More Than What Was Seen - A Deeper Story of Public Lands in Montana
Tick, tick, tick, tick…
For many of us, that familiar countdown from 60 Minutes signals the start of an important story.
On a Sunday evening last November, it carried even more weight in the Ruby Valley. We gathered with friends, neighbors, and family to watch a national spotlight turn toward something deeply personal: the future of public lands in Montana.
Members of the Ruby Valley Strategic Alliance (RVSA)—including Chris Edgington, Emily Cleveland, Donna McDonald, and John Helle—shared their perspectives as part of that story.
We were grateful to see public lands receive national attention.
And at the same time, we knew there was more to say.
Public Lands and Private Lands: One Connected System
Public lands are often talked about as if they stand alone.
But in Montana—and especially in the Ruby Valley—they are part of a fully connected landscape.
Water doesn’t recognize property lines. Snow that falls on high-elevation public lands becomes the streams and rivers that sustain ranches, communities, and ecosystems downstream. Wildlife move freely between mountain ranges and valley bottoms, relying on both public and private lands to survive.
Working lands and public lands are not separate—they are interdependent.
When one part of the system is disrupted, the effects ripple across the whole.
That is why, in the Ruby Valley, we don’t see public lands as “out there.”
They are part of our daily lives, our livelihoods, and our shared future.
A Shared Commitment: Public Lands Must Remain Public
The Ruby Valley Strategic Alliance is made up of a wide range of people—ranchers, conservationists, outfitters, landowners, and community members.
And on this, we are clear and united:
Public lands must remain in public hands.
This is not a point of debate within our group. It is a shared foundation.
Public lands belong to all Americans. They provide access to hunting, fishing, hiking, and quiet recreation. They support local economies and sustain ecological systems that extend far beyond state lines.
They are places where people can step away from noise and pressure—where they can experience solitude, perspective, and something larger than themselves.
That access matters.
Not just for those who live here, but for anyone who seeks connection to open space, to wildness, and to the rhythms of the natural world.
A Landscape That Connects the Nation
Montana is a headwaters state.
What happens here does not stay here.
Snowmelt from our mountains feeds rivers that flow across the country—toward the Pacific, the Atlantic, and even Hudson Bay. Clean, connected water begins on intact landscapes, many of which are held in public ownership.
These lands are not just a Montana resource.
They are a national one.
Their health affects communities, ecosystems, and economies far beyond our borders.
Why This Story Matters
The recent 60 Minutes segment highlighted important concerns, but it only scratched the surface of what public lands mean to the people who live closest to them.
Here in the Ruby Valley, we see the full picture.
We see how land, water, wildlife, and people are tied together.
We see how access to public lands shapes identity, culture, and community.
We see how stewardship—on both private and public lands—is essential to keeping these systems intact.
And we know that once these connections are broken, they are incredibly difficult to restore.
A Responsibility We Share
Public lands are more than acres on a map.
They are part of a living, connected system that supports life across boundaries—geographic and human alike.
They are also part of something deeply personal:
The ability to walk into a quiet landscape.
To follow a river upstream.
To sit in stillness and remember what matters.
These experiences are not luxuries.
They are part of what it means to be human.
And they should remain available to everyone.
Looking Forward
We are grateful for the opportunity to share a piece of this story on a national stage.
But the work—and the responsibility—remains local.
In the Ruby Valley, we will continue to:
Care for the connections between public and private lands
Support stewardship that sustains water, wildlife, and working lands
Advocate for keeping public lands in public hands
Ensure that future generations can experience the same sense of freedom, solitude, and connection that defines this place
If there is a ticking we hear, it is not a countdown.
It is a call to remain engaged, connected, and committed.
Because these lands—and the relationships that sustain them—are worth it.
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