. I’m excited to report
that we are only three “hotspots” away from
completion and have removed 60 fish-blocking
culverts, 100 miles of road and hundreds of
illegal motorized-vehicle routes.
Though no two days are ever the same, and some
weeks I spend more time behind a desk than in
the field, I love being a land manager. Trying to
improve the land for the long term, especially
for the wildlife and plants that depend on it to
survive, is the most rewarding aspect of my job.
THIS PAGE
331,472
ACRES SOLD BACK
TO PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
161,535
ACRES REMAINING
TO BE TRANSFERRED
In FY15, the Conservancy transferred 31,000
acres of land within the Crown, most of it to the
US Forest Service.
Western Montana Land Steward, Steve Kloetzel © Bebe Crouse/TNC
The Nature Conservancy in Montana
SUPPORT & REVENUE
FINANCIAL
SUMMARY
Dues and contributions
Government awards
Private contracts
Investment income or (loss)
Other income
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015
Gifts of conservation land & easements
Conservation Easements
Total
5,989
345,122
Conservation Buyer Properties
85,113
168,320
Cooperative Conservation Projects
32,039
566,484
Preserves
TOTAL
-49,698
123,141
1,129,624
5,253,530
5,436,029
977,114
495,522
-
-
721,038
2,000,681
1,536,336
1,456,082
300,000
8,881,750
13,157,015
$38,825,278
$31,427,079
Purchase of conservation lands & easements
$741,588
$571,000
Conservation programs
3,466,913
3,274,370
$4,208,501
$3,845,370
$507,085
$534,676
522,493
446,321
Total Administration & Fundraising
$1,029,578
$980,997
Total Expenses & Capital Allocations
$5,238,079
$4,826,367
$33,587,199
$26,600,712
Total Support & Revenue
Added in FY 2015
2014
30,037,260
Land sale proceeds
Acres in Permanent Conservation
2015
EXPENSES & CAPITAL ALLOCATIONS
Total conservation program
expenses & capital allocations
General & administrative
Fundraising
NET RESULT
Programmatic
Efficiency in
FY 2015
80%
Program
Support & Revenue over
Expenses & Capital Allocations
ASSET, LIABILITY & NET ASSET SUMMARY
Conservation land
$49,201,291
$75,738,973
Conservation easements
105,916,623
105,175,035
Investments held for land acquisitions
22,142,062
12,591,631
Endowment investments
13,281,879
13,129,305
Property & equipment (net of depreciation)
1,144,662
1,112,468
Other assets
1,034,528
1,009,499
$192,721,045
$208,756,911
Internal LPF Loans
$5,027,195
$101,803,197
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities
6,759,028
589
10,189,100
10,208,900
170,745,722
96,744,225
$192,721,045
$208,756,911
Total Assets
Other Liabilities
10%
General &
Administrative
10%
Fundraising &
Membership
Total Net Assets
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
Note
The figures that appear in the Financial Summary are for informational purposes only. The complete audited FY 2015 financial statements for
The Nature Conservancy can be seen at nature.org/aboutus/annualreport or can be ordered from The Nature Conservancy at (406) 443-0303.
13
Thanks to the many donors who made gifts to
our Montana programs in Fiscal Year 2015.
(July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015)
ANNUAL FUND & CAPITAL GIFTS
OF $1,000 OR MORE
Anonymous (18)
Ossie Abrams & David Orser
Jeni & Nelson Abramson
N. Kirby & Janice M. Alton
The American Endowment FoundationMatching Gift
Mr. & Mrs. Scott Amero
Marcia Anderson
Nancy D. Anderson
Holly & Bernard Arghiere
Paul Asper & Nancy Weidman
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Bakstran
James A. Banister
Andrea and Michael Banks Nature Fund
Robert & Shirley Bayley
Joanne & Billy Berghold
Robert & Carol Berry
Mr. & Mrs. James Binger
William Birck & Kim Erway Birck
The Brainerd Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Roger G. Brooks
Jerome Broussard
Rockwood Brown
Ms. Sherry Brown
Mr. & Mrs. William Brown
Dr. Laurinda Q. Burleson
Charlotte Caldwell & Jeffrey Schutz
The Capital Group Companies Charitable
Foundation-Matching Gift
Dr. & Mrs. George A. Carlson
Centennial Valley Association
The Challenger Foundation
Carol Chesarek
Mary Alice Chester
Amy & John Cholnoky
Dorothy Cholnoky Charitable Trust
Yvon Chouinard
Stephanie Christensen
Kerry & Norah Clark*
Climate Ride, Inc.
