Governor Greg Gianforte and the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, have announced the selection of two priority landscapes in Montana for forest management projects under the state’s Shared Stewardship Agreement.
The agreement, formalized in June 2025 by Governor Gianforte and Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, established a 20-year plan for coordinated forest management across boundaries. The aim is to reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health, and support Montana’s wood products industry. The first two selected landscapes are located in northwest Montana: about 213,910 acres across the Flathead and Kootenai National Forests, and 200,000 acres within the Bitterroot National Forest. Selection criteria included wildfire risk to nearby communities and infrastructure, opportunities for coordinated planning, and readiness for project implementation.
“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,” said Gov. Gianforte during a press conference at the Montana State Capitol. “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.”
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz emphasized local involvement in planning: “This is shared stewardship in action – starting with local knowledge of the landscape. 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.”
DNRC Director Amanda Kaster highlighted the importance of early coordination: “These landscape selections give us a shared foundation for coordinated, long-term work. By aligning state, federal and local partners early, we can deliver meaningful, on the ground results that Montanans expect.”
The first initiative under this agreement is the Blacktail Powerline Project on Flathead National Forest. This project aims to reduce wildfire risk along a critical powerline corridor serving Flathead Valley while improving forest health.
“The Blacktail Mountain area is a high priority for fuels reduction,” said DNRC Director Kaster. “This project addresses significant wildfire risk near communities while protecting vital power infrastructure that serves the Flathead Valley.”
The Shared Stewardship Agreement builds upon ongoing efforts by both agencies; in 2025 alone DNRC supported timber sales and restoration projects on over 40,000 acres through Good Neighbor Authority collaborations with the Forest Service.
Further information about these agreements can be found on official state websites.