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Missoula conservation lands program reports staff growth, larger budget and new seasonal hires
Summary
Program staff presented an annual report noting expanded staffing, new seasonal positions funded by grants, an increase in volunteer hours and steady nonfederal grant support.
The Missoula Conservation Lands program reported expanded staff and a larger operating budget during the March update to the Conservation Lands Advisory Committee (CLAC).
Peter, program specialist, told the committee the program now has roughly 11 staff plus additional seasonal hires and that internal capacity has increased to support forestry, restoration, trails work and volunteer coordination. He said staff count will include several seasonal positions this year and that the team is hiring a seasonal trail steward to do evenings and weekend outreach work.
The expansion follows a multi-year growth in funding tied to the city's conservation stewardship mill levy and several state grants. Peter said most of the grants the program holds are state rather than federal awards. He told CLAC the program received roughly $263,492 in grant awards for 2024 from a mix of sources including the National Recreation Trails Program and Montana trust funds and that one specific award is a Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program grant worth "a little over $78,000 a year for five years."
Program leaders emphasized the shift to more in-house work. Peter said the department is investing in internal capacity rather than relying only on contractors, adding that payroll now represents a larger share of expenses as the group added positions such as an outreach and stewardship program coordinator.
Mike, outreach and stewardship program coordinator, described a substantial increase in volunteer engagement: 328 volunteers contributed 2,129 hours in 2024, which the program values at about $48,000 in community-contributed time. Mike said volunteer events and partnership work with local groups will expand this year.
Committee members asked about long-term stability of grant-funded staff. Peter said several awards are multi-year but acknowledged that reliance on external funding raises questions about sustaining positions if grant revenue ends. He told CLAC the program is pursuing a mix of recurring state grants and local revenue to reduce that risk.
Why it matters: CLAC members and staff framed the increase in staff and volunteer capacity as a way to deliver more maintenance, restoration and public-facing work while preparing to manage a larger portfolio of projects. The program signaled plans for continuing to recruit and train staff and volunteers to meet higher project loads.
The presentation concluded with committee discussion about workforce development, annual work plans and how to sustain capacity if specific grant streams change.
