Tax Incentives for Private Land Conservation Extended
At the end of 2010, Congress renewed a tax incentive that helps private landowners - especially working family farmers and ranchers - who protect their land with a voluntary conservation agreement. The incentive, which had expired at the end of 2009, helped Gallatin Valley Land Trust work with willing landowners in our area to conserve more than 11,500 acres of productive agricultural lands and natural areas between 2006 and 2009.

Conservation-minded landowners now have until December 31, 2011 to take advantage of a significant tax deduction for donating a voluntary conservation agreement to permanently protect important natural or historic resources on their land. When landowners donate a conservation easement to Gallatin Valley Land Trust, they maintain ownership and management of their land and can sell or pass the land on to their heirs, while foregoing future development rights. 

The enhanced incentive applies to a landowner's federal income tax and it:

·    Raises the deduction a donor can take for donating a voluntary conservation agreement from 30% of their income in any year to 50%;

·    Allows farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income; and

·    Increases the number of years over which a donor can take deductions from 6 to 16 years.

Please contact Kelly Pohl, Program Director, for more information at 406-587-8404.

Bozeman Creek Public Meeting - Feb 9th
Running through the heart of our community, Bozeman Creek presents great unrealized potential for recreation as well as habitat and water quality improvement. It also poses a threat of flooding. GVLT is participating in a working group of community organizations and individuals collaborating with the National Park Service Rivers & Trails Program and the Bozeman Parks Division to plan improvements to Bozeman Creek. The group is currently identifying issues, potential solutions and opportunities. If you would like to participate, please join us from 6:30-8:30 pm at the County Courthouse Community Room on Wednesday, February 9th.

Porta-Potty removed from Snowfill.

Ever since GVLT and the City Parks Department opened the Snowfill Recreation Area in September 2008, GVLT has been spending approximately $100 per month to provide a porta-potty in the parking lot for the huge number of dog walkers and others who have come to love Hedvig's Trail, the gorgeous views and the great sledding hill.  The funding we set aside for this purpose when the Snowfill project was completed has now been used up. With the many important projects we are working on, combined with the challenging economy, we currently have no plans to fundraise to maintain a porta-potty at the Snowfill.

Trails & Nordic Skiing

If you've been enjoying the great new Highland East cross-country ski trails east of the hospital and Highland Boulevard, you'll be excited to hear that Bridger Ski Foundation (BSF) coaches and GVLT trails staff are already talking about how to make them even better next year! The new trails have a wonderful "out of town" feel and if you haven't experienced them yet you've still got plenty of winter left to print the map from the GVLT website www.gvlt.org/trails/trail-maps and get out and enjoy them.  Due to better snow conditions on the Highland East trails and a much more extensive area available for grooming, BSF has stopped grooming at the Snowfill Recreation Area. The Snowfill is still a great place to ski with your dog if you don't mind breaking trail. The Highland East trails are not open to dogs.  GVLT and BSF have been working together with Bozeman Deaconess Health Services (BDHS) on the Highland East ski trails since the 2005 BDHS development proposal for this area. Permanent ski trails are included in the development plans, but will be configured much differently from the trails we created this year.  Skiers should expect changes to the trails in coming years as development occurs. 

Trail Maps
GVLT's new website includes a trail maps page where you can view or download PDF maps of Chestnut Mountain, Drinking Horse Mountain, the new Highland East Nordic ski trails, the Snowfill, and the Story Hills as well as our 2007 Main Street to the Mountains trail map.  We plan to add additional maps in the future.

In 2011, we will be publishing a new updated Main Street to the Mountains trail map.  If there are features you would like us to include in the new map, please contact GVLT.

Gift Memberships
 

Tell someone how much you love them this Valentine's Day with a gift membership to GVLT that will help continue GVLT's remarkable legacy of trails and conservation. Your honey will receive notice of your thoughtful gift and you will receive a tax benefit for your charitable contribution.  Call 406.587.8404, stop by 25 N. Willson, Suite E, Bozeman, or give online.

Nordic Ski Source Sale to Benefit GVLT
 

President's Day Sale at Nordic Ski Source - Sunday, Feb. 20th thru Saturday, Feb.  26th

5% of all purchases go to Gallatin Valley Land Trust!

Nordic Ski Source is located at 10180 Cottonwood Rd.,  Bozeman. Questions: 922-1290