Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will proceed with seven proposed Habitat Conservation Leases in southeast Montana.

HCLs are incentive-based, voluntary agreements offered by FWP to help conserve priority wildlife habitats on private lands while also supporting working agricultural lands and public hunting and recreation opportunity. Private landowners can enroll their land into a 30- or 40-year conservation lease in return for a one-time, per-acre lease payment. Funding for the program is generally derived from state hunting license fees and federal Pittman Robertson Wildlife Restoration funds.

FWP staff held a public meeting on April 18 to provide an overview of the HCL program as well as discuss specifics of each of the seven HCLs proposed:

A programmatic environmental analysis and supplemental environmental analysis were completed by FWP at the start of the Habitat Conservation Lease Program. Notices for public comment for each proposed Administrative Region 7 project were released on April 8, 2024, and April 9, 2024. Following a review of public comment, FWP recommended approval of all seven leases.

Detailed information concerning the Tooke Ranch Habitat Conservation Lease, including the public notice and map materials, is available for review at https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/0408---tooke-ranch-habitat-conservation-lease.

Detailed information concerning the Denim Fogle Habitat Conservation Lease, including the public notice and map materials, is available for review at https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/0408---denim-fogle-habitat-conservation-lease.

Detailed information concerning the Swede & Shirley Pfaffinger Habitat Conservation Lease is available for review at https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/0408---swede--shirley-pfaffinger-habitat-conservation-lease.

Detailed information concerning the Gregg Ranch Habitat Conservation Lease is available for review at https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/0408---gregg-ranch-habitat-conservation-lease.

Detailed information concerning the Rebecca Heberle Habitat Conservation Lease is available for review at https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/0409---rebecca-heberle-habitat-conservation-lease.

Detailed information concerning the Alisa Maus Habitat Conservation Lease is available for review at https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/0409---alisa-maus-habitat-conservation-lease.

Detailed information concerning the Barbara & David Maus Habitat Conservation Lease is available for review at https://fwp.mt.gov/public-notices/news/2024/apr/barbara--davis-maus-habitat-conservation-lease.