GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

Montana Private Conservation Lands

Data Provider Montana Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP)
Montana State Library
Date 2016
Content Type Downloadable Data
Abstract Montana's landscape is a complex, constantly changing patchwork of federal, state, private and tribal ownership. Within these ownerships are many kinds of designations, including wilderness, parks, wildlife areas, recreation areas, and conservation easements. Because information on land stewardship is critical to effective land management, the Montana Natural Heritage Program began integrating ownership and management data into a land management mapping data system in 1997. The goal of the Montana Land Management Mapping Project is to manage a single, statewide digital data set that incorporates information from both public and private entities. The project assembles information on land ownership and management, conservation easements, state and federal agencies, and land trusts on a regular basis.The Montana Private Conservation Lands layer contains parcels owned by land trusts and other private conservation organizations.Map features in this data set are not intended as a legal depiction of public or private surface land ownership boundaries and should not be used in place of a survey conducted by a licensed land surveyor. Similarly, map features do not imply public access to any lands.
Purpose Biological Applications: To assess the conservation status of a species one must know (1) how much of it there is (how many populations and individuals) and (2) how secure or threatened those populations and individuals are. The ownership and management status of the land is a large determinant of how secure the habitat that supports a given population may be. Private lands protected by conservation easements are less likely to have activities that would threaten the population than are unprotected private lands (activities like subdivision and development; plowing; draining wetlands; mining; etc.) Similarly public lands designated as wilderness or research natural areas generally provide more secure habitat for species than do undesignated lands. Planning Applications: Land ownership and management information is essential for long- and short-term land use planning. This data also provides a useful basemap for many applications to help orient viewers.
Supplemental Information
Please be aware that these data are frequently changed and updated. Rather than distribute the data to second parties, please refer interested parties to the Montana Natural Heritage Program for the most recent version of the data. Map features in this data set are not intended as a legal depiction of public or private surface land ownership boundaries and should not be used in place of a survey conducted by a licensed land surveyor. Similarly, map features do not imply public access to any lands. This land status data set may not be complete and may contain errors in boundary locations and/or coding. The Montana Natural Heritage Program makes no representations or warranties whatsoever with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the data and assumes no responsibility for the suitability of the data for a particular purpose. The Montana Natural Heritage Program will not be liable for any damages incurred as a result of errors in this data set.
Data Access https://ftpgeoinfo.msl.mt.gov/data/Spatial/NonMSDI/Shapefiles/LandMan_PrvtCons.zip
Distributor Montana Natural Heritage Program
P.O. Box 201800
Helena, MT 59620-1800
Telephone: (406) 444-5363
TDD/TTY:
Fax:
Email: mtnhp@mt.gov
Distribution liability The user of this data agrees to release the Montana Natural Heritage Program; its officers; directors; agents; employees; and those acting on its behalf from all debts; claims; and liability of any kind arising out of or in connection with the use of the data. Please be aware that these data are frequently changed and updated. Rather than distribute the data to second parties, please refer interested parties to the Montana Natural Heritage Program for the most recent version of the data. Map features in this data set are not intended as a legal depiction of public or private surface land ownership boundaries and should not be used in place of a survey conducted by a licensed land surveyor. Similarly, map features do not imply public access to any lands. This land status data set may not be complete and may contain errors in boundary locations and/or coding. The Montana Natural Heritage Program makes no representations or warranties whatsoever with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the data and assumes no responsibility for the suitability of the data for a particular purpose. The Montana Natural Heritage Program will not be liable for any damages incurred as a result of errors in this data set.
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Metadata date 12/30/2016

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