Abundant wildlife. Open vistas. Intact ranch lands. Vibrant communities.
These are the features of a sustainable Northern Rockies. Visitors and
new residents help our region reach this goal by becoming "conservation" vacationers,
buyers and landowners.
A Conservation Vacationer is one who chooses to recreate
in the region instead of buying or building a summer home. Spending time
and money with experienced local guides and staying at guest ranches helps
fuel the recreation economy, and it limits the number of new house "footprints" on
the landscape. Taking a guided or guest ranch vacation is also much less
expensive and problematic than buying and maintaining a summer home, especially
if it will only be used a few weeks or months a year.
Conservation Buyers blend their desire to live in the region with
their conservation ethics. They commit to ownership strategies that protect
the region and often work with conservation real estate professionals who
help them understand the needs of both nature and the culture of the area
they are considering. They discover how their real estate purchase could
affect the landscape and local community-before they buy and build.
When shopping for a property, conservation buyers understand both the
realities of rural living and the effects of development on the region's
environment and culture. They seriously consider:
- Purchasing a house in town
- Buying property that has already been developed
- Buying property adjacent to existing infrastructure such as utility
corridors and roads to minimize development of wild land
- Working with a rural landowner to buy and build on a small parcel in
a way that minimizes ecological, aesthetic and social disorder
Once a property is purchased-be it a large ranch or a small place in town
- Conservation
Landowners use sustainable practices to build their homes and manage
their land. These practices may include:
- Building energy-efficient houses using sustainable building materials
- Landscaping with drought-tolerant native plants suited to the region
- Managing their land and livestock with sustainable agricultural practices
- Joining in community efforts to restore damaged grasslands, forests
and watersheds or to control weeds
- Managing livestock cooperatively with like-minded neighbors
- Donating a conservation easement as a lasting legacy
- Click Here for more detailed Conservation Building Practices
