Groups Sue To Stop Montana Forest Project

Four conservation organizations are suing the U.S. Forest Service (FS) and Flathead National Forest in Montana in an effort to halt the Round Star forest health project’s logging component from continuing. Proposed in 2021 and approved in 2024, the Round Star Project roughly 13 miles west of Whitefish includes commercial timber harvest on 6,300 acres and noncommercial vegetation treatment on 2,800 acres. The project aims to reduce wildfire risk in a key wildland-urban interface area by reducing tree density and underbrush fuel loading while also improving recreation opportunities in the Round Meadow Cross-Country Ski Area that include new trails, 23 miles of roads and infrastructure and parking, warming shelter and storage infrastructure.

The FS approved the project in April 2024 and two timber sales associated with it have already been awarded to F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Co. and Leever and Sons Forestry Management. The Montana Logging Assn., American Forest Resource Council and Montana DNRC support the project, which is being challenged in court by Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Native Ecosystem Council, Friends of the Wild Swan and Swan View Coalition submitted objections. The groups claim the project negatively impacts lynx, grizzly and elk habitat and specifically the FS violated the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Forest Management Act by not fully analyzing the project’s impact.