There is nothing like a grandchild to conjure up memories of the past, and provide glimpses into the future. When I watch my grandkids swim in the clear waters of Beaver Lake, see the marvel in their eyes when they catch their first fish, and when they ride their bikes on the Whitefish Trail, it reminds me how lucky I am to have experienced this special place as a boy, and how lucky they are it is all still here for them to experience.
But most of all, through the hard work of this town and this state, the clean water, scenic landscape, and forest lands we enjoy will be here for generations to come.
When the time came in 2012 for the governor of the state of Montana to decide whether to permanently protect these lands, my family, with all eight grandchildren in tow, made the trip to the state Capitol in Helena to be part of something that is both their heritage and their future.
Since 2004, when Whitefish Legacy Partners, DNRC, and a diverse group of community members completed the Whitefish School Trust Lands Neighborhood Plan, we have been working on a new model to provide revenue for our schools while securing the important state lands around Whitefish for recreation, conservation, and education.
The main idea of the plan is to generate more money than ever for schools and universities through compatible forest management and traditional recreation activities, without having to sell the 13,000 acres of public land that surrounds Whitefish to private developers.
In the eight years since the Neighborhood Plan was adopted, we’ve made great strides. We have protected 3,200 acres, generated $10 million for Montana’s schools and universities, and all while keeping the lands open and available for traditional uses, including timber harvesting.
In fact, these conservation and recreation transactions have generated more money from these lands for Montana’s schools and universities than ever before. First, the forests will be managed, as they have been for decades by the state, to provide both a steady stream of forest products for area mills and a steady stream of revenue for Montana’s schools. Just in the past three months alone, the state is offering two timber sales which are projected to bring in between $1,000-1,300 per acre, totaling $2.6 million. The plan is working and we live in a new day where timber harvesting and recreation-based conservation work together to serve our kids and schools, provide economic development and keep our public lands open for our community and visitors.
In addition to the traditional timber revenues and other annual recreation leases and licenses, money from the sale of this recreation easement, placed in the permanent fund, will generate nearly $500,000 every year for Montana’s schools.
During these past eight years, we’ve also built 22 miles of world-class trails with five trailheads and have plans to continue the trail system throughout the beloved Beaver Lakes area, to secure designated recreation in the Spencer Mountain area, and to continue constructing new segments of the Whitefish Trail annually.
Hopefully my grandchildren will remember the trip to Capitol. But one thing is certain: Whitefish’s heritage is alive and well. The greatness that Whitefish offers will be there for the next generation.
Lin Akey is the chair of Whitefish Legacy Partners.