Montana family protects wildlife haven for future generations
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Sean and Melodye Rooney of Montana permanently protected 57 acres of their land along the Stillwater River, ensuring it remains undeveloped.
In 2003, the Rooneys and Sean’s parents purchased the property after seeing evidence of bears, wolves, and mountain lions there. They have since monitored wildlife on the land, documenting many species including grizzly bears, moose, and bald eagles.
The Rooneys’ property contributes to Snapshot USA, a national camera-trapping project coordinated by the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, which studies mammal populations across the United States. Their daughter, Brigit Rooney, coordinates the survey and will co-author research based on the data collected. The conservation easement, held by Flathead Land Trust, prevents future subdivision and development while allowing the Rooneys to continue living on the land and farming nearly 20 acres of hay.
The protected area also includes vital wetlands and riverfront habitat for species like bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout, and connects to existing conservation easements and forest lands, expanding the network of protected open space in the region.
