Story and photos courtesy of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust.

Warfield Ranch

More than 1,500 acres of scenic agricultural land in Paradise Valley’s Mill Creek drainage will remain intact and undeveloped through a conservation easement established by Alan and Laurie Redfield and Sarah Nollmeyer.

About the Ranch

The Warfield Ranch, purchased in 1947 by Laurie and Sarah’s parents, James and Margery Warfield, supports a cow-calf operation, productive hay ground, and timberland that is a “Certified Family Forest” by the American Tree Farm System. Bounded by Mill Creek to the northeast and national forest to the south, the property provides critical wildlife habitat for a variety of species in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Laurie and her sister, Sarah, were raised on the ranch. Deeply connected to the land, community, and rural lifestyle, Laurie and her husband, Alan Redfield, a fourth-generation Montanan, raised their twin daughters, Katie and Jodi, there as well. The family continues to manage the ranch, along with Sarah. Now grown, Katie and Jodi come to the ranch frequently to help their parents as the third generation to steward the land.

"Our kids were raised in the same way we were," said Laurie. "We were turned loose. When you have that kind of childhood, it’s woven into your personal fabric."

Why the Landowner Chose Permanent Protection

Seeing the impact of rapid development in the Paradise Valley and throughout Park County has been painful for the Redfields. Passionate about keeping their land open and available for agriculture for future generations, they researched conservation easements, which are voluntary land protection agreements with landowners that limit the type and amount of development on a property while keeping it in private ownership.

“I have researched conservation easements for 20 years,” said Alan, a former Montana legislator who strongly supports private property rights and protecting Montana agriculture. “The process has changed. It’s become more refined.”

Their daughter Katie said the decision was easy because the agreement allows the family to retain options about operating the ranch.

"It allows us to preserve the property like we see it. It’s part of a transition plan. A lot of ranches have to look at this. It makes us feel better that it’s taken care of." Alan Redfield

How the Land Was Protected

The Redfields donated a substantial amount of property value to create the conservation easement. The easement was also made possible, in part, by funding from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project awarded in 2022 to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust-led Upper Yellowstone Watershed Conservation Partnership, along with contributions from local philanthropists.

NRCS’s RCPP easements are intended to complement other NRCS easement programs, filling the gaps other NRCS easement programs don’t address. They can be used to conserve various eligible land types that meet the goals of the RCPP project. RCPP easements provide expanded opportunities to tailor easement structure specifically to RCPP project purposes.

What Was Accomplished

Redfields have built a life and community around land stewardship. They are committed to protecting agriculture and open space in the Paradise Valley.

"When you’ve been with the land this long, it’s not just a chunk of ground, it’s your heartbeat." Laurie Redfield

About the Partners

Gallatin Valley Land Trust

Gallatin Valley Land Trust connects people, communities, and open lands through conservation of working farms and ranches, healthy rivers and wildlife habitat, and the creation of trails in the Montana headwaters of the Missouri and Upper Yellowstone Rivers.

Northern Yellowstone Open Lands

Northern Yellowstone Open Lands is a regional initiative of GVLT serving Park County, Montana, landowners and communities who are committed to preserving the region’s unparalleled natural landscapes and working lands.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

NRCS provides America’s farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, helping the environment and agriculture operations.