A Place of Abundance

By Alexis Jacobson

Tending the Land We Love

Nell Gehrke of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust on innovative solutions to trail overuse

For the past 30 years, Bozeman’s breathtaking beauty has attracted new waves of tourists—resulting in drastic changes to the land, its species, and modern development. Local trails such as the College M, Triple Tree, and Highland Glen have been subject to overcrowding, excess dog waste, and overflowing parking lots. However, throughout Bozeman’s transformation from a hidden gem into a bustling hub, one organization has been devoted to connecting people and communities to the land: The Gallatin Valley Land Trust.

The GVLT’s mission is to “preserve the very things that make the Gallatin Valley such a great place to live.” Teaming up with the city of Bozeman, they’ve created and maintained trails linking downtown Bozeman to the outskirts of town with year-round, picture-perfect views, and—in the spring—vivacious wildflowers. Since its inception, the GVLT has successfully provided Bozeman community members with 80 miles of exceptional and accessible trails, securing over 50,000 acres of land through conservation “easements.” These ecological, conservation-minded programs hold an owner’s land in perpetuity by limiting the parcel’s potential uses.

Despite these impressive accomplishments, there are still several obstacles the organization is facing in their mission for land preservation. While Montana is no stranger to adoration, an inrush of tourists has introduced dire consequences for once-peaceful trails. According to The Trek, overcrowding can loosen soil, damage vegetation, alter hydrology, widen trails, and cause the death of native grasses and plants.

To alleviate overcrowding, Nell Gehrke—a GVLT employee, has been helping to brainstorm and implement creative solutions. With her assistance, members have been scouting “new trailheads and expansive parking lots, that [should hopefully] mitigate some of these problems without restricting access.” The organization also integrated a new weekly program, Trail Remix, where team members discuss proper trail etiquette for systems near-or-on private property. An example of proper trail etiquette would include keeping dogs on-leash, and cleaning up after them. Gehrke explained that some elderly residents even shy away from populated trails out of fear that off-leash dogs might knock them down and cause an injury.

GVLT rang in the new year with one of its biggest accomplishments yet: in early January 2022, the organization secured 12 acres of land adjacent to Peet’s Hill, expanding the park and preventing housing development on the parcel. On Jan. 18, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to commemorate the occasion. In Gehrke's words, it was “an event and effort that the community really showed up for to help save the land.”

But, the GVLT isn’t finished yet. Another exciting advancement for the Bozeman community arrived when the city’s Streamline Bus service unveiled an additional stop at Highland Glen Trailhead. Due to the trail’s high demand and convenient location, Gehrke deemed the stop, “an example of an inventive solution for infrastructure that couldn’t accommodate expansion.”

Along with implementing several other recent advancements—such as restrictive trail gates and “stay on the main trail” signs—GLVT has teamed up with organizations across Montana to create a like-minded community of outdoor activists. Thirteen organizations fall under the umbrella of Outside Kind, a website designed to spread compassion and environmental awareness both on and off the trail. Outside Kind prides itself on sharing the “best practices, principles, and tips for enjoying the outdoors in any community.”

Each year, GVLT and similar organizations rely on volunteers to help bring their visions to life. Since 2015, they have logged a whopping 1,040 volunteer hours, ending the last season with 13 trail ambassadors—a steady progression since the program’s introduction. Trail Ambassadors help to answer trail users’ questions, manage trail projects (such as bridge repairs or litter pickup), monitor muddy trails or fallen debris, and collect any relevant information on trail conditions and trail-user behavior.

Although times are changing, Bozeman’s connection with the outdoors is far from fleeting, and Gehrke said it best: “The outdoors are a place of abundance. And I get that our trails are getting more crowded, but we are never going to run out of them. I subscribe to the idea that there is enough for everyone.” 

If you are interested in becoming a trail ambassador, you can inquire at nell@gvlt.org and attend either a fall or spring orientation.