Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT) has partnered with the Rieschel family to conserve 391 acres east of Manhattan near the East Gallatin River. This is the second time the Rieschels have worked with GVLT to voluntarily establish a conservation easement, ensuring a total of more than 700 acres of scenic and productive land in the East Gallatin River corridor will remain forever open and available for agriculture.
The Rieschel family was motivated by a strong desire to keep the land from being developed. The property, which offers prime farmland soils, has been in agriculture for decades and is currently leased to produce hay and alfalfa and graze cows.
Having identified the East Gallatin River corridor as one of its strategic focus areas, GVLT has established nine other conservation easements within a three-mile radius, creating a large block of protected open space that also helps safeguard clean water, preserve scenic views, and protect habitat. The mosaic of native grasslands, important wetlands, and cultivated crops in the area provides critical habitat and passage for elk, mule deer, white-tail deer, moose, turkey, waterfowl, and migratory birds.
This project would not be possible without the dedication of the Rieschel family, who invested significant time and energy in the process and donated a substantial amount of property value.
“The Rieschels have long demonstrated a commitment to conserving open lands,” shares Crystal Beckman, GVLT Conservation Program Manager in Gallatin County. “We are so thankful to work with repeat landowners who have come back to GVLT to create a second conservation easement.”
Manhattan Planning Consultant Scott Hazelton expressed support for the project, saying, “Agriculture and a rural lifestyle are the cornerstones of what makes Manhattan, Manhattan. The conservation easement will allow this land to continue to be used for agriculture and protect natural areas.
Since 1990, GVLT has partnered with families to establish 133 conservation easements, forever protecting over 72,000 acres of some of the most highly productive, scenic, and wildlife-rich lands in southwest Montana.
What is a conservation easement?
GVLT partners with private landowners to conserve working farms and ranches, fish and wildlife habitat, open lands, and scenic views. To protect these special places, GVLT uses conservation easements, which are voluntary agreements with landowners that limit the type and amount of development on a property while keeping it in private ownership. Each easement is tailored to the specific property and runs with the title of the land in perpetuity. GVLT is responsible for upholding the terms of the easement. Because a conservation easement limits development rights and therefore decreases the value of the land, landowners may be eligible to write off the difference as a charitable donation. In some cases, landowners receive financial compensation for a portion of the value of the conservation easement. The public benefits from the protection of conservation values such as prime agricultural soils, wildlife habitat, river corridors, and the overall character of our region.
About Gallatin Valley Land Trust
Gallatin Valley Land Trust connects people, communities, and open lands through the conservation of working farms and ranches, healthy rivers, and wildlife habitat, and the creation of trails in the Montana headwaters of the Missouri and Upper Yellowstone Rivers. For more information, visit gvlt.org.
