Partners set to begin 16,000-acre forest health project in southwest Montana
Darby, Mont. – A new Memorandum of Understanding recently signed between Pheasants Forever, Blue Forest, and the U.S. Forest Service sets the stage for meaningful conservation work across Montana’s Bitterroot Valley through 2028. Starting later this summer, the partners will begin implementation in the Nez/Mud area of the Mud Creek Project, a 16,933-acre restoration plan to improve forest health, reduce fuel loads, and contribute to watershed/habitat improvement in southwest Montana. While work is being executed, the partnership is working to develop new financial solutions that will allow them to implement future forest health and fire risk reductions much more quickly.
Located in the Rocky Mountains, the Bitterroot National Forest/Mud Creek project was selected for restoration efforts due to a current, unhealthy forest system. Overstocked with small trees and brush due to fire suppression and a decline in active, sustainable forest management, the region’s communities, infrastructure, and wildlife are at significant risk for wildfire. Recognizing community safety and forest health are intertwined, public and private stakeholders are acting together to reduce wildfire risk, protect communities, and improve wildlife habitat at a pace and scale never witnessed before in Montana. Read more
