In addition to the definitions provided in 87-5-802, MCA, the following definitions apply to this subchapter:
- (1) “Conservation gain” means the anticipated improvement in population, trend, or distribution for a species of conservation need.
- (2) “Habitat uplift” means restoring habitats from a degraded or less optimal condition to a more desirable condition, especially a condition with greater ecological function.
- (3) “Measurable objective” means a specific, quantifiable, and time-bound standard used to evaluate the effectiveness of a project to restore, rehabilitate, enhance, improve, or manage land or waters as wildlife habitat, or to generate conservation gain for species of conservation need.
- (4) "Priority habitat" means ecological settings or ecosystems that provide unique, high-value habitat that is important to one or more species of conservation need.
- (5) "Project area" means the land or water comprising the proposed habitat improvement, enhancement, restoration, or conservation project and where the anticipated benefits are located, such as a watershed, ecological unit, or other defined area.
- (6) "Project sponsor" means a state, federal, tribal, or government agency; a municipal or county agency, including conservation districts, weed control districts, irrigation districts, and grazing associations; a non-profit organization or other organization, or an individual, either public or private, administering a project.
- (7) “Public access” means that the public has the opportunity to participate in hunting, fishing, or other wildlife-related recreational activities on lands included in the project area.
- (8) “Species of conservation need” means a species that is considered at-risk due to declining population trends, threats to their habitats, restricted distribution, or other factors; or other species that are recognized by the state of Montana for their ecological, economic, or recreational values.
Authorizing statute(s): 87-5-808, MCA
Implementing statute(s): 87-5-803, 87-5-804, 87-5-805, 87-5-806, 87-5-807, MCA
History: NEW, 2018 MAR p. 632, Eff. 3/31/18; AMD, 2024 MAR p. 1453, Eff. 6/22/24; AMD, 2026 MAR, Notice No. 2025-274, Eff. 3/21/26.