By Pam Willison and Linda Winnie
In July, Flathead Land Trust hosted a celebration of the Conservation Easement for the Owen Sowerwine property, which was completed in February 2024. It was an informative and fun event which concluded with Flathead Land Trust awarding both Flathead Audubon Society and Montana Audubon with a Conservation Leadership Award. What an honor to be recognized for our conservation efforts in Owen Sowerwine!
The connection between Flathead Audubon and the Owen Sowerwine property began in 1994 when the Flathead County Parks Board needed help with the cost of the lease for the area. Flathead Audubon responded by providing financial assistance and encouraging Owen Sowerwine neighbors to do the same. In 1997, Flathead Audubon took over the full lease payment of the County’s lease, and assumed responsibility for management of the Area. Finally, in 2000, Flathead Audubon and Montana Audubon joined forces to negotiate their own 10-year license for the Area, with Flathead Audubon serving as local manager; and this arrangement was renewed in 2010 when we took on another 10-year license.
Many people have stepped forward to support Flathead Audubon’s Owen Sowerwine project, serving as committee members and chairs, trail monitors, workday volunteers, and more. The award from Flathead Land Trust acknowledges the efforts of these people to provide conservation management of the Owen Sowerwine property and keep this special place available to the public, birds, and critters. The almost three decades of work by Flathead Audubon volunteers and supporters is what made it possible for the Conservation Easement to happen in 2024.
The following people made significant contributions to “OSNA”:
Brent Mitchell, who got the Chapter involved in supporting the Owen Sowerwine Area in 1994 and went on to direct our early management of the Area. Then in 2002-03, he worked with Janet Ellis, Montana Audubon, to produce the conservation-based management plan for Owen Sowerwine that has guided our conservation management of the Area since then. Brent became a co-chair of the Owen Sowerwine Committee when it was first formed in 2002 and served in that capacity for eight years.
Neal Brown, the other first co-chair of the Committee, who served for five years. And subsequent co-chairs and/or on-the-ground managers: Linda Winnie (for 13 years), Richard Kuhl, Bob Lee, Rick Mace, Cory Davis, Denny Olson, and Pam Willison. And Committee members, including Bob Lopp, Lewis Young, Bruce Tannehill, Kay Mitchell, Chuck Williams, Dan Casey, Gael Bissell, and Jeanette Oliver.
The many Flathead Audubon members and non-members who worked alongside the Committee members and co-chairs to carry out special projects at Owen Sowerwine and/or regularly pitched on Owen Sowerwine Work Days, including (in alphabetical order): Tony Andersen, Lorinda Baker, Will Beyer, Barb Boorman, Pattie Brown, Gail Cleveland, Ferne and Marty Cohen, Leo Keane, Linda and Frank de Kort, Roy Dimond, Mary Jo Gardner, Steve Gniadek, Sheryl and Dennis Hester, Kathie and John Hughes, Jack Jay, Pat Jaquith, Jill and Mike Fanning, Rob Ford, Jeannie and Bill Marcure, Jan and Pete Metzmaker, Rod McGiver, Pat
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