Conservation Achievements 2000 Financial Report 2000 Conservation Award Detail Information Conservation Easements Conservation Easements Tax Implications World-Class Waters Watersheds continue to define Montana as they have for much of its history.
Water plays a major role in agricultural production, municipal use, recreation and habitat.
The greatest diversity of wildlife is found along Montana's waterways, which also provide critical links between other habitat areas. Because Montana is a headwaters state, we tend to forget that in many ways, it is a desert. Yet, as Montana grows, we threaten to diminish the integrity of these world-class waters. All of these streams and their tributaries are beneficiaries of private land conservation - conservation that results not only in streambank protection but also in improved water quality and increased volume. Along these rivers, well managed riparian areas are becoming the norm rather than the exception.