Western Montana Salvage Timber Sale a win for forest health

Ken Reed, State Forester, Montana/Dakotas State Office; and Kyle Johnson, Forester, Missoula Field Office

The Missoula Field Office forestry and fuels staff is celebrating the conclusion of the South Burr Salvage timber sale. The salvage operation targeted dead and dying

lodgepole pine that was affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) epidemic which caused major lodgepole pine mortality in western Montana in the mid-2000s.

The dead timber has remained viable and marketable for many years after the MPB epidemic, though the timber value would have been much higher prior to the bark beetle event. This 34-acre project yielded 15 log truck loads (about 60,000 board feet) of sawtimber, 15 log truck loads of post and rail material, and 65 log truck loads (roughly 780 cords) of fuelwood that all went to local forest product facilities or private individuals needing fuelwood.

The project was completed during the winter of 2019-2020 with snow covered and frozen ground conditions. The operation took roughly two months to complete with falling completed by a feller-buncher that was able to control tree falling away from neighboring homes and power lines.

The Missoula Field Office and Montana State Office forestry staff is pleased with the outcome of this timber salvage project in terms of the improved forest health and reduction of hazardous fuels. They are also pleased with the economic impacts these small sales are having on rural communities by providing desired materials to the local forest product industry as well as heating for homes or businesses.