Here in Montana, our public lands are where we hunt, fish, hike, bike, ride, and explore. They’re where families gather, where traditions get passed down from one generation to the next, and where our kids learn what it means to be free and a little bit wild. That’s why places like the Blackfoot River Valley matter so much — not just to us, but to the little ones watching and learning beside us.
As Mountain Mamas, we see the value of compromise. We live it in our relationships daily, and teach it to our. And A River Runs Through It is the ultimate compromise, where timber mill workers, ranchers, mountain bikers, snowmobilers, business owners, wilderness advocates and more all agree. That’s why we are a proud partner pushing to get this legislation passed.
After decades of collaboration, the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act and the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal have come together around a shared vision for this landscape we all love: A River Runs Through It Proposal.
The burgeoning college town of Bozeman in southwest Montana is growing by leaps and bounds, with the wild Gallatin and Madison ranges in its backyard. In addition to providing 80% of Bozeman’s drinking water, the Gallatin and Madison ranges are vital wildlife migration corridors connecting Yellowstone National Park to the Crown of the Continent.
Southwest Montana families frequent these mountains, streams and lakes on a daily basis to recreate – everything from quick after-work paddleboard sessions to multi-day backpacking trips – the Gallatin and Madison ranges see heavy use. For many years now, diverse stakeholders have put their differences aside and come together to create lasting management solutions that balance historic recreational use, wildlife, and the water supply for thousands of Gallatin Valley families.
Photo: Louise Johns
Photo: Louise Johns
The Mountain Mamas proudly support a realistic solution to provide both recreational access and wilderness designations through the Gallatin Forest Partnership’s Greater Yellowstone Conservation and Recreation Act.
Make your voice heard in support of the Act, and slap partners on the back for their years of collaborative endeavors! Just like what we tell our kids – when you work together everyone wins!
As elected leaders representing the great state of Montana, you have a profound responsibility to safeguard the natural treasures that define our state’s identity and sustain our way of life. We, the undersigned, call on you to make the protection of Montana’s public lands, air, water, and climate your top priority as you head to Congress this year.
Montana’s public lands are more than just beautiful landscapes; they are vital to our families, economy, culture, and heritage. From the rugged peaks of Glacier National Park to the sweeping prairies of eastern Montana, these lands provide critical habitat for wildlife, support outdoor recreation that drives billions in economic activity, and serve as a cherished resource for families across generations.
Yet, these lands and the natural resources they sustain are under increasing pressure from development, pollution, and climate change. Montana’s air and water—foundations of public health and ecological integrity—are at risk without strong and decisive action. The impacts of a warming climate are already being felt here at home, from rising wildfire risks to diminishing snowpack, threatening our communities, agriculture, and outdoor traditions.
We urge you to take the following actions to ensure Montana’s public lands are protected for generations to come:
Montanans take pride in being good stewards of the land, and we expect our elected leaders to do the same. By prioritizing these actions, you can help ensure that Montana remains a place where our kids and theirs can thrive, explore, and find solace in nature.
We, the undersigned, stand united in calling for the prioritization of protecting Montana’s public lands. Please show bold leadership and a commitment to preserving the natural legacy that makes Montana the Last Best Place.
The Roadless Rule keeps some of our most wild places free of roadbuilding and logging. It preserves critical wildlife habitats, protects clean water sources and secures areas for us to recreate on with our families. By ensuring these areas remain untrampled, the Roadless Rule is one of the most important protections for America’s wild forests, ensuring they remain resilient and accessible for future generations.
Photo: Louise Johns
HB 932 is a bipartisan Montana law passed in 2025 that redirects a portion of the state’s recreational marijuana tax revenue – approximately $37 million over two years – into working lands conservation, wildlife habitat, and public access. It creates a sustainable investment in Montana’s outdoor resources using revenue from the state’s 20% tax on recreational marijuana sales
It was championed by three key lawmakers: Republican Representative Ken Walsh, Republican Senator Denley Loge, and Democratic Representative Becky Edwards.
How Will the Funding be Distributed?
HB 932 directs 32% of recreational marijuana tax revenue – NOT taxpayer dollars – to working land conservation, public lands conservation and access, wildlife habitat, and stewardship programs. It also creates the Habitat Legacy Account, which works in concert with the Habitat Montana program to make Montana’s state’s conservation and access programs stronger, broader, and more flexible.
4% of that revenue will go to each of Montana State Parks, the Montana Trail Stewardship Grant Program, and non-game wildlife conservation. The remaining 20% will be directed to the Habitat Legacy Account.
Graphics Courtesy of WildMontana
Community Impact
Critically, much of this funding will be available via grants to private landowners and community organizations. Interested individuals and organizations are encouraged to apply.
The following types of projects are eligible to receive funding:
To learn more about the WHIP grant process and apply, visit Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
In early June 2021, the Antiquities Act celebrated its 115th anniversary. When President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act into law, he paved the way for not only permanent preservation of cultural and historical lands core to our nation’s history, but also ensured surrounding communities a steady revenue stream through tourism spending and investment.
Montana is chock full of historical remnants that have carved and shaped our state and nation. We’ve decided to load up the family truckster and explore our national monuments and historical sites…and find the best piece of pie in Montana along the way!
From Bozeman to Highwood, Shelby to Billings, Pony to Missoula, “mamas” everywhere agree on a very simple – yet powerful – thing: our families deserve to adventure with fresh air in our lungs and clean water between our toes, with plenty of wide open spaces in between.
That’s why we are launching a new program, Mamas Rural! where we are doubling down on the Mountain Mamas ethos of meeting “mamas” where they are, and doing what we can with our shared experiences as Montanans.
We are going to turn away from national political divides and dysfunction and instead, we are turning towards each other and the rural roots that entwine us.
EN 
SP