U.S. Forest Service, Montana partnership selects first landscapes to reduce wildfire risk

The U.S. Forest Service and the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation today announced the first priority landscapes across three forests in Montana under the joint shared stewardship agreement signed in 2025.

The first two landscapes include nearly 214,000 acres across the Flathead and Kootenai national forests and 200,000 acres within the Bitterroot National Forest. These areas were selected based on strong existing partnerships between Forest Service and Montana DNRC, 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.”

“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,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte.

The Montana Forest Action Plan describes more than 60% of the state’s forested acres are at high or very high risk of wildfire, insect infestations, or both. These risks not only jeopardize the ecological integrity of Montana's forests but also threaten rural livelihoods, water supplies, and the sustainability of forest-dependent communities and industries.

On June 30, 2025, Chief Schultz and Gov. Gianforte signed an historic shared stewardship agreement establishing a new framework for coordinated, cross-boundary active forest management between the agency and the state intended to advance forest restoration and reduce wildfire risk statewide. The agreement has since served as a model for updated and new agreements with other states, Tribes and partners. Learn more about the agency’s shared stewardship effort and how our partnerships are shaping tomorrow’s forests.