Sen. Steve Daines on conservation, national parks, and Montana’s future
By Eric Ladd PUBLISHER
In a recent sit-down at the Armory Hotel in Bozeman, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines was asked about his personal history with conservation, his outlook on the future of public lands and his advice to the groups working to protect Montana’s natural heritage. What followed was a candid and wide-ranging conversation about growing up in the Gallatin Valley, navigating bipartisan policy in Washington D.C., and how Montana’s landscapes continue to shape his values.
Here is some of that conversation.
For Daines, conservation isn’t just a policy stance—it’s personal. Born and raised in Bozeman, he traces his passion for public lands and environmental stewardship back to a childhood spent fishing with his grandfather, hiking the Gallatin Range, and sleeping in the back of a pickup truck en route to Cooke City.
“We weren’t labeled [conservationists] back then,” Daines said. “You were just a Montanan enjoying the outdoors.”
That deep-rooted connection to place has shaped both his identity and his approach to public service.
Among his most celebrated legislative achievements is co-sponsoring the Great American Outdoors Act, a sweeping bipartisan bill signed into law in 2020 that secured permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and addressed billions in deferred maintenance needs in national parks. Sen. Daines called it the “greatest conservation win in 50 years”—a rare moment of unity in Washington.
“It was bipartisan… we got it signed by President Trump,” he said. “Cam Sholly, the superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, will tell you—it’s one of the best investments we’ve made.”
Daines is now supporting the America the Beautiful Act, which would build on that success by continuing to invest in national park infrastructure—bridges, trails, wastewater systems, employee housing and more—that have long been overlooked.
“Our national parks are crumbling because we’ve not maintained them,” he said. “It’s not just the bridges—it’s basic systems and housing for the people who make these places run.”
Daines has voiced strong support for North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum as the new Secretary of the Interior, believing Burgum brings the right balance of executive experience, Western sensibility and conservation-minded leadership.
“Doug’s a wonderful pick for Interior… exactly the kind of guy we need in public service,” Daines said. “He understands the West and what it takes to manage public lands the right way.”
While proud of his legislative work, Daines emphasized that true conservation progress requires pragmatism and partnership—not political posturing. When asked what advice he would offer to conservation organizations trying to be effective in today’s political climate—especially those navigating divided government and limited media attention—he was direct in his response.
“There are two types of leaders: those who want to make a point, and those who want to make a difference,” Daines said. “If your primary objective is to make the news or generate donor anger, you’re probably not going to get real results. Politics is about addition, not subtraction—it’s about getting more people on board.”
He added that the most effective organizations are those that avoid extremes and focus on common ground.
“The groups that tend to play within the 40-yard lines—those are the ones who get work and outcomes actually done,” Daines said.
That pragmatism is being tested at the national level, where the current administration’s directives around energy production and permitting have created a complex landscape for public lands. As federal agencies move quickly to advance domestic energy priorities, questions are rising about where conservation fits into the policy agenda. The tension between development and protection is particularly pronounced in states like Montana, where vast natural resources, outdoor recreation economies, and ecological value overlap.
With a shift in administration, conservation groups have expressed apprehension under a Republican-led policy environment, uncertain about how priorities might shift. But this moment, Daines believes, presents an opportunity—not only to reaffirm bipartisan support for public lands but also to build new partnerships that transcend political lines.
In this evolving landscape, Daines and Montana’s congressional delegation have made their stance clear; Rep. Ryan Zinke has spoken out against the sale or disposal of public lands, and has met with regional conservation organizations to advance ideas—and hopefully legislation—that protect Montana’s land, water and air for future generations. These conversations, Daines says, are essential to ensuring conservation stays at the table during debates on energy, infrastructure and federal land use.
Sen. Daines also spoke candidly about his own experiences on public lands and the moments that have left a lasting imprint. One of his most personal stories took place at 10,000 feet on the summit of Hyalite Peak—just south of Bozeman—where he proposed to his wife, Cindy.
“I told her we were going on a hike with some buddies, and I had them all cancel the night before. It ended up just being the two of us,” he recalled. “I put a diamond ring in the bottom of my old Clutterworks pack, and we got to the top of Hyalite—just the two of us. Back then, the parking lot was virtually empty. That trailhead was quiet. It wasn’t a traveled spot like it is today.”
That memory, and others like it, continue to guide his conservation ethic and his desire to ensure that future generations can experience the same Montana he did.
As he reflects on decades of public service, a lifetime in Montana’s backcountry and personal roots in the Gallatin Valley, Sen. Daines believes he stands in a pivotal position and says he hopes to become a national voice on conservation, and a clear, consistent commitment to public lands.
“You only get to grow up once,” Sen Daines said. “And what a privilege it is here in Montana.”
This interview is part of a larger story that will be featured in the summer 2025 issue of Mountain Outlaw magazine, in which Montana’s congressional delegation and leading conservation groups share their perspectives on the future of environmental stewardship across the American West.
