COMPLETED PROJECTS 
 BULL RIVER Project #1: Scalf Ranch (AKA Wood Duck #2)
General Location: Bull River Valley, Sanders County, Montana
Acres: 146
Type of protection: Permanent conservation easement Conservation Values: This is a historic ranch in the magnificent Bull River Valley. The conservation easement on the ranch protects critical Bull Trout, Cutthroat Trout, and other fish and wildlife. This historic ranch was homesteaded in the early 1900’s. At one time it was the site of a stagecoach stop. The majority of the property is Bull River bottomlands, including, open grass fields, riparian zones, and wetlands. It also includes a diverse upland forest. The property includes double frontage property on the Bull River. The river is a critical Bull Trout migration route and rearing habitat. The Bull Trout is federally listed as a “threatened” species under the Endangered Species Act. About 90% of the historic range and habitat of the Bull trout was wiped out. Preserving this ranch, with its key habitat, is important to aid the recovery of the Bull trout. The conservation easement also protects West Slope Cutthroat habitat, an uncommon trout that must have pure pristine water. The river and wetlands are home to ducks, geese, osprey, and many other waterfowl. The ranch is essential habitat for the grizzly bear, a species that is struggling to survive in the Cabinet Mountains. The ranch is part of a key protective habitat corridor for the grizzlies The conservation easement also protects habitat for moose, elk, deer, black bear, and mountain lion. It is a home for bobcats, river otters, a variety of birds and other wildlife. Project #2: Scalf Ranch home site (AKA wood duck #1)
General Location: Bull River Valley, Sanders County, Montana
Acres: 7
Type of Protection: Permanent conservation easement Conservation values: Located next to the main Scalf Ranch, this property is the old ranch home site. Although this is a small parcel it is a strategic property that protects a portion of Bull River and the adjacent wetlands and riparian area. The conservation easement protects the threatened Bull Trout (listed under the federal Endangered Species Act), the uncommon native West Slope Cutthroat trout, and other important fish. It is also home to a variety of waterfowl, bears, elk, moose, and many other species. (See Project #1, Scalf Ranch, for more details on the vegetation and ecology of this area). ..............................................................
GOLD CREEK
A Bonner
County family, in partnership with the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille
Conservancy and the US Forest Service, Idaho Department of Lands
has permanently protected 643 acres of working forest from
future subdivision and land development under the Forest Legacy
Program. Located northeast of Sandpoint, the property, owned by
Jim and Virginia Wood, contains exceptional natural resource
values of national, regional and local significance.
For over 70 years, the family has sustainably managed their
forestland for timber production, cattle, and recreation, which
have all contributed to the local economy. Protection of this
property from development ensures continuation of these benefits
to the community, as well as sustainability of forest resources,
for generations.
The Wood family’s desire to participate in the Forest Legacy
Program arose from changes the family saw throughout rural
Bonner County, where subdivisions, urban sprawl and land
development began to consume large contiguous tracts of
productive forestland. The family’s deep ties to the forest and
concerns the land could someday be developed were reasons for
placing a conservation easement on the ranch.
Quote from Woods
“This very scenic land is next to the Kaniksu National Forest
and provides critical habitat and a wildlife corridor for elk,
moose, bear, and many other wildlife”, said Robb Mc Cracken,
CFPOC’s Conservation Executive Director. “The property has
several streams (part of the Grouse Creek and Gold Creek
drainages) that are very important to protecting our native bull
trout and cutthroat trout. It is an extremely well managed
timberland and a model cattle ranch. We are thrilled that the
Wood family decided to preserve this beautiful land forever as a
working forest and working cattle ranch.”
Participation in Idaho’s Forest Legacy Program is voluntary and
does not infringe on the rights of private landowners. The
program provides willing landowners a tool to ensure their
forestlands continue to provide the conservation and forestry
values for which their properties have traditionally been
managed. A one-time purchase of the developmental rights by the
State of Idaho, these conservation easements assure
participating landowners, and the public, that the lands
enrolled in the program will remain as working forestlands
forever.
