Governor Greg Gianforte and The Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC) today in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service announced the selection of two priority landscapes in Montana for forest management project implementation under Montana’s Shared Stewardship Agreement.
In June 2025, Gov. Gianforte and Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz formalized a first-of-its-kind, 20-year agreement between the state and forest service for coordinated, cross-boundary forest management to reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health and support Montana’s wood products industry. During a press conference held at the Montana State Capitol today, the governor and chief announced the first two landscapes in northwest Montana.
“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,” Gov. 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.”
The first two landscapes selected include approximately 213,910 acres across the Flathead and Kootenai National Forests and 200,000 acres within the Bitterroot National Forest. These areas were selected based on wildfire risk to nearby communities and infrastructure, opportunities for coordinated planning, and readiness for implementation.
“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.”
“These landscape selections give us a shared foundation for coordinated, long-term work,” DNRC Director Amanda Kaster further explained. “By aligning state, federal and local partners early, we can deliver meaningful, on the ground results that Montanans expect.”
Using the 2025 Shared Stewardship Agreement and Good Neighbor Authority, the Flathead National Forest and DNRC are partnering to complete the Blacktail Powerline Project, the first initiative under Montana’s Shared Stewardship Agreement. The project will reduce wildfire risk, protect critical infrastructure and improve forest health along the Blacktail powerline corridor.
“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 is additive to both agencies’ robust portfolio of active forest management projects. In 2025, DNRC’s supported the Forest Service in timber sales and forest restoration projects covering more than 40,000 acres through the Good Neighbor Authority.
To view the Shared Stewardship Agreement between the State of Montana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, see here. For more information about the Good Neighbor Authority, see here.
A video recording of the press conference can be viewed here. The landscape maps can be viewed here and here.
Source: Governor Gianforte’s Office Press release
