Why Wetlands?

Preserve rare habitat, critical for resident and migrating birds.

Replenish the East Gallatin watershed for the entire valley.

Once secured and restored, this low-lying area near the east end of Bozeman’s Main Street will provide substantial benefits to the City of Bozeman and Gallatin County. This restored wetland will:

• improve storm water filtration and retention,
• provide flood control,
• facilitate aquifer recharge, and
• mitigate drought for the East Gallatin River

This river is a nationally recognized “Blue Ribbon trout stream,” which is currently listed as a Stream of Concern by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

Wetlands are an incredibly valuable and declining habitat. Less than two percent of Montana’s lands are classified as wetlands, yet more than 50% of Montana’s wildlife depend on wetlands. To date over 100 bird species have been identified using the IAWP.

The IAWP is part of a larger remnant wetland complex, which Lewis and Clark described and mapped in their journals on July 14, 1806.

The restoration of this wetland and upland complex will offer a diverse array of habitats for wildlife within the IAWP and the greater landscape. Significantly, this property offers an opportunity to showcase multiple high-value types of wetland habitats, including rare forested wetland.

Through the vision of SAS and encouragement of many partners, the IAWP also offers the opportunity for creating a local wetland mitigation bank.