Grace Colvin & William Winn
The Compton Foundation
Wendy L. Coyne
Page Dabney
John S. & Cheryl Dale
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph K. Davidson
Robert & Shari Dayton
Lin Deola
Mr. & Mrs. Don Dianda
14 MONTANA ANNUAL REPORT 2015
Ivan & Carol Doig
Peggy Dulany
Diane Early
Dr. Bruce Elliston
Margaret Emerson
The Charles Engelhard Foundation
Mr. John P. Everist
Fanwood Foundation
Ms. Kirsten J. Feldman & Mr. Hugh Frater
Mr. G. V. Fischer
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce W. Fleming
Foundation for Community Vitality
Barbara Frazer Lowe
Eliza Frazer & Barry Hood
Stan Frymann & Glenn Yamaguchi
Don & Mary Garner
Gilhousen Family Foundation
Randall Gray & Nora Flaherty-Gray
The William and Mary Greve Foundation
Craig Groves
Molly Hackett
Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Hall
Phil Hamilton & Janet Whaley
Barbara Hatt
Valerie Hedquist & Edward Callaghan
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Scott & Gretchen Hibbard
Dorothy Holliday
Nancy & Dan Jochem
Jim & Nancy Johnston
Mr. & Mrs. Russell Kaiser
The J.M. Kaplan Fund, Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. James Keegan
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Keller
Knobloch Family Foundation
Carl & Emily Knobloch
Jim & Judy Krueger
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Kubit
Joseph & Meredith Kwiatkowski
L Heart Foundation
Paul & Carol Lamberger
Kathryn E. Landreth
Dr. & Mrs. Roger Lang
Dr. Carl E. Langenhop
Larsson Danforth Family Foundation
Dr. Linda J. Leckman
Land M. Lindbergh
Lovett-Woodsum Foundation
Martha Lowery
William & Diane Lundgren
Mr. & Mrs. Allan MacKenzie
Carl & Marilyn Malkmus
Alan Marasco & Deborah Mawhinney
Mr. & Mrs. Forrest E. Mars, Jr.
Mr. Charles N. Marvin
John & Ruth Matuszeski
Allan McKittrick
Ms. Abby Meredith
Stan & Jane Meyer
MFI Foundation
Louise & Thomas Middleton
John & Susan Mills
Jan Milner
Maurice & Judith Mitchell
Edward Monnig & Jacelyn Wedell
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Moore
Skip & Jody Mott
James L. Munoz
Mr. & Mrs. W. S. Murray
Mr. Sanjayan Muttulingam
Ms. Laura Needels & Mr. Michael Kantner
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur K. Neill
Katie & Earl Nesbitt
Paul & Antje Newhagen
Alan & Nancy Nicholson
Angela Nomellini & Ken Olivier
Norcross Fund
Dawn & John North
Mr. & Mrs. Michael O’Hearn
Gil & Marge Ordway
Mr. & Mrs. John O’Steen
Steven Peters & Missy Mayfield
Chip Petrie & Pat McKernan
Betsy & Tod Peyton
Pierce Family Fund of The
Minneapolis Foundation
Marguerite & Reid Pitts
Cynthia & Henry Poett
Wym & Jan Portman*
