State wildlife officials are gauging public interest in a 1,131-acre conservation easement bordering Herron Park.

Flathead Land Trust purchased the land from a nonprofit associated with Southern Pine Plantations earlier this year, marking a new milestone in a longstanding effort to secure a continuous public land corridor between Foys Lake and Blacktail Mountain. 

The nonprofit is now working with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to secure the property, which lies directly south of Herron Park, under the terms of a perpetual conservation easement. The conditions would prohibit subdivision or extensive development on the property and ensure permanent free public recreational access to 12 miles of forest roads and trails, including a 3.5-mile segment of the Foys to Blacktail Trail. 

The easement would also conserve a year-round habitat and a movement corridor for elk, deer, moose, bears and other wildlife, which state officials said could alleviate human-wildlife conflicts in nearby neighborhoods. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks would likely pay for the conservation easement with dollars from the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program and other grant funds raised by Flathead Land Trust.  

Once the conservation easement is finalized, Flathead Land Trust plans to transfer primary ownership of the property to Foys to Blacktail Trails, a nonprofit dedicated to maintaining and expanding non-commercial outdoor recreation opportunities in the Flathead Valley. The latter will be responsible for guiding recreational growth on the property, including the development of new trail connections and active management of the forest to mitigate wildfire risk.   

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park is accepting public comment on the project through July 4. Comments may be emailed to Leah Breidinger at [email protected]. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 406-758-4433 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.