State officials initiated the second and final phase of a major conservation easement in the Cabinet Mountains on Aug. 28.

Under the proposed agreement, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks would acquire the development rights from Green Diamond Montana Timberlands to 13,297 acres of timberland in the Little Thompson River, Smiley Creek and Buffalo Bill Creek drainage. The deal prevents Green Diamond and any future owners from extensively developing or subdividing the land and includes a provision requiring continued public access for hunting, trapping, hiking and other outdoor recreational activities. 

The terms allow the timber company to continue logging the land, which annually produces about 1.6 million board feet of timber, according to the environmental assessment released by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks last month.  

The document marks another step forward in a process that Director of Real Asset Sales for Green Diamond Eric Schallon said has already taken more than three years. Officials completed the first phase of the project in July with the establishment of the 34,610-acre Upper Thompson Conservation Easement in the Cabinet Mountains.  

The 13,000-acre purchase currently under review would supplement that project, resulting in a final area of 47,907 acres. 

The second phase of the Upper Thompson Conservation Easement was appraised at a value of about $17.1 million. Green Diamond has committed to an in-kind contribution of nearly $5.75 million, bringing the total purchase price down to about $11.35 million.  

The state will likely pitch in $150,000 from the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust, with additional funding coming from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, the Trust for Public Lands, Avista and NorthWestern Energy. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will host a public hearing on the conservation easement at 6 p.m., Sept. 23, at Plains High School.  

The agency is accepting public comments on the acquisition until 5 p.m., Sept. 26. 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.