Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust
Manager Appointed

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton today announced the appointment of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Foundation as manager of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust. The Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that works to ensure protection of Montana's natural, cultural and recreational resources. It is headquartered in Helena, Montana, with Mr. Spence Hegstad serving as Executive Director.

The Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Montana Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-277, Title X) authorized the Secretary to sell 265 recreational cabin lots at Canyon Ferry Reservoir to private parties. The legislation also created the trust, which will provide a permanent source of funding to acquire publicly accessible lands, including easements and conservation easements, in Montana at fair market value from willing sellers. The land acquisition will help restore and conserve fisheries and wildlife habitats, enhance public hunting, fishing and recreational opportunities and improve public access.

The legislation specified that 90 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the cabin lots would be used to fund the trust. The trust manager will be responsible for investing those funds and then disbursing them upon the request of a Joint State-Federal Advisory Board after consulting with a Citizen Advisory Group and the public.

The Joint State-Federal Advisory Board consists of a representative each from the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The Citizen Advisory Board members are John Gibson and Chris Montague of Billings, Chuck Hahn of Townsend, and William Orsello of Helena.

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