Mr. James L. Potter, Jr. &
Ms. Virginia W. Naylor
Jay & Kay Proops
Mel & Andy Puckett
Cory Pulfrey
Tom & Teresa Quinn Fund of the
Whitefish Community Foundation
Mary S. Reed
William S. Reed
Remmer Family Foundation
Hannelore Rimlinger
Mary L. Ringer
Shaiza Rizavi & Jonathan Friedland
Edward Rosenthal
Victoria Saab
Sample Foundation
Al & Mary Anne Sanborn
April & Mark Sapsford
Dr. Teris K. Schery
Mr. William Schmale
Schmitz Family Fund of the Triangle
Community Foundation
Marilyn D. Schrader
James & Christine Scott
Mr. Bill Scroggins
Robert Seiler
The Selz Foundation
George & Olivia Sheckleton
Janna & Jamie Shennan
Mr. & Mrs. William Shields
Daniel M. Smith
M. M. Smith
Soka’piiwa Foundation
Jennifer Speers
Janet H. Sperry
Speyer Foundation
Steele-Reese Foundation
Bruce C. Stephens
Harold W. Sweatt Foundation
Takeda Pharmaceuticals NA, Inc.Matching Gift
Bruce Tannehill & Gail Cleveland
Teel’s Marsh Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Richard R. Thweatt
Amanda K. Topper
Nugent Treadwell
The Turner Foundation
Dale & Janet Veseth
Waterproof Foundation, Inc.
Wildlife Conservation Society
Dr. & Mrs. Norman Weeden
Rom & Pamela Welborn
Maud & Jeffrey Welles
West Slope Chapter-Trout Unlimited
Western Conservation Foundation
Whitefish Community Foundation
George & Patti Widener
Wilburforce Foundation
Willow Springs Foundation
Wolf Creek Charitable Foundation
Richard C. Wykoff
IN-KIND GIFTS & SERVICES
Maclay Law Firm
Parker Law Firm
Mr. & Mrs. Leroy Schmidt
Tuholske Law Office, P.C.
LEGACY GIFTS
Anonymous (2)
The Estate of Catherine Arenas
Mr. Leo Barthelmess
The Estate of Jayne Brindle
David & Donna Byerly
The Estate of Julia Dibbern
Sylvia R. Eisenmann
Margaret Emerson
The Estate of John A. Fowler
Jay D. Glass
Gayle G. Hughes
The Estate of Martha Jordan
Carl E. Langenhop
Edith L. Marianes
The Estate of Phoebe Montagne
Doug & Marji Ranes
The Estate of Howard B. Rapp
Sara M. Simkowitz
Jill Ward
MONTHLY SUSTAINERS
Jessica P. Allewalt
John & Susan Anderson
Nancy D. Anderson
Vick & Jean Applegate
Suzy Archibald
Patricia Aune
Susan Bailey
Gwendolyn A. Baker
Francis Balice
Pamela Barberis
Douglas Barnes
Lynne Barnes
Vivian Baylor
Steven & Barbara Benson
Loretta Bober
Sallie Brewer
Angelika Brooks
Bob & Laura Brooks
Art & Amie Butler
Amanda Cater
Erin Clark
Gloria Clark
Patricia Clark
John Corwin
K. B. Crogan
Frances Crowley
Milla Cummins
Patrick Cunningham
Orville Daniels & Olleke Rappe-Daniels
Mary Davis
Kirk S. Dewey
Lynne Dixon
Betsy Dodd
K. Dove
Michael & Nancy Downing
James Doyle
Celestine Duncan
Jean Duncan
Loren Ebner
Christine M. Eckel, Ph.D.
