Landowner Stewardship Guide
Missoula County is a place of stunning natural beauty, shaped by soaring mountains, sweeping valleys, quiet forests, and winding rivers. With a strong sense of community and deep-rooted connections to the land, this region offers a truly unique quality of life. Whether you’re here for breathtaking views, access to public lands, abundant wildlife, or the slower pace of rural living, there’s no doubt that Missoula County’s 1.67 million acres hold something special.
In recent years, more people have discovered this amazing place. With this growth comes both opportunity and responsibility. As a resident of Missoula County, you are part of a community that values conservation, responsible recreation, and thoughtful land stewardship. Wildfire preparedness, coexisting with wildlife, protecting water and soil, and respecting neighbors, both human and wild, are all part of life in this corner of Montana. The choices we make as individuals directly impact the health of our environment and the resilience of our communities.
The Good Neighbor Handbook was created by the Missoula County Open Lands division, the Missoula Conservation District and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks as a one-stop resource for best land stewardship practices for Missoula County property owners. It offers practical guidance on how to live responsibly on the land, support local ecosystems, and be a good neighbor in a shared rural landscape. If you have more than two acres, this guide is for you!
This guide covers working lands, soils and native plants, water, wildfire, wildlife, recreation and land conservation. Print copies are available - contact us if you want to reserve one!
Working lands: Shared landscapes, shared responsibility
Missoula County is shaped by working lands—ranches, farms and forests provide food, fiber, wildlife habitat, and open space. In fact, nearly 80% of private land in the county supports agricultural or timber production. These landscapes are not just scenic. They’re the backbone of our local economy, our heritage, and our way of life. As more people move into rural areas, homes are increasingly located alongside hay fields, pastures, and logging roads. Living near working lands means embracing the rhythms, sounds, and responsibilities that come with active land use. Montana provides farmers and ranchers protections through right-to-farm laws to help buffer producers from nuisance complaints and some local regulations.
Be a good neighbor:
- Expect the unexpected: Tractors at dawn, cows in the road, or dust from harvest are all part of life near working lands. Farming and ranching doesn’t stick to a 9 to 5 schedule.
- Water and weeds: Ditches, creeks, and shared roads need shared attention. Be proactive about water rights, noxious weeds, and fire-safe practices.
- Buy local: Support working lands by shopping local. Missoula County is rich with fresh veggies, grass-fed beef, honey, firewood, and lumber.
- Fences matter: Montana is an open range state, meaning you are responsible for fencing livestock out. Shared fences usually mean shared upkeep. Talk with neighbors early to avoid future headaches.
- Patience on the road: Give space to livestock drives and slow-moving equipment. A few extra minutes is a small price to support local producers.
- Learn from the land and your neighbors: Good stewardship is a team effort. Ask around, share tips, and stay curious about how others care for the land.
The 2026 Good Neighbor Handbook was produced in partnership with Missoula County, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Missoula Conservation District. The handbook was sponsored by Clearwater Credit Union and the Missoula Electric Cooperative. Additional support was provided by Montana State University Extension, Missoula County Ecology and Extension, the Missoula County Wildfire Mitigation Team, Missoula Parks and Recreation, the Missoula County Parks, Trails and Recreation Department, Five Valleys Land Trust and Missoula Public Health.