The Kohrs family has secured the permanent protection of an additional 110 acres of habitat along the Stillwater River in partnership with Flathead Land Trust.  

The new conservation easement is on the northern border of a 655-acre easement first protected by the family in 2022.  

“Carolyn and I are excited to add this additional piece of wildlife-critical land to our existing easement,” said Doug Kohrs. “It’s a beautiful piece of property, about 80 acres of farmland and 40 acres of trees.” 

About a year ago, the large property for sale neighboring the 655-acre easement was subdivided into eight lots, prime for development. That prompted the Kohrs to make a purchase to ensure the wildlife corridor wasn’t cut off.  

“Secure and safe wildlife corridors are important for all the different animal species who live in the valley, especially as inevitable development creeps closer to their natural habitat,” Doug Kohrs said. 

The easements are contiguous with a nearly 5,000-acre block of undeveloped habitat, including nearly 3,000 acres of DNRC and Forest Service land. Both conserved parcels connect to the 1,560-acre Kuhns Wildlife Management Area. 

The new easement adds an additional quarter-mile of Stillwater River front, extending a protected riparian stretch to over three miles.  

The river is a sanctuary for traveling wildlife and a habitat for the threatened bull trout and the westslope cutthroat trout, while the landscape is a rich mosaic of riparian forests, wetlands, and fertile fields, bisected by a half mile of Tobie Creek. 

Game cameras on the easements have captured black bears, grizzlies, mountain lions, wolves, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, elk calves and deer fawns. 

“Everything comes through here,” Doug Kohrs said. “We’ve seen it all. 

“Which is interesting, because we’re eight miles from downtown Whitefish. So we’re close, but it’s wild, out in the country, and the animals take advantage of it.”  

Carolyn Kohrs, Doug’s wife, enjoys birding, a passion shared with her father.  

There have been 127 bird species recorded in the area, 95 of which were personally documented by the Kohrs family. 

Another key aspect of the easement is preserving its farmland. 

A mix of wheat, canola and alfalfa is typically grown on the farmland, keeping the soil fertile and invasive weeds at bay.  

“Just as this land serves as a vital anchor for a critical wildlife corridor, the Kohrs themselves have become a cornerstone of conservation in the Flathead Valley,” said Jennifer Guse, Flathead Land Trust’s outreach and special projects coordinator. “By prioritizing ecological integrity over development, Doug and Carolyn have ensured that this vital land along the Stillwater River remains a functional, wild landscape for generations to come.”