FIVE VALLEYS LAND TRUST INC

Our Conservation Goals for 2021to 2024 are designed to meet the changing needs of Western Montana and to set up Five Valleys Land Trust for continued progress as we enter our second 50 years as an organization. Our goals are:

1. Protect large landscape wildlife connectivity corridors and the agricultural lands that sustain them.
2. Ensure the lands under our care are responsibly stewarded in perpetuity.
3. Expand equitable public access to to community open spaces.
4. Support Western Montana's climate adaptation and resilience.

1. Five Valleys’ service area is key to large landscape wildlife habitat connectivity in the northern Rockies.
Private land conservation within our service area is necessary for keeping the larger landscapes
connected and intact so that wildlife have the necessary area to travel within range. Protecting key
agricultural lands that feature high quality habitat including montane grasslands and soils of
agricultural importance as well as the role of critical land steward work that ranchers and farmers
provide is key to creating connected, healthy and resilient wildlife habitat and working lands across
western Montana.
2. Five Valleys will effectively steward all protected lands (conservation easements and fee lands) in its
portfolio by allocating necessary resources and regularly updating methods to state-of-the-art
standards in the land trust network.
3. Publicly accessible community open spaces provide vibrant and critical infrastructure for
communities to thrive as well as places that strive to provide a more equitable and inclusive place for
people to invest in physical, mental, and spiritual health through connection to the land. As Five Valleys moves into its second half-century the organization will place moreemphasis on improving equitable access to open space. Five Valleys public access approach will include protection of new properties and engaging a more diverse cross-section of the community on Five Valleys fee lands and active open space projects. In addition, the organization will advance equity within its service area by developing public access projects in communities that have limited open space or outdoor recreation opportunities. Finally, Five Valleys will leverage public awareness and engagement to grow fundraising revenue in support of the financial health goals.

4. Five Valleys aims to carefully and thoughtfully find common ground around issues of climate change relevant to land conservation. This will be established by listening to and engaging with our landowners, community members, and agency and NGO partners. Five Valleys will gather information and craft strategic partnerships and educational efforts to engage our members in learning about the role of conservation in building resilient and
adaptive landscapes to help address climate change.
In addition to the education and communications efforts, Five Valleys will utilize climate change
modeling detailed in our Conservation Plan to prioritize projects that address climate adaptation and
resilience. Five Valleys will also develop stewardship practices that prioritize climate adaptation and
resilience such as carbon sequestration on grasslands, forest management for risk-reduction of
wildfire to adjacent communities, and forest health improvement.

Protection. Combine science with community input to identify and conserve the places that are most important to our communities. Facilitate conservation by initiating and leading conservation projects.!

Stewardship. Ensure the long-term health and benefits of conserved lands through sound science, responsible stewardship, restoration, and education.

Innovation. Develop new tools and organizational capabilities to support enduring, voluntary land conservation.

Education. Promote and communicate the benefits of conservation to critical audiences; work with partners who can provide educational opportunities on Five Valleys' conserved lands.

Public Policy. Provide information and influence on public issues critical to private, voluntary land conservation.

Engagement. Create opportunities to connect people to the places Five Valleys conserves.

Human Resources. Attract and retain effective volunteer leaders and professional staff. Invest in the growth and development of board and staff capability and capacity.

Revenue. Develop diverse, flexible, and sufficient funding to support short- and long-term needs of the organization, both programmatic and operational. Continue to develop the board's role in fund development, supported by a culture of accountability and by systems and structures that increase fundraising effectiveness.

Systems and Planning. Develop and update key plans, policies, and administrative systems to support overall organizational effectiveness. Identify opportunities for increased efficiencies.

Since 1972 Five Valleys has protected nearly 100,000 acres of land in Western Montana. As we look forward to to start of our next 50 years, we will continue to build upon this legacy of land conservation while also ensuring perpetual funding for stewardship, expanded public access, and more emphasis on projects that benefit all.