Forest project near Olney aimed at reducing fire risks

The Flathead National Forest and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation are collaborating through the Good Neighbor Authority program to reduce wildfire risks near Olney.

The Jackknife Project is on the Tally Lake Ranger District and spans more than 1,000 acres along Good Creek Road. It is adjacent to Stillwater State Forest trust lands and private residential properties. 

The Good Neighbor Authority, passed by Congress under the 2014 Farm Bill, allows states to work on behalf of federal agencies using state procedures, personnel and contracts to carry out management and restoration activities on federal lands.  

“It increases our capacity to do more management,” said Mike West, fire mitigation and prevention specialist with the Forest Service. “It allows the state to initiate contracts on the national forest.”  

The Jackknife Project aims to remove forest material that could allow wildfire to reach treetops, which allows it to spread more rapidly. 

The timber sale was purchased by Stoken Logging, a family-owned company from Eureka and will harvest about 800 trees per acre, leaving approximately 100-250 trees per acre, decreasing the likelihood of crown fire, according to the Forest Service. 

After harvest, the residual trees will have access to more light, water, and nutrients, which increases forest health and creates more resilience to insects, disease, and wildfire. 

Stoken Logging uses a unique cut-to-length operation that allows for precise navigation and on-site processing.  The company will also pile or masticate small trees and surface fuel to further reduce the quantity of material that is available to burn during a wildfire.  

The project is estimated to produce 2.7 million board feet of lumber for local mills, as well as 7,000 tons of non-sawtimber small diameter material. 

The timber sale is generating an estimated $270,000 to be reinvested into the Good Neighbor Authority program to facilitate future projects, offset costs of noncommercial fuel reduction work and to restore habitat.