Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Community Hall, East Glacier Park

The Forest Service has proposed a complex commercial logging, fuels mitigation, and whitebark pine restoration project that includes a wide mix of vegetation management actions along nearly 40 miles of US-2 between West Glacier and Marias Pass, as well as in the Skyland area. The Forest Service says the project is needed to reduce wildfire risk to infrastructure and communities, provide timber for local mills, and improve overall forest health. The proposed project includes commercial logging and non-commercial vegetation management, whitebark pine restoration planting, and prescribed fire. Work would occur in the Wild and Scenic river corridor, Inventoried Roadless Areas (consistent with the Roadless Rule), and recommended Wilderness (whitebark pine planting). It will affect vital habitat for grizzly bears, lynx, bull trout and other species. Perhaps most concerningly, it proposes over 7.5 miles of new or rehabilitated roads to carry out the work, most of which would be in the Pinnacle Creek drainage or Skyland area.

GTMA has been closely engaged with the USFS in their development of this project and though we have significant concerns, we have appreciated the receptivity to input and the thought and analysis they are putting into this project. We’ll walk through the project as we understand it, and encourage comments that we think can still improve its design and implementation so that wildlife connectivity, habitat security, and other remarkable values of this mostly intact, wild corridor are least affected by the project.

Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. 

In addition to paper for writing letters, we’ll have a few computers available if you want to submit comments directly online this evening, or bring your own for efficiency.