Helena, Montana – Montana officials have announced a major expansion of a landmark forest management partnership that is designed to improve forest health, reduce wildfire threats, and strengthen long-term stewardship efforts across the state.
Governor Greg Gianforte, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) revealed that a third Shared Stewardship landscape has been added to the state’s ongoing forest management agreement with the Forest Service.
The addition significantly increases the scope of the initiative and pushes the total acreage covered by the agreement to nearly one million acres.
State leaders say the move represents another important step toward improving forest conditions while addressing growing concerns about wildfire risks throughout Montana.
Third Landscape Expands Major Forest Initiative
The newest landscape encompasses approximately 345,000 acres within the Lolo National Forest.
Its addition follows earlier selections announced in March 2026, when two priority landscapes covering more than 400,000 acres were identified across the Flathead, Kootenai, and Bitterroot National Forests.
With the Lolo National Forest now included, the total acreage targeted under the Shared Stewardship effort has reached approximately 750,000 acres, with officials noting that the broader agreement now approaches one million acres of coordinated management activities.
“This progress is exactly what we envisioned when we signed the landmark Shared Stewardship Agreement – partners working across boundaries to better reduce wildfire risk and restore healthy forests,” Gov, Gianforte said. “The addition of this third landscape places our total acreage under this historic agreement to nearly one million, building on our commitment to increase the pace and scale of active forest management.”
The initiative stems from a first-of-its-kind 20-year Shared Stewardship Agreement signed in June 2025 by Governor Gianforte and Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz.
The agreement established a long-term framework between Montana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service aimed at dramatically increasing active forest management across public lands.
Collaboration Designed To Improve Forest Health
Officials explained that shared stewardship allows state and federal agencies to coordinate efforts more efficiently by identifying priorities together and working across jurisdictional boundaries.
Rather than conducting projects independently, agencies can combine resources, expertise, and planning efforts to move projects from development to implementation more quickly.
The partnership also relies on tools such as the Good Neighbor Authority, which allows states and federal agencies to collaborate on forest management projects.
“This new landscape gives DNRC, the Lolo National Forest, and local partners a shared foundation for coordinated, long-term work in western Montana,” said DNRC Director Amanda Kaster. “I’m proud of the progress we have made to streamline planning and deliver on this landmark agreement.”
Forest officials say the expanded effort will help address some of the most pressing challenges facing public lands today, including wildfire risks, forest overcrowding, and declining ecosystem health.
“Working together across boundaries is essential to creating healthier, more resilient forests,” said Ben Johnson, Lolo National Forest Supervisor. “By working in partnership, the Lolo National Forest and the State of Montana can reduce wildfire risks, protect communities, support local economies, and restore landscapes at the scale needed to address the issues facing our National Forests.”
Building On Existing Management Success
The announcement builds on ongoing collaboration between the state and federal governments.
During 2025 alone, DNRC supported the Forest Service through timber sales and forest restoration projects covering more than 40,000 acres under the Good Neighbor Authority program.
Officials believe expanding the Shared Stewardship Agreement will help accelerate similar efforts in the years ahead.
The initiative is intended not only to reduce wildfire threats but also to support rural economies, improve wildlife habitat, increase forest resilience, and protect communities located near public lands.
As Montana continues facing challenges related to drought, wildfire danger, and forest health, state and federal leaders say the expanded partnership provides a long-term strategy for managing forests more actively and efficiently.
With the addition of the Lolo National Forest landscape and nearly one million acres now connected to the broader agreement, officials say Montana’s Shared Stewardship effort has become one of the most ambitious forest management collaborations in the country, reflecting a growing commitment to restoring healthy forests and reducing wildfire risks across the state.
For additional information, review the Shared Stewardship Agreement between the State of Montana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, learn more about the Good Neighbor Authority program, and view the Lolo National Forest landscape map through resources provided by state and federal agencies.
