Montana Legacy Completion
MONTANA
Flathead and Lolo National Forests
in
the
“Crown
of
the
Congressional District: 1
Member(s): Rep. Denny Rehberg
Location
Northwestern Montana,
Continent” ecosystem.
Purpose
Enhance resource management effectiveness and
efficiency within and adjacent to the Crown of the
Continent by protecting: healthy watersheds, diverse
habitats for T&E species, open space on a landscapescale which helps mitigate the effects of climate
change, and public access to high quality recreational
opportunities.
Purchase
Opportunities
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is offering to sell lands
it acquired or will acquire during the period 2008-2010
from Plum Creek Timberlands, L.P. This purchase can
be phased over 2 or more years.
Partners
The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land
Cooperators
Missoula and Lake County Commissioners, Montana
*Donation to Forest Service, planned April, 2010
Fish, Wildlife and Parks and Natural Resources and
Conservation, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Trout Unlimited, Rocky
Mountain Elk Foundation, Swan Ecosystem Center, Clearwater Resource Council, Friends of the
Wild Swan, Montana Wilderness Association.
Project
Description
The “Crown of the Continent,” one of the largest intact mountain ecosystems in the coterminous
United States, is a 10 million acre expanse that encompasses Glacier-Waterton International Peace
Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, and the headwaters of three of North America’s great
waterways – the Missouri, Columbia and South Saskatchewan Rivers. The Crown holds the
largest population of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, as well as a complete suite of rare native
forest carnivores, including the Canada lynx, wolverine, and fisher. The Crown of the Continent
has recently been identified by scientists as one of only 23 large, intact ecosystems in the world.
Acquired to Date
Method
Acres
Cost ($)
Purchase
8,206
$40,187,500
Exchange
0
$0
Donation
111,740*
$0
Other
0
$0
Partners
0
$0
FY 2010 Enacted
Method
Acres
Cost ($)
Purchase
0
$0
President’s Budget FY2011
Method
Acres
Cost ($)
Purchase
1,100
$6,000,000
Pending Future Request
Method
Acres
Cost ($)
Purchase
36,000
$54,000,000
Swan River Valley on the western side of the Crown represents one of the most fertile and
biologically rich valleys in the region. Its most significant ecological feature is its extensive system
of glacially formed wetlands, including fens, marshes, vernal pools and ponds, that provide habitats
for wildlife and a variety of rare plant species, including 70 percent of the globally rare (federally
listed), water howelia. The 80 mile long Swan Valley hosts more than 2,000 separate wetlands, a
density 15 times greater than the average wetland overage for mountain valleys, and supports one
of the most diverse and productive forests in the Northern Rockies, with forest types ranging from
drier Ponderosa Pine woodlands to cedar/hemlock forests, and includes the southernmost extent of
the broad valley bottom boreal forests.
Parcels available for acquisition contain reaches of the Swan River and its tributaries, which hold
the state’s highest water quality designation and provide a sustainable, functional watershed that is
one of the very few places in the United States that support healthy, stable populations of the
federally threatened bull trout. Currently, these parcels have higher economic value for subdivision
and residential development and, as such, land conversion would increase the wildland-urban
interface resulting in additional management costs for firefighting and boundary and resource
management. The proximity of Patte Canyon lands to Missoula also makes it extremely important
for recreation use as it adjoins the Pattee Canyon Recreation Area, one of the most heavily used
urban interface recreation sites on the Lolo National Forest. Acquisition of these lands will provide
continued opportunities for public access and a variety of outdoor recreation activities, including
hiking, backpacking, camping, picnicking, fishing, hunting, swimming, floating, cross-country skiing,
snowmobiling, mountain biking, horseback riding, photography and wildlife viewing.
Montana Legacy Completion
Properties available for acquisition include:

Swan Valley - Flathead NF and Seeley Divide - Lolo NF (3,479 acres). These lands are
strategically located between the Bob Marshall/Great Bear/Scapegoat wilderness complex and
the Mission Mountains/Mission Mountains Tribal wilderness complex and provide a critical
wildlife migration corridor, especially for grizzly bears.

Marshal Block - (3,840 acres). The Marshall Block lands adjoin the Tribal wilderness complex,
and the South Jocko Tribal Primitive Area. This area is within the Northern Continental Divide
Ecosystem Grizzly Recovery Area and is also critical high quality habitat for lynx, wolverine,
and fisher. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks is currently seeking funding for acquisition of a
portion of these lands.

Upper Lolo Creek - Lolo NF (456 acres). This parcel is located in the Upper Lolo Creek
drainage, in the headwaters of Lolo Creek. Lolo Creek, which flows through this parcel, is
identified as a Water Quality Impaired stream.

Pattee Canyon – Lolo NF (1,754 acres). This tract is extremely important for recreational use.
It is immediately adjacent to both the City of Missoula and Pattee Canyon Recreation Area, one
of the most heavily used urban interface recreation sites on the forest.

Swan Valley State Forest - Flathead NF (1,120 acres). These lands contain important
wetlands and fisheries for federally listed species recovery and protection and provide habitat
connectivity along the spine of the Mission Mountains Wilderness Area.
O&M Cost
Estimated “start up” costs: $0
USDA Goal
To restore and maintain healthy watersheds and diverse habitats, conserve landscape-scale open
space, reduce conversion to other uses, improve the quality of and access to outdoor recreation
opportunities, and improve effectiveness and efficiency of landownership management.
Estimated annual maintenance: $0