Bitter Root Land Trust

“All members of the board of directors are provided a copy of the 990 prior to submission”

“The organization has a written conflict of interest policy. The procedure for addressing conflicts of interest is provided in the policy and adhered to by the board. Insiders sign the conflict of interest policy on an annual basis.”

“Executive director's salary is determined annually by the full board using state and regional comparison data and recommendations provided by the executive committee.”

“The organization makes its 990, 1023, governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available to the public upon request.”

“The finance committee of the board has been designated by the board to perform the oversight function for the selection and the work performed by the independent accountants.”

“Program Service Area 1: Conservation ProjectsBitter Root Land Trust partnered with local families and the community to conserve 520 acres in Stevensville and Victor in 2024. This included two new conservation easements that safeguarded a diverse range of community and natural benefits.Program Service Area 2: Conservation Easement Monitoring, Stewardship, and Land Management/EnhancementThe Stewardship program monitored all 57 of our conservation easements and fee land holdings in 2024.Program Service Area 3: Conservation EducationIn 2024, Bitter Root Land Trust advanced its mission of building a lasting conservation legacy in the Bitterroot Valley by partnering with local families and the broader community to conserve working farms and ranches, wildlife and fisheries habitat, scenic open lands, and public recreational opportunities. Together, these efforts protected more than 520 acres from Stevensville to Victor, preserving prime agricultural soils and habitat for elk, mule deer, and other wildlife. BRLT staff secured and spent $1,669,000 from public sources to purchase conservation easements on these properties. These funds were paid directly to landowners at closing and, accordingly, are not reflected as revenue or expenses of BRLT in this 990. BRLT also continued its partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to implement a $4.9 million grant designed to diversify agricultural conservation, support beginning farmers and ranchers, and accelerate the pace of conservation in the Bitterroot Valley. Through this program, BRLT completed one project in 2024, partnering with Danny Roy to permanently conserve 176 acres. As in past years, staff also monitored all 57 existing conservation easements, along with BRLTs fee title property. In addition to land conservation, Bitter Root Land Trust once again invested in conservation education programs to raise community awareness among both adults and students about the importance of the Bitterroot Valleys water, wildlife, and working agricultural lands. BRLT hosted IN A LANDSCAPE: Classical Music in the Wild concert, held at the Sunset Bench Conservation Easement in Stevensville, which brought community members together to experience music on conserved land. BRLT staff partnered with other organizations and governmental entities, as well as participated in community events to expand conservation education opportunities for all ages.Program Service Area 1: Conservation Project Work Fishing and Recreational Access Projects:In 2024, Bitter Root Land Trust continued its partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Bitterroot National Forest to enhance recreation infrastructure at the C. Ben White Memorial Fishing Access Site and Trailhead near Conner, MT. Through this partnership, planning continued for the installation of a pit toilet to better serve visitors enjoying the area. Completed Conservation Projects: I.In January 2024, Danny Roy partnered with the Bitter Root Land Trust to conserve his 176-acre family ranch near Victor, MT. The propertys diverse landscape of timber, wetlands, and open meadows provide exceptional habitat for wildlife, including elk, white-tailed deer, sandhill crane, moose, and turkeys. Located near several completed and in-progress conservation easements, this working ranch provides a corridor for wildlife to travel safely from the cover of the Bitterroot National Forest to neighboring ranchlands below. Funding for the Roy easement was provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond Program.II. In October 2024, Bitter Root Land Trust completed the 344-acre Ellison conservation easement with siblings Dan, Mike, Sarah, Cathy, and Rebecca in Stevensville, MT. Situated northeast of downtown Stevensville, the ranch is an expansion of the more than 7,000 acres of contiguous private conse”

“Of the $680,155 total in fixed assets, $615,000 consists of 160 Acres of land in ten parcels purchased by BRLT in 2022 for the Eastside Project. This land, which hosts a wide variety of wildlife and is prominently visible from the mid-valley, was likely to be converted to other uses prior to BRLT's acquisition. This asset is held directly for BRLT's programmatic conservation purposes.”