Victor landowner Danny Roy is honoring his family’s long standing legacy in Bitterroot agriculture through his decision to conserve his 176-acre Roy Ranch in perpetuity, made possible by a partnership with the Bitter Root Land Trust (BRLT), the Ravalli County Open Lands Program, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The original 1890’s farmhouse, a herd of cattle quietly grazing in the forefront of the Bitterroot Mountains, and the open land surrounding it all are what make this place home to Danny – just as it was for his grandmother, father, mother, aunts, and uncles that worked the land before him. Thanks to the vision of the Roy family and the community’s support for local conservation, it will continue to provide agricultural opportunities in the town of Victor for many years to come.
“This ranch means the world to me. It’s the only home I’ve ever known,” says Danny. “The dream of my father, Ivan Roy, was always to keep the entire property preserved for farming and wildlife. I’ve always vowed to honor that dream.”
Conserved in partnership with BRLT earlier this year, the nearly 80-year-old family ranch is primarily used for agricultural production, including hay and pasture for cattle. The property’s diverse landscape of timber, wetlands, and open meadows provide exceptional habitat for wildlife, including elk, white tailed deer, sandhill crane, moose, and turkeys. Located in close proximity to several nearby conservation easements, both completed and in-progress in partnership with BRLT, the open space provides a corridor for wildlife to travel safely from the cover of the Bitterroot National Forest to neighboring ranchlands below.
“I love this property for its history and the beauty. Many people stop along the side of my meadow to take pictures of the view of Bear Creek Canyon to the west,” says Danny. “I can’t imagine this property ever being split or subdivided.”
The viewshed of open space visible to passersby at the intersection of Pleasant View Drive and Red Crow Road will remain for the public to enjoy for future generations. However, while the property is now protected from future development, conservation easements do not require the landowner to allow public access to their property as the property remains privately owned. Conservation easements can be structured to grant permanent public access, but it is the landowner’s decision to do so and is relatively uncommon. In the case of Roy Ranch, the land will continue to provide agricultural opportunities and habitat for wildlife.
“Danny’s commitment to protecting this beautiful piece of the Bitterroot Valley is a gift to our community,” says Melissa Odell, BRLT Lands Director. “His land is an amazing mix of both productive agricultural land and diverse wildlife habitat for birds, elk herds, and so many other animals that use the forest and pastures here. These values are all made possible thanks to Danny and the Roy family’s long-time care for this land, and their wish to keep it this way for future generations.”
The Roy Ranch conservation easement was funded in part by the Ravalli County Open Lands Program, a local conservation funding program first approved in 2006 that was renewed with a 71% passage rate by Ravalli County voters in November 2022. The Open Lands Program provides funding to support landowners who wish to voluntarily conserve their land.
“We are incredibly grateful for Danny’s long-time stewardship and his commitment to leaving a legacy to his family, particularly his parents, in protecting this land,” says Gavin Ricklefs, BRLT Executive Director. “Conserving family legacies like the Roy Ranch starts with the vision and land ethic of local landowners but wouldn’t happen without the support of the community. Funding from our local partners at the Ravalli County Open Lands Program and our federal partners at the Natural Resource Conservation Service helps make leaving a conservation legacy attainable for Bitterroot landowners.”
Thanks to the vision of the Roy family, the Bitterroot Valley community, the Bitter Root Land Trust, and supporting programs like the Ravalli County Open Lands Program and the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program, 176-acres of Bitterroot land is now protected forever.