Governor Gianforte, Forest Service, DNRC Announce Nearly One Million Acres Placed Under Shared Stewardship Agreement

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) today announced the addition of a third Shared Stewardship landscape to the state’s forest management agreement with the Forest Service, bringing the total number of acres to nearly one million. 

“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.”  

In June 2025, Gov. Gianforte and Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz formalized a first-of-its-kind, 20-year Shared Stewardship Agreement between the State of Montana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service to dramatically increase the pace and scale of forest management.  

In May 2026, the governor and DNRC announced the selection of two priority landscapes for forest management project implementation under the agreement covering over 400,000 acres across the Flathead, Kootenai, and Bitterroot National Forests. Today’s announcement is for a third landscape of approximately 345,000 acres in the Lolo National Forest, bringing the management total to over 745,000 acres. 

Shared stewardship allows land managers to collaboratively identify needs, set priorities, and coordinate work across boundaries. By combining expertise, projects can move more efficiently from planning to implementation. The Forest Service and the State of Montana continue to leverage tools like the Good Neighbor Authority to accelerate forest management and reduce wildfire risk.  

“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.”  

“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.”  

The Shared Stewardship Agreement expands both agencies’ robust portfolio of active forest management projects. In 2025, DNRC supported the Forest Service in timber sales and forest restoration projects covering more than 40,000 acres through the Good Neighbor Authority.