Regarding The Monitor’s article, “Protected, at a price” (Oct. 9): Next time you see a rancher, thank them for keeping land intact. And if they have one, thank them for their conservation easement.
A conservation easement protects land from development. It is one of the few tools available to ranchers to keep Montana the place we all know and love. That’s more important than it’s ever been. Not sure why? Drive down to Bozeman to see what we stand to lose. We don’t need more rural sprawl.
For 30 years, Prickly Pear Land Trust (PPLT) has tried to protect working lands and open space in our corner of Montana. I say “our” because I grew up in Boulder and graduated from Jefferson County High School. I work at PPLT to protect my childhood home from the growth and development threatening everything I love — the agriculture, wildlife, open space, trails, and small towns that define our region.
