Gianforte, Forest Service Announce First Shared Forest Management

Last week, Gov. Greg Gianforte and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz announced two priority forest landscapes in Montana that will serve as the first major project areas under the state’s new Shared Stewardship Agreement, a long-term partnership aimed at reducing wildfire risk, improving forest health, and supporting Montana’s timber industry.

The announcement came during a press conference at the Montana State Capitol, where state and federal officials outlined plans for coordinated forest management across large sections of northwest and western Montana.

The two initial landscapes include approximately 213,910 acres across the Flathead and Kootenai National Forests and another 200,000 acres within the Bitterroot National Forest. Officials said the areas were selected based on wildfire threats to nearby communities and infrastructure, opportunities for coordinated management, and the readiness of projects to move forward.

“This is shared stewardship in action – starting with local knowledge of the landscape,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “When we plan treatments together – fuels reduction, timber sales, and forest restoration – we create stronger community defenses, more resilient power corridors and infrastructure, and safer conditions for people and property.”

The effort stems from a 20-year agreement signed in June 2025 between the State of Montana and the U.S. Forest Service. The agreement, described by state leaders as a first-of-its-kind partnership, is intended to coordinate forest management across federal, state, and local jurisdictions to address wildfire threats and improve forest conditions.

Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Director Amanda Kaster said the selection of the two landscapes will allow state and federal partners to begin long-term, coordinated work across the region.

“These landscape selections give us a shared foundation for coordinated, long-term work,” Kaster said. “By aligning state, federal and local partners early, we can deliver meaningful, on-the-ground results that Montanans expect.”

The first project moving forward under the agreement will be the Blacktail Powerline Project, a collaboration between the Flathead National Forest and the DNRC using the federal Good Neighbor Authority, which allows states to conduct forest management work on federal land.

The project will focus on reducing hazardous fuels and improving forest health along the Blacktail powerline corridor, an area officials say presents significant wildfire risk near nearby communities while also serving as a critical energy corridor for the Flathead Valley.

“The Blacktail Mountain area is a high priority for fuels reduction,” Kaster said. “This project addresses significant wildfire risk near communities while protecting vital power infrastructure that serves the Flathead Valley.”

Officials said the Shared Stewardship Agreement builds on existing forest management work already underway in the state. In 2025 alone, the DNRC supported the Forest Service in timber sales and forest restoration efforts across more than 40,000 acres through the Good Neighbor Authority.

Gianforte said the partnership represents a shift toward closer collaboration between state and federal land managers after years of disputes over forest management policies.

“It wasn’t that long ago under the Biden administration that we were fighting tooth and nail with the Forest Service to simply help make our forests healthy again,” Gianforte said. “This is exactly what we envisioned when we signed this landmark Shared Stewardship Agreement – partners working across boundaries to better protect communities, support timber jobs, and restore healthy forests. Without the support from Secretary Rollins and Chief Schultz, this historic progress would have never been possible.”

State and federal officials said the newly designated landscapes will serve as the foundation for expanded forest management work over the coming years as the state and federal government implement the long-term stewardship agreement.

By: Big Sky Headlines staff