Natural Resources
'Caring for the land and serving people'
Many specialists come together to help us manage the land in a way that reflects and fosters our interdependence with it.
Heritage
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest is rich in history from pre-historic artifacts to historic structures and more recent artifacts and sites that tell a story of human history in the area. Historic sites such as the Hellgate Pictographs date back thousands of years, while others, such as the Charter Oak Mine interpret the more recent mining history of Central Montana. Heritage staff work to survey, collect, inventory, protect and restore artifacts important to historic land use on the forest.
Hydrology and Fisheries
Surface-water hydrology studies of the origin and processes of water in streams and lakes, in nature, and as modified by man. It includes infiltration, channel and reservoir storage, floods and droughts, direct runoff, and base flow. By analyzing and reporting real-time information on the quantity and quality of water in our Forest’s hydrological systems, hydrologists can better inform and prepare local watershed users including agricultural interests, municipal water suppliers and recreational users for future changes in conditions and potential issues. Fisheries works closely with hydrologists and partners to manage and maintain habitat for dozens of native and non-native fish species across Forest System lands to maintain healthy aquatic and riparian ecosystems and Montana’s world class angling opportunities.
Minerals and Geology
The Forest has considerable mineral resources and numerous mining operations at different scales, including the Vortex Yogo mine containing the world’s only known deposits of Blue Yogo Sapphires. The forest also contains a diverse assortment of caves, which provide habitat for numerous bat species and opportunities for visitor exploration, including the famous Ice Caves in the Big Snowy Mountains. Additionally, prospecting, rockhounding, and fossil hunting are among the many recreational pursuits visitors enjoy on the Helena-Lewis and Clark. The Minerals and Geology Program provides information regarding permitting, mining procedures, safety, and mine reclamation.
Fire and Aviation
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Fire & Aviation are a vital part of the forest resource program. Fire management is a yearlong process which includes prescribed fires, education of fire-fighters, managing dispatch centers, and collaboration with community partners and other agencies to provide the best possible management of our public lands. HLF fire crews are frequently dispatched to assist with wildfires across the United States and even internationally.
Engineering
The HLF Engineering Program oversees the construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and occasional reconstruction of the built infrastructure on Forest System lands. This includes hundreds of miles of roads, bridges, culverts, dams, multiple use trails as well as dozens of modern and historic structures used for a variety of administrative and recreational uses. This often requires considerations of historical preservation requirements as well as modern standards and function. The Engineering team works closely Heritage, Recreation Hydrology, and other programs to meet the needs and legal requirements of maintaining these valuable resources and properties
Wildlife
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest is fortunate to have a unique and biologically diverse community of native fish, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and invertebrates. The forest maintains critical habitat for many threatened and endangered species and provides abundant opportunities for visitors to experience iconic Montana wildlife in their natural habitat, including many rare and exciting species such as lynx, wolverine, harlequin ducks, and west slope cutthroat trout. The forest also includes a large portion of the North Continental Divide Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone. These bears are now present in much of the Forest. Additionally, the 160,000-acre Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit (EWMU) is a major designated Wildlife Management Unit in the National Forest System. It is managed under a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. The Elkhorns Working Group is a collaborative dedicated to EWMU management.
Rangeland Management
The forests range program manages hundreds grazing allotments and permits across the forest for small ranching and livestock operations central to Montana’s rural economy and well as inventory and treatment of noxious weeds deemed harmful to livestock and regional biodiversity.
Recreation
The Helena-Lewis and Clark offers recreational opportunities for a wide variety of outdoor enthusiasts including hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, horseback riding, boating, fishing, hunting, skiing and motorized recreation. The Forest’s Recreation program includes maintenance and management of many developed recreation (such as campgrounds, picnic areas, cabin rentals and trailheads) and trail maintenance of thousands of miles of multi-use trail systems from front country and motorized trails to backcountry and wilderness. Recreation also oversees several major tourist attractions, including two downhill ski resorts, Showdown and Teton Pass, and roughly half of the developed campgrounds along the famed Smith River corridor.
Timber
The forest’s timber management program seeks to maintain healthy, diverse, and resilient forest types that support wildlife, water and soil conservation and successful timber sales to support local economies. The timber program includes administration and execution of pre-commercial and commercial thinning and cutting.
Silviculture
Silviculture is the art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, structure, and quality of forests and woodlands to meet a diverse range of forest resource objectives. The forest’s silviculture program is broad and includes vegetation management planning, implementation prescriptions, data collection, reforestation, stand improvement, insect and disease management, genetic tree improvement, old growth management, whitebark pine assessment, and carbon assessment. The program strives to create healthy, resilient forest ecosystems that meet the needs of natural resources and the public.