WARD RANCH LAND EXCHANGE

THE 2,208 ACRE WARD RANCH, lying on the eastern shore of Hauser Lake near Helena, includes two miles of undeveloped lakeshore and diverse grasslands and forests. The lakeshore provides wetland habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. The uplands provide winter range for elk and deer and habitat for many other wildlife species. The ranch as a whole provides open space and scenery that is viewed by recreationists using the lake and by residents on the west shore of the lake. The ranch blocks up public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

THE RANCH WAS FAMILY-OWNED and had been in operation for many years. Unfortunately, like many ranches, various circumstances led the family to put the ranch up for sale. This would have most likely lead to subdivision and development of the ranch. For example, one entity's plan was an upscale residential subdivision including cabins, condominiums, golf course and boat marina.

THE CONSERVATION FUND (TCF), at the request of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), acquired the Ward Ranch to buy time while the BLM worked on various alternatives to obtain the property. The alternative that was chosen was a land exchange, as there was no funding source for outright acquisition of the ranch.

IN THE LAND EXCHANGE, TCF conveyed the Ward Ranch to the BLM, and the BLM traded public lands to TCF. The public lands were typically small and isolated tracts that did not have legal access and had low public values. TCF then sold these lands, typically to the ranches that had grazing leases on the lands. The end result is that the Ward Ranch, with its high natural resource and recreational values was conserved, with no net gain of public lands which is otherwise a concern raised by some.