The Forest Legacy Program, a USDA Forest Service program
administered in partnership with state governments, supports
state efforts to protect privately owned, environmentally
sensitive forests. To maximize public benefits, the program
focuses on the acquisition of partial interests in privately
owned forestlands to keep working forests working.
The project was sponsored and co-managed by the Clark Fork-Pend
Oreille Conservancy and the Idaho department of lands. It took
over 550 hours of professional CFPOC staff time and the work of
several volunteers to complete. The CFPOC solved funding
problems, wrote grant proposals, negotiated the land use
restrictions and reserved rights between all parties, drafted
the legal language for conservation easement documents,
researched and co-wrote the required ecological baseline reports
and provided other technical functions. These items are required
by law and are prerequisites to permanently preserve the land.
The Idaho Department of Lands will be responsible for assuring
that the terms of the easement are forever met. The CFPOC will
help in this work by checking the property every year through
their Stewardship program and working with the landowners on a
periodic basis.
According to CFPOC, conservation of the Gold Creek Ranch, in its
location next to the national forest, provides maintenance of a
critical wildlife corridor and continued prime habitat for elk,
moose, bear, native trout, and other wildlife.
..............................................................  PACK RIVER
PROJECT #3: PACK RIVER-DUNAGAN
GENERAL LOCATION: Northeast of Sandpoint, Idaho, on the Pack River
ACREAGE: 66 and 1/2acres
CONSERVATION VALUES: The Pack River is an important migration river for bull trout. The bull trout are a threatened fish species under the Endangered Species Act. The bulls spawn in the upper tributaries of the Pack River and use the river as a migration corridor to Lake Pend Oreille. This stretch of the river is particularly valuable for bull trout and other fish because the river banks and riparian areas are in a natural state. The adjacent uplands are well forested and protect the river from siltation and pollution. 
A large beaver lodge is located on the property. There are mink, river otters, turtles, and other aquatic-related species on the property. The river and the adjacent natural riparian area is great habitat for waterfowl. There are a variety of birds, including, osprey, ducks, geese, owls, kingfishers and many neotropical songbirds. The parcel provides very good natural habitat for moose, whitetail deer, and black bear. This stretch of the river also has great public recreation values. The great natural scenery along this segment of the Pack is a boon for river rafters, canoeists, and kayakers. The parcel provides habitat for moose, deer, and black bear. The conservation of this property prevented development of a major multi-lot subdivision. The provisions of the conservation allow some limited and controlled residential uses of the property. For example, there is a small traditional house on the property. CONSERVATION METHOD USED: Donated conservation easement ...............................................................  TWIN CREEK
GENERAL LOCATION: South of Clark Fork, Idaho (Bonner County, Idaho)
ACREAGE: 134 acres
CONSERVATION VALUES: The property is a working farm and ranch. Most of the land is meadow and grazing land. Above the meadows, the pure clear waters of Twin Creek flow east out of the timbered mountains across the farm to the Clark Fork River. The Twin Creek riparian area is heavily wooded with dramatic western red cedars, majestic grand fir and other trees. The conservation easement specifically protects Twin Creek, which is a critical bull trout spawning and rearing stream. The bull trout are officially listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The easement preserves forever from development the creek and a 125 foot corridor on each side of the creek. Besides the rare bull trout, the creek is home for native cutthroat trout and many other species of fish. The easement allows traditional cattle
grazing and other agricultural practices on the property (except for the corridor). The landowner, Idaho Fish and Game Department, and the Avista Corporation cooperated to restore parts of this reach of the creek in order to improve the habitat for the bull trout and other fish. This property is a great example of a win/win outcome – the landowners maintain traditional agricultural practices including grazing, the landowners received financial compensation, and, at the same time, the critical fish habitat is protected forever. CONSERVATION METHOD USED: Purchased conservation easement |
CURRENT ACTIVE CONSERVATION PROJECTS
