by Kelly Whitmoyer, Corvallis
I am writing to ask you all to consider voting “YES” on November 8th to renew the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond. Here’s why:
I was born and raised in the Bitterroot; this is my home. This breathtaking valley is the home where my children will grow. Over the course of my life, and in the context of my career advising on real estate transactions, I’ve seen and experienced first-hand the dramatic changes that have taken place in our valley (even more rapidly these past few years). The changes are creating a noticeable impact on our way of life in the Bitterroot.
Like many Montanans, I strive to live the agricultural lifestyle. Suburban sprawl and increased land prices have made it almost impossible to afford to live that life. Conserving ranch lands is one of the most important things to me and is a vital part of our heritage. Once a perfectly productive pasture or hay ground becomes a rural subdivision, it’s gone – forever. As noted above, the Open Lands program has now conserved over 10,000 acres of ranch and public/recreational land. It is important to me and those who value our heritage to see this continue.
Though it has been hard to watch how much my home has grown and changed, I do understand why people wish to come here. Our community has the opportunity to enjoy a full spectrum of outdoor recreational opportunities. I love that we have many convenient accesses to fly fish on the Bitterroot and I can go elk hunting just minutes from my house. I can take my girls for a drive and still share with them the joy of our beautiful open landscapes while spotting a variety of wildlife species. We don’t have to take several days off work just to enjoy a hike to a quiet alpine lake and the serenity of nature. Best of all, we have the most kind and neighborly people. Our Bitterroot lifestyle is beautiful, simple, and laid back.
The aspects we love about our Valley, the things that draw people here are the very things that are eroding from our way of life. Preserving the beauty, heritage, and recreational opportunities of our valley is important as we’ll never get these back once they’re gone.
It’s important to me to know I can still go enjoy the places I love and that my daughters will do the same. While growth is inevitable, it can happen responsibly with as few regrets as possible; voting “YES” for the Ravalli County Open Lands Bond will help ensure that.