Forest Service Proposes Stable Timber Supply for Montana Mills

The agency is using a 1944 law to direct federal timber from three national forests to local mills.

The U.S. Forest Service proposes supplying 35 million board feet annually to Montana mills.

The agency unveiled a plan last month to form a Tri-Forest Federal Sustained Yield Unit, drawing timber from Helena-Lewis and Clark, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, and Custer Gallatin national forests. This initiative aims to stabilize timber supply to local mills across a 22-county region, supporting the lumber industry and regional economies under a 1944 law designed to promote sustainable harvesting.

The unit would cover about 925,000 acres and direct timber sales sufficient to meet at least 35 million board feet annually. Currently, these forests produce 40 to 50 million board feet yearly, with local mills like Sun Mountain Lumber relying on 35 to 40 percent of their federal saw logs from these lands. The proposal, detailed in a 12-page document listing 25 related businesses, has stirred mixed reactions. Environmental groups express concerns over potential impacts on wildlife, water quality, and forest resilience, while industry representatives emphasize the need for a predictable supply amid recent sawmill closures. The Forest Service plans a final decision in the coming months, with the unit’s authorization lasting 10 years.

The sustained yield unit could influence timber availability for the state’s mills, which often operate within tight margins. Montana’s rugged terrain and dispersed rural communities might heighten the value of a stable timber supply, while also intensifying scrutiny over forest management’s environmental trade-offs.

Forest Service develops ‘sustained yield’ aimed at propping up Montana’s flagging timber industry

By Amanda Eggert, Montana Free Press