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 ptravis@flatheadlandtrust.org or 406-752-8293.