Stillwater Development seeks out ranches and historic properties in the American West that offer inherent conservation, historic and cultural values. These might include commercial or residential buildings with restoration potential in growth market western towns, community developments near towns and rural ranch lands, or ranches with awe-inspiring vistas, habitat-sustaining wetlands, a riparian corridor of clear, cold running water and fat trout, elk herd pathways and excellent grazing land.
Some of these values, such as a wonderful old building on Main Street in a cowboy town, or a scenic view to a distant mountain range, may seem a permanent feature of the landscape. But on closer examination, that view-shed across the neighbor’s property may be unprotected by a conservation easement and threatened by inappropriate development. Or the western town’s historic buildings are in danger of being demolished in favor of a chain store. Nearby ranches may have degraded spring creeks due to overgrazing or inadequate fencing. And often a ranch is threatened by an expanding urban edge that makes the current economics of agriculture unsustainable in the long-term. |
