Denny Iverson represents the best of Montana’s ranching communities. His determination to balance the needs of ranchers with the needs of the land paved the way for increased collaboration between agencies and local communities and advocacy for protecting agricultural and wild lands across the state.

Born in Minnesota, Denny first moved to Montana with his family in 1975 to work on their extended family ranch in the Potomac. He inherited his love for land from his parents, but it didn’t become apparent until he was attending Montana State University, witnessed a trench being dug along a farm road that would eventually be turned into a gravel road, and realized the extent of the changing landscape in Montana. Since then, he and his brother took over operations in 1991, and their families and next of kin continued maintaining Iverson Ranch for three decades and counting. He and his wife Charlotte placed conservation easements on their properties through both the Natural Resource Conservation Service Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) Program and Missoula County’s Open Land Program.

Denny didn’t keep his conservation efforts to himself. He joined the Blackfoot Challenge and has served on its board for over 20 years now. Part of his work with the nonprofit included designing strategies to reduce conflicts between carnivores and ranchers in the Blackfoot watershed. He also traveled to Colorado multiple times over the years to discuss reintroducing wolves in the state. He encourages federal and state agencies to collaborate more closely with landowners and address their concerns.

In 2008, he and his community worked through the Blackfoot Challenge to defend thousands of acres of land that served as a sustainable timber source, wildlife habitat, and public access site. Through a partnership with the Nature Conservancy, they successfully purchased these lands from the Plum Creek Timber Company and then transferred ownership to Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. That land continues to be used by all.

Denny’s service endures through his volunteering. He spent twelve years as a board member for Five Valleys Land Trust. He initiated term limits within the Five Valleys board, served as Vice President for a term, and had a lot of fun managing time-consuming deals and projects. For nine years he served on the Farm Service Committee, a USDA extension that works with NRCS to oversee their programs and ensure federal funds were being administered correctly. He now serves on the Heart of the Rockies Initiative board where he works with land trusts to garner more funding for conservation easements and train landowners to address legislators during critical meetings.

Denny’s legacy continues through his children. His daughter and son-in-law, alongside his nephew and wife, are now partners of the Iverson Ranch operations, continuing the conservation practices he and his brother instilled. For his contributions to conservation of the Potomac Valley and beyond, Denny earned the Don Aldrich Award in 2016.

By Kalle Fox