OPEN GATES

Since the summer of 2004, The Rural Landscape Institute has been searching for “win-win-win” strategies to improve private land access for sportsman and recreationists while enhancing wildlife stewardship and at the same time creating new revenue sources for farmers and ranchers. Similar programs in the West have been inventoried, described and analyzed.

We have been working closely with landowners and sportsmen to come up with voluntary economic incentives for landowners and at the same time increase access for the sporting public. A coalition of interests is being created to take a “win-win-win” strategy to the Montana legislature in 2007. The Rural Landscape Institute is providing technical assistance to the coalition in formulating an incentive-based revenue tool and positioning this proposal within the Montana community so that wildlife and habitat management is viewed as a desirable asset rather than an economic drain.