Carol & Dick Ellis
Sharon Engh
Andrew & Paulette Epple
Donna Eubank
Roger & Jerry Evans
Sharon Eversman
Randy Gazda
Michael D. Geurin
Richard Gordon
Thomas M. Gorman
Anne Greene
Julia Gwinn
Leilani Hadd
Gladys Hardin
Melissa Hartman
Dr. Nicole Hobbs
Kirk J. Hohenberger
Raela Hulett & Courtney Tait
Ruth Ijames
Susan K. Imming
Arnold Johnson
Donald Johnson
Mack Johnson
Brian Kenney
Marilyn B. Klocksiem
Carolyn L. Knoll
Mike Koole
Bob & Sharon Kortuem
Mary Langenderfer
Timothy Lastowski
Ted & Patty Lechner
Karen Leichner
Claire Leonard
Albert Lindler
Armand & Arle Lohof
Peggy Lynn
Ethel MacDonald
Dan & Pam Magers
Mike Mansfield
Lewis May
Roberta McCanse
Mary Mccullough
Suzy McKinnon
Roxanna McLaughlin
Donalene McLeod
Angela Melby
Gail Moser & Bill Darcy
Ronald Mueller
Mary Jo Olson
Mark A. Otte
Chuck Otto
Frances Owen
Gwyn Palchak
Dr. & Mrs. John C. Parker
Sylvia M. Perryman
Kathleen Pierce
Caroline K. Price
Marjorie Ranes
Eric J. Saberhagen
Debra Sattler & Dean Yashan
Teris K. Schery
Nadine Shafer
Marissa & Mark Sherkenney
Ann L. Shippee-Brenner
Andrea Silverman
Amy Simpson
Robert Sizer
Patricia Skidmore
Beverly & Robert Skinner
Kate Smith
Kathy & Don Spritzer
Tiffani Stewart
Valerie A. Stewart
Marjorie A. Strum
Janet Sucha
Sheryl Swanson
Dr. David B. Tawney
Heather Thams
Robert Thomas
Dennis Toppel
Martha Vogt & James Greene
Bonita White
Linda Williams
John Wozniak
Dr. Hans Zuuring
Dr. Marc Meyer
Andrea & Michael Banks Nature Fund
HONORARIUMS
MEMORIALS
Nathan Birkeland
Barbara B. Birkeland
Ivanhoe B. Higgins, Jr.
Jill Ward
Charlotte Caldwell & Jeffrey Schutz
Scott Y. Barnes
Dan Imming
Paul & Carolyn Auclair
Suzanne C. Barkley
Kathy & George Beard
Buck Beaver
Jerry & Helga Bell
Benjamin & Lori Bowen
Susan Brace
Gerald Bramwell
Leo & Judith Braun
Terry & Lynn Bright
Steve & Janice Brooks
Chris & Carol Brucker
Katie Burney
Martin & Mary Cahill
Alice Keep Carlson
Robert & Carol Carper
Centura Health
Fred Churchley III
Colorado Contractors Association
Bob & Dianna Cummings
Dennis & Beverly Cupp
Joy Dagraffenreid
Jane DeBry
Joe & Katie Dix
Ashley Ebbeler
Jeanette Evans
Howard & Margaret Fluhr
Pat Campbell
Jim Stewart
Dr. Mark Johnson
Mrs. Karna M. Peters
Jim and Taya Messina
Brennan Ross Bilberry
Blue Labs LLC
Sally Chou
Thomas E. Connell
Tara Corrigan
Maria A. Dimeo & John Cavelli
Larry & Atsuko Fish
Steven Green
Robert Klein
John Morgan
Jeanette Perez & James Jaewoo Kim
Kris Perry
Jennica Peterson & Joseph Vance
Jon & Kay Salmonson
Eric & Wendy Schmidt
Fred & Carol Van Valkenburg
Julie Zamborini & Jeffrey Bohmann
Michael L. Zamborini
Dr. Frederic Meyer
Andrea & Michael Banks Nature Fund
Carla Pagliaro
The Selz Foundation
Douglas Post
Helen Pent Jenkins
Jamie & Janna Shennan
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Loring
Melissa Shennan
Tresa Smith
Anonymous
Hope Stevens
Page Dabney
Robert H. & Elaine Suss
Martha Haxby
Tim & Nancy Swanson
Laura W. Killion
David & Joni Wells
Andrea & Michael Banks Nature Fund
Jamie & Florence Williams
Andrea & Michael Banks Nature Fund
Jamie Williams
Andrea & Michael Banks Nature Fund
Genesee Fire Rescue
Carolyn Green
Catherine & Stephen Groome
Don & Kara Heilman
H.J. & G.E. Helker
Gerald Herrera
Dr. E. Beumont Hodge, Jr. & Patricia Shean
Hodge
Marcia Holston
David Imming
Susan Imming
Frank Jandera
Jane Jandera
Joyce Jandera
Dean & Deborah Johnson
Steve & Melany Klinck
Jerry & Debbie Kotas
Robert Krinsky
John Lauder
John & Roberta Long
C. & T. Madison
Edward J. Mallon
Jo Ann Marchand
Julia Marchant
Jerry Marker
Noelle & David Mathis
Judy Mazo
Michael Meier
Sherry Merkling
Linda Mitchell
Julie Mohler
Daniel & Edna Moore
Dr. Ruth K. Morehouse
E. Charlene Nash
Suzanne Nelson
Dale Peterson
Dennis Phillips
Jamie Poell
Mark & Carol Poell
Marvin Poell
Michael & Mary Poell
Elizabeth Raich
Sara Richardson Stork & William Stork
Stephanie Rogers-Springer
The Segal Company
Betty Simpson
Mark, Debbie, Kellcie & Lane Skinner
Stephen & Jo Ann Smith
Kathleen Smoke Sniff
Joel Stouffer
Nancy Weaver & William Geuder
John & Cindy Zimmer
Dr. Charles Junkerman
Margaret A. Hader
John Junkerman & Kaoru Matsumoto
Jacques Leverenz
Wendy L. Coyne
Bruce May
Gael Bissell & Richard Mace
Dennis & Leslie Curtin
Clarice Gates
Bert & Jane Gildart
Ramona Graham
Jim and Gail Jokerst
The Lampe Family
Jayne W. Mackay
Brian & Julie Marotz
Elaine Snyder
Michael Zajdowicz
Virginia McGehee
Nugent Treadwell
Michael S. Sample
Steve & Jennifer Corning
Robert & Shari Dayton
Newby Ely & Patricia O’Connell Ely
Irene Styles
Dr. Norman F. Sprague III
Cally Sprague Knapp & Dan Knapp
Robert O. Taunt III
Dr. Tresa V. Smith
Anne Thomas Junkerman
John Junkerman & Kaoru Matsumoto
MEMORIAL ENDOWMENTS
The John Roe Conservation Leadership Endowment
Sally Tollefson Memorial Trail Endowment
Russell McMullen
Stephen Tollefson
Val & Mary Ann Tollefson
Gil Crain Natural History Workshops Endowment
Thomas S. Clausen
For information about
these endowments,
please contact
Gail Moser
[email protected] or
(406) 443-6728
*Denotes a fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation
15
The Nature Conservancy in Montana
32 South Ewing Street
Helena, MT 59601
nature.org/montana
FPO
We recently updated our donor communication system. If you received duplicates
of this report or notice errors in your mailing address, please contact Gail Moser at
(406) 443-6728 or [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support!
FPO
Let’s be friends! Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/nature.montana.
Montana Annual Fund
Land protection is just one step in an ongoing process
to protect Montana’s spectacular lands and waters.
The annual fund ensures that our conservation efforts
will endure by supporting items such as
Plants for streambank restoration
Wildlife-friendly fencing projects
Treatment of invasive weeds
Wildlife inventories
Committed staff
Your generosity makes our work possible.
Please consider a donation to our annual fund.
Contact Sally Schrank, Director of Development, at (406) 582-5764.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
© Dylan DesRosier/TNC