KBZK: Senator Daines tours Montana Forest Projects

News Article

Montana Senator Steve Daines got to step out of his Washington DC office to take in the sights and sounds of his hometown Monday morning. Senator Daines is touring parts of Montana and looking at several Montana Forest management projects in the Treasure State.

Today Senator Daines hiked the Chestnut Mountain Trailhead near Bozeman pass, which was the first conservation easement secured by the Land And Water Conservation Fund in 1990. The project allows trail access to public land crossing private land with access all the way to Yellowstone National Park without crossing a road.

"That's what this Land Water and Conservation fund is all about" Daines said about the Chestnut Mountain Trailhead. "I sit on the appropriations committee back in the US Senate, and we were able to add additional funding to help support programs like this" Daines said.

This particular project is an example of how the Land and Water Conservation fund helped fund a partnership between public and private groups to provide access to public lands. The trail head begins on private land and crosses between public and private land several times over the nearly 5 mile course.

The senator also took part in a roundtable discussion with local stakeholders and public officials on issues affecting active forest management and Montana's public lands. He will also tour projects in Helena, Missoula, and Billings this week.

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