Thanks to You, Montana’s Wild Beauty is Being Protected!

No matter where you live, we all rely on wild places to sustain us—trees that create fresh air, snowmelt that becomes drinking water, and healthy habitats that keep ecosystems in balance. 

When we think of wild places, Montana quickly rises to the top. Home to glaciers, wild rivers, vast grasslands, and two iconic national parks—including Yellowstone—Montana holds some of the truly wild, open spaces in North America. Its landscapes are not only breathtaking, they’re vital: supporting biodiversity, storing carbon, feeding communities, and offering something increasingly rare in today’s world—room to roam. 

But this extraordinary place has undergone significant change in recent years. Rapid population growth and increased development have put mounting pressure on Montana’s land, water, wildlife, and way of life—threatening the very qualities that make it so special. 

That’s why, this Earth Day, we’re proud to highlight the vital work of Gallatin Valley Land Trust (GVLT), a local organization glassybaby supported with a $100,000 donation, working tirelessly to conserve Montana’s landscapes and keep them wild, healthy, and open for future generations. 

Park County, part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and gateway to Yellowstone, has long been a priority for GVLT. It’s also home to the glassybaby hotshop, located less than 70 miles from the park’s entrance. Deeply connected to this place, glassybaby is committed to protecting the community, ecosystem, and way of life that make this part of Montana so extraordinary. With 19 conservation easements in the county, GVLT is safeguarding agricultural lands, scenic open space, critical wildlife habitat, and water quality in the Yellowstone River and its tributaries. The glassybaby family is honored to be part of this forever protection.

“GVLT is incredibly grateful for the glassybaby foundations’s transformational commitment to help us dramatically accelerate our land conservation efforts in Park County, Montana,” shares GVLT Director of Development Justin Barth. “We approached the glassybaby foundation with an urgent funding need, and they quickly responded to this opportunity with generosity, trust, and hope for the future of open spaces in Yellowstone’s northern gateway.” 

Yet much of Park County’s open space remains vulnerable. In Paradise and Shields Valleys alone, hundreds of thousands of acres of private land lack any form of permanent protection. These lands aren't part of national parks or forests, nor are they covered by conservation easements. A recent study by Headwaters Economics revealed that Park County is losing open space at four times the per capita rate of neighboring Gallatin County. With support from partners like the glassybaby foundation, GVLT can protect high-priority lands from fragmentation and development—preserving the integrity and beauty of this remarkable region. 

As we celebrate Earth Day, it's a reminder that the preservation of wild places is a shared responsibility—one that impacts us all, no matter where we live. Montana’s landscapes, from the towering peaks to the flowing rivers, are not only vital to the health of our planet but to the well-being of future generations. 

The work being done by GVLT, with support from partners like glassybaby, is critical to protecting these lands from the pressures of development and ensuring that they remain intact for all who depend on them—whether here in Montana or across the globe. 

This Earth Day, take a moment to reflect on the wild places that sustain us. Together, we can help preserve these irreplaceable landscapes for the future—because the world’s natural wonders belong to all of us, and their protection is in our hands.