In a decisive step that locks the future of a 57‑acre parcel of Stillwater River land, the Rooney family entered a conservation easement with the Flathead Land Trust, forever forbidding subdivision and development.
The Rooneys, who first set foot in the Flathead Valley when Sean's grandfather homesteaded near Cut Bank in the early 1900s, purchased the property in 2003 with his parents. They have lived there year‑round, turning the land into a working ranch that produces more than 20 acres of hay while maintaining wetlands, riparian forest, and shrubland.
Camera traps have turned the ranch into a wildlife laboratory, recording grizzly bears, mountain lions, gray wolves, moose, river otters, and bald eagles. In 2025 the family launched a habitat‑enhancement project to restore a ponded area, adding another layer to the ecological value.
The easement, signed by the Rooneys and overseen by Flathead Land Trust's Ryan Hunter, preserves the land in perpetuity while allowing the owners to retain ownership and continue hay production.
The property already borders two other Flathead Land Trust easements and lies adjacent to U.S. Forest Service and Stillwater State Forest lands, creating a contiguous corridor that bolsters habitat connectivity along the Stillwater River and Highway 93.
The next phase will see ongoing monitoring by the Flathead Land Trust and the Smithsonian’s Snapshot USA program, with the Rooneys committing to keep the easement in force for future generations.