Strengthening Collaborative Conservation for Working Ranch Lands, Water and Wildlife: A State Conservation Fund for Montana

Currently, Montana does not have a state conservation fund (SCF), a funding mechanism designed to fund and strengthen collaborative conservation projects. Recent publications, including the State’s Comprehensive Fish & Wildlife Strategy suggest that strengthening collaborative conservation on private lands is essential to the survival of many imperiled species and communities. Recently, Montana’s Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks has shown greater interest in creating more voluntary, incentive-based programs to address non-game wildlife and habitat conservation on private lands. In this research, I use qualitative market research to evaluate the feasibility of a state conservation trust for Montana using state conservation funds (SCF) from three other states (Nebraska, North Carolina and Wyoming) as exemplars. I interviewed 18 individuals, many of whom were involved in collaborative conservation. Interviewees had professional backgrounds in ranching, game and land conservation, state natural resource agencies, industry/agricultural trade associations and watershed committees. From this work, I suggest specific techniques to conserve and provide sustainability for working agricultural lands, to address water efficienc