The addition of 1,121 acres to this easement completes this element of the conservation protection strategy for these watersheds.

Allen Forest Protection Foundation and The Trust for Public Land provided substantial matching funds. The first phase of the Goat and Squeezer Creeks conservation easement (6,083 acres) was completed in February, with significant financial support from the USDA Forest Legacy Program, which focuses on the conservation of high-value forestlands at risk of conversion to non-forest uses. The protection of these stream segments will further the maintenance and recovery of this species. In addition, the confluence of the Swan River and Elk Creek is a critical staging area for the migration of spawning bull trout. Goat, Squeezer, and Elk Creeks each provide excellent spawning habitat, and their watersheds produce high quality cold water that benefit many species. The Swan Valley provides a stronghold for a native bull trout population (listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act) and the affected stream reaches provide significant fisheries habitat. Due to the high resource values of these streams, BPA will receive credit for its obligation to mitigate for fisheries losses resulting from the construction of Hungry Horse dam and reservoir. “The Tribes, the State, and TPL worked quickly and efficiently to make sure this valuable habitat was secured for conservation.” FWP, CSKT, and TPL each played an instrumental role in the design of the projects. “It was extremely gratifying to see all parties come together to achieve such a desirable outcome,” stated Cecilia Brown, fishery biologist with BPA’s Fish and Wildlife Program. The Swan Valley projects involve the acquisition of 640 acres of Plum Creek lands in the Elk Creek drainage near Condon, as well as completion of a conservation easement on the final 1,121 acres of a 7,204-acre project on Plum Creek lands in the Goat and Squeezer creek drainages at the north end of the valley within the Swan River State Forest. The Swan Valley is located in northwest Montana. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council recommended allocation of BPA mitigation dollars through its fish and wildlife program and approved the Swan Valley projects earlier this summer. of Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). The funding is part of a memorandum of agreement between the BPA, the Montana Dept. Condon, Montana, : The Trust for Public Land (TPL), Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and Plum Creek Timber Company announced today the protection of 1,761 acres in the Swan Valley, thanks to a $10.7 million grant from the Bonneville Power Administration.

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