McDonnell Farm secures 130th GVLT easement, preserving nearly 1,600 acres
By Lilly Keller
Bozeman Daily Chronilcle
Nearly 1,600 acres of farmland between Three Forks and Manhattan will remain undeveloped after McDonnell Farms finalized a conservation easement with the Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), marking the nonprofit’s 130th easement since 1990.
Steve and John McDonnell, a father and son team and the fourth and fifth generations of McDonnell farmers in the valley, partnered with GVLT to secure an agreement ensuring the property remains open for agriculture. Their family’s presence in the Three Forks region dates back to McDonnell’s great-grandfather, who was an original homesteader in the Montana Territory’s headwaters region.
The 1,591-acre farm has been in production under the McDonnell name since just after the Great Depression. Today, it produces hay, grains and grass seeds, as well as pasture and winter feed for cattle.
Prompted by growing development pressures, the McDonnell family established the easement to preserve their land for agricultural production.
“I have watched this valley change so much,” said John McDonnell in a July 29 press release. “I don’t ever want to see this property, which has been in my family for generations, get covered in asphalt and houses. This is the best vehicle to protect the land while still allowing us to use it.”
Since 1990, Gallatin County has seen significant expansion, with 15% of all Montana homes built here. According to a Headwaters Economics report, between 1990 and 2016, over 43,000 acres — equivalent to 146 square miles — were converted from open space to residential development. Additionally, from 2001 to 2016, the county’s population grew three times faster than the rest of the state.
To combat this rapid development, some landowners opt for conservation easements. These are voluntary agreements between a landowner and a land trust such as GVLT, where the landowner donates development rights to ensure the property remains undeveloped.
Even if the land is sold, the easement remains in place. Due to restrictions on development, the land may lose value; however, the landowner is typically compensated for this loss through financial compensation or tax credits.
Since 2000, the voter-approved Gallatin County Open Lands Program has compensated landowners, including farmers and ranchers, for the lost development value, making it financially feasible to conserve properties that might otherwise be sold. Voters renewed funding for the Open Lands Program in 2018.
Since its inception, the Lands Program has conserved over 50,000 acres, equivalent to 78 square miles — more than three times the size of Bozeman. The program’s bond funding also secures matching funds from government conservation easement programs, leveraging taxpayer dollars at a five-to-one ratio, according to GVLT.
To establish the easement, the McDonnell family donated a significant portion of the property’s value. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) matched this donation, and additional funding was provided by the Gallatin Valley Open Lands Program.
Within a 5-mile radius of the property, there are two state parks, a large block of public land and five conservation easements totaling over 5,700 acres of protected land.
“It’s an iconic property” said Kelsie Huyser, GVLT Conservation project manager. “It’s a privilege to be able to partner with these families. They have such a big history and deep connection with this land. Ultimately, the conservation easement enables them to keep these working lands in working hands.”
Since the 1990s, GVLT has partnered with private landowners to conserve nearly 70,000 acres.