About The Partnership

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership

In 2005, the US Forest Service released a new land and resource management plan for the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest in southwestern Montana. Both conservationists and timber company leaders were deeply disappointed by the Forest Service’s proposals. On the timber side, there was great concern regarding a proposal to significantly reduce the suitable base of timber acres, while conservationists saw little protection for important fish and wildlife habitats and little commitment to forest restoration.

In early 2006, and with the Forest Service’s support, leaders from the National Wildlife Federation, the Montana Wilderness Association and Montana Trout Unlimited began meeting with the leadership of Sun Mountain Lumber and other timber companies to see whether they could agree on a larger and more comprehensive management strategy for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge. After a series of meetings spread over three months, the groups and companies released the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership Strategy in April, 2006. The Strategy called for linking timber harvest and forest restoration through the use of stewardship contracts and significantly increasing the amount of designated wilderness. The Strategy also endorsed motorized activities on more than a million acres of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge.

Since releasing the strategy, the Partners have met with political leaders, individuals, dozens of groups, and businesses in and around the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest, both to listen to questions and to seek support. As a result of these meetings, many political leaders in both parties have endorsed the Strategy’s fundamental goals and encouraged the Partners to move forward.

In January 2007, the Partners began circulating draft legislation that would give the Forest Service additional authorities to implement the Partnership Strategy. Because only Congress can designate wilderness areas, the draft bill also establishes the wilderness areas identified in the Partnership Strategy.

To see the Partnership Strategy and related documents, please click on the Partnership Strategