50 acres of forest preserved 'forever'
A native forest, rich in high quality habitat for a variety of wildlife and near the Scotchman Peaks area is now permanently protected from development and subdivision thanks to the work of the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Conservancy (CFPOC) and the wisdom of Bryan and Rose Wade, the landowners. The property is located in the foothills east of Clark Fork, Idaho.
“It’s been a long process, but something we were really hopeful for and worked towards. We are very grateful to Robb Mc Cracken and Judy Hutchins for all their hard work and generous support and all the others at the CFPOC who made our easement possible,” stated Rose Wade. Bryan Wade said, “We did this in part to protect this magnificent forest. We would be happy to speak to other people, or show the property to anyone else interested in perhaps putting their property in a conservation easement. People can write to us at PO Box 13, Clark Fork, ID 83811.”
“The Wade conservation easement forever protects 50 acres from land development, mining, subdivision, poor forest management and destruction of the native forest. The property has many conservation values that the easement protects forever. It is excellent habitat for moose, black bear and deer. It is also grizzly bear habitat that lies within the boundary of the Scotchman Peak Grizzly Bear Management Unit,” said Robb Mc Cracken of the CFPOC. The wetland area on the property provides important forage for moose. The forest is being carefully managed by the Wades for old-growth tree preservation. Over 60 different varieties of native mushrooms have been identified on the property.
The Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Conservancy (CFPOC), the local non-profit land trust, partners with private, willing landowners such as the Wades to protect the conservation values of ecologically critical lands through the creation of conservation easements and other conservation methods. According to Mr. Mc Cracken: “These conservation easements are permanent legal agreements that restrict or prohibit certain land uses such as development and land subdivision, while at the same time, allowing for a wide range of landowner activities such as farming, ranching, recreation, sustainable timber harvesting or limited residential use. A conservation easement allows the landowner to own their land, live on it, and use it for a variety of activities while still protecting the natural area, ecosystem, and traditional working agriculture and timber management forever, for the good of the community, the wildlife and the environment. Conservation easements truly are win/win permanent agreements for the landowner and the public interest.”
According to Kyler Wolf, the CFPOC Board President, “A conservation easement is a viable option for landowners hoping to protect their lands, and some landowners may even qualify for financial incentives including federal income tax incentives. In some cases landowners could be eligible for development rights purchases. We urge all landowners to seek tax and financial advice from independent financial advisors.”
“We had to use several different sources of money to make the Wade project feasible,” Mr. Wolf continued. Two local citizens provided private donations, the Wades paid money, the CFPOC provided staff and legal time, funding was received from the Inland NW Community Foundation, and a small, State wetlands grant was used for some costs.
To date, the CFPOC has helped to forever preserve over 1,733 acres of working farms, ranches, forests and important fish and wildlife habitat in Bonner County, Idaho and Sanders County, Montana. Several other CFPOC/landowner projects are nearing completion.
To learn more about how you can protect your land or how you can support the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Conservancy’s work with private landowners, visit their website at www.cfpoconservancy.org or give them a call at 208-263-9471.