The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) has received a request from the Southwest Montana Sagebrush Partnership (SMSP) to perform riparian restoration on approximately 8 acres on state land in the Bear Creek area of Beaverhead County (T10S, R15W, 26). The overarching goal of the Bear Creek Riparian Restoration Project is to improve riparian condition in an 8-acre portion of the creek’s floodplain where conifer encroachment and channel incision have led to decreased woody riparian cover and lowered water tables over the last 70+ years. The project proposes a combination of conifer removal and the installation of instream structures to address current stream degradation by elevating water tables, encouraging the expansion of riparian vegetation, and ultimately allowing beaver to naturally recolonize the project area. This project could begin as early as spring of 2026 and take up to five (5) years to complete. The DNRC along with SMSP, & MT FWP will be monitoring the project to see how the treatments are working and if improvements/changes need to be made.