KALISPELL — Thousands of acres of land in the Cabinet Mountains are now protected under the Montana Great Outdoors Conservation Easement following a Monday vote in Helena.

The Montana Land Board approved phase two of the permanent easement in a 4-to-1 vote, protecting 53,000 acres of land between Kalispell and Libby .

Phase one passed in 2024, protecting nearly 33,000 acres owned by the Green Diamond Resource Company.

Now, the easement totals just under 86,000 protected acres between both phases.

The conservation easement keeps public access assured and ensures the land will not be subdivided or sold off.

Led by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the easement aims to help on many other fronts too.

"We have really considered this a win-win. It's a win for public access, for hunting a

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