On June 10, 2026, Vital Ground and its conservation partners, including Atira Conservation, permanently protected 800 acres of grizzly bear habitat with a conservation easement on the Warm Springs property. The property expands habitat security in the Garnet Mountains north of Interstate 90 and Garrison, Montana.

Vital Ground prioritized this project because of its importance for regional habitat connectivity. The property helps link the Garnet and John Long Mountains in western Montana. This regional habitat corridor also includes the Brock Creek project, which Atira Conservation helped support in 2025.

Warm Springs Creek borders Bureau of Land Management lands and 11,000 acres of nearby conservation easements. Grizzly bears have been observed on the property; however, many sensitive wildlife species also use the area, including westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, fisher, wolverine, Canadian lynx, wolves, barred owls, American golden-plover, and Vaux’s swift.  Riparian, woodland and conifer forest habitat types include rare plants such as Giant helleborine, Pale Duckweed, and beaked spikerush.

• Total Transaction Cost: $491,620
• Atira Conservation Support: $11,500