About 53,000 acres of forestland in Lincoln and Flathead counties could soon receive permanent protection as a state conservation easement.

Comprised of the state's highest elected officials, the five-person Montana Land Board is expected to vote on the proposed easement Oct. 20. The panel holds the final say over all large-scale land purchases for the state.  

Monday’s vote marks the final hurdle in a years-long effort to seal a large swath of timberland in the Cabinet Mountains under the terms of a perpetual conservation easement. 

While Green Diamond Resource Company would retain primary ownership of the property, the terms of the agreement would convey certain management rights to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Green Diamond could continue logging on the land, so long as it follows sustainable timber practices, but intensive development, including construction of subdivision housing, would be prohibited.  

The terms also include provisions to maintain public access to the land for outdoor recreation, creating what state wildlife officials describe as “de facto public lands.” 

The proposed easement is perpetual, meaning all provisions of the agreement would carry on to future landowners. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks sealed a similar deal with Green Diamond in February on the 32,821-acre Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement near the Thompson chain of lakes. The proposed purchase would tack on 52,390 acres of adjacent timberland to the easement, resulting in a total protected area of more than 85,000 acres. 

The conservation easement was appraised for a purchase price of $57.5 million, but Green Diamond is contributing an in-kind donation of $20 million. About $35.8 million is expected to come from the United States Forest Legacy Program and $1.7 million will be contributed from state funds.    

If the project is approved by the Land Board, the state plans to close the deal this winter, said Dillon Tabish, the regional communications manager for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. 

So far, the project has enjoyed widespread backing. Both the Lincoln and Flathead county commissions have written letters of support for the purchase, as have several outdoor recreation and conservation nonprofits. In August, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission unanimously approved the project. 

The Land Board approved Phase I of the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement last year in a 3-1 vote. Former State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen provided the sole “nay” vote. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen was not present at the meeting and did not issue a vote. 

The Land Board will meet at 9 a.m. in the Montana State Capitol building. A link to livestream the meeting is available at dnrc.mt.gov/TrustLand/about/land-board. Public comment will be taken at the meeting. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected].