Who Is The Park County Land Trust?
Mission, Vision & Values
At Park County Land Trust, everything we do is rooted in our love for this land and the people who call it home. Our mission, vision, and values guide our work every day as we protect the places that define Park County.
Our Mission
We preserve the natural beauty and historic heritage of Park County for the benefit of current and future generations. Through voluntary land conservation, we protect the most ecologically, scenic, agricultural, and historically significant open spaces—ensuring they remain part of our shared landscape, forever.
Our Vision
We envision a Park County where vibrant communities and protected open spaces exist in harmony—where thoughtful growth supports our agricultural heritage, outdoor recreation, and natural beauty.
Ranching families thrive through conservation, wildlife flourishes, and the clean waters of the Yellowstone continue to inspire. At the heart of it all is a trusted, community-supported land trust— working in partnership to protect this place we call home for generations to come.
Our Values
Our core values reflect who we are, how we work, and what we stand for. They guide our decisions and our commitment to the people and lands of Park County:
Local. We are members of the community, committed to the land and people of Park County.
Trusted. We operate with integrity, transparency, and care—knowing trust is earned every day.
Responsive. We listen to our neighbors and strive to be a helpful resource for local conservation.
Forever. We honor our long-term responsibility to protect land and steward it in perpetuity.
Professional. We follow best practices in land conservation and aim to lead by example.
Collaborative. We build partnerships across sectors and scales—letting humility and shared purpose lead the way.
Positive. We approach challenges with openness, seeking balance between conservation and economic vitality for the benefit of all.
Join Us in Protecting Park County
Whether you’re a landowner, donor, volunteer, or advocate, you play a vital role in preserving what makes this place so special. Together, we can ensure that Park County remains wild, open, and resilient—for generations to come.
Meet Our Board of Directors
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Steve Caldwell, Chairman
Steve Caldwell, a former City of Livingston and Park County Commissioner, brings over 40 years of experience in financial management, capital projects, and commodity price risk management in mining and investment banking. He actively consults and serves on several local, regional, and state non-profit boards. Committed to Park County’s well-being, Steve is Vice-Chair and Treasurer of Livingston HealthCare, and serves on the boards of the Park Local Development Corporation, HRDC Park County Advisory Council, and Shane Lalani Center Finance Committee. He holds a BS from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
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Jessie Wilcox, Vice Chair
Jessie Wilcox has been a resident of Livingston since 2007 and is a passionate advocate for preserving the natural landscapes in the County she calls home. She has served on both the City’s Planning Board and the Consolidated Land Use Board. In 2007, Jessie launched the Farm to Institution Program at Livingston Healthcare, which aims to serve sustainable, healthy food to patients, staff, and guests while preserving agricultural land in Park County and across Montana. Jessie lives in Livingston with her two teenage daughters, and you can often find them exploring the rivers and mountains together.
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Ellen Smith, Treasurer
Ellen is a resident of Park County Montana. Her 28 years of experience as a realtor, member of the Eagle County Land Trust Board and as a member of the Eagle County planning board, has helped her develop insights into different views on land preservation and smart development. As part of the Eagle Valley Land Trust board, Ellen was the motivating force for the creation of the Eagle River Preserve that placed the Eaton family homestead ranch into a conservation easement.
Ellen resides in Emigrant, MT with her partner Scot Dowdy and their children. She enjoys being involved in the community, traveling, reading and outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, backcountry skiing and backpacking.
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Dale Sexton, Secretary
Dale Sexton was born and raised in Livingston, MT. His outdoor active parents drug him around the streams and woods of Montana starting at a very young age. He graduated from MSU in 1988 with a degree in Marketing. Dan Bailey’s offered him a retail management position at that time. After 6 years at Dan Bailey’s, he opened his own outdoor Specialty Store, Timber Trails. In 2020, he and a partner acquired Dan Bailey’s. Dale has been the president of the corporation and general manager since that time. Dan Bailey’s, founded in 1938, is an iconic name in the fly fishing industry and is a pillar of the Livingston community.
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Bob Wiltshire
As a long-time Livingston resident, Bob has been involved in resource stewardship and community improvement activities for many years. He has worked as a conservation organization executive, a fishery biologist, and as a professional outfitter. He was appointed by three US Secretaries of the Interior to serve on the federal Invasive Species Advisory Committee, and served on two MT Governors’ Task Forces. Bob is an avid hiker and regularly volunteers as a Trail Ambassador for the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness Foundation.
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Clifford David
Clifford David has over 30 years of experience in land conservation and environmental protection, with a background spanning government, nonprofit, and private sectors. He has served on land trust boards nationwide and consults on integrating conservation with economic development. A founding member of the Park County Land Trust, Clifford continues to guide efforts to preserve the region’s natural and cultural heritage.