Film looks at history of conservation easements in state
HEIDI DESCH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 9 months AGO
A new film “On the Shoulders of Giants: The Story of Montana Private Land Conservation” in Whitefish will be shown at the O’Shaughnessy Center on March 11. The event begins at 5:30 p.m.
Heidi Desch is features editor and covers Flathead County for the Daily Inter Lake. She previously served as managing editor of the Whitefish Pilot, spending 10 years at the newspaper and earning honors as best weekly newspaper in Montana. She was a reporter for the Hungry Horse News and has served as interim editor for The Western News and Bigfork Eagle. She is a graduate of the University of Montana. She can be reached at [email protected] or 406-758-4421. | March 7, 2017 2:50 PM
It’s been 40 years since the first land conservation easement was created in Montana.
Flathead Land Trust, Montana Land Reliance, and the Vital Ground Foundation will be screening a new film “On the Shoulders of Giants: The Story of Montana Private Land Conservation” in Whitefish on March 11 as a way to celebrate the anniversary.
“It’s a phenomenal film,” Paul Travis, executive director of the Flathead Land Trust said. “It tells the story of land conservation in Montana. Our state is the national leader in private land conservation and land trusts have protected over 2.4 million acres.”
The event is free and open to the public with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and program starting at 6 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center downtown.
Travis said Whitefish was selected to premiere the film as a way to celebrate the Haskill Basin conservation easement. The easement completed last year protects about 3,000 acres of forestland northeast of Whitefish and is profiled in the film along with several others in northwest Montana and across the state.
The film is a 21-minute story about the value of conservation to Montana’s landscape, economy and way of life. The film’s photography captures the state’s beautiful landscapes while weaving in interviews about the impact of conservation easements.
Since 1976, Montana landowners have partnered with land trusts and agencies to conserve 2.4 million acres of private land throughout the state. Given the positive economic benefits such as preserving family farms and ranches and maintaining water quality and wildlife habitat associated with Montana private land conservation, these voluntary land conservation efforts will become even more important in the future, according to the Flathead Land Trust.
The event will also include the screening of other short films and presentations about local conservation efforts in northwest Montana.
Great Northern Brewery will be serving beer and wine which will be available for purchase.
For more information, contact Travis at [email protected] or 406-752-8293.
ARTICLES BY HEIDI DESCH
Children’s book about world’s largest steam tractor aims to inspire
Smoke billows from the stack of the steam-powered tractor as it chugs along, sounding like a train locomotive. At a top speed of just under 6 mph, the 150 Case Road Locomotive moves methodically but is mighty in strength as it’s able to pull 50 plows, carving a large swath in the brown field.
Whitefish Council looks at cell tower contract
Whitefish City Council on Monday will consider a new agreement for a cell tower located at Memorial Park.
Whitefish hotel expansion goes before City Council
A hotel along the Whitefish River is looking to expand by converting an office building on the same property into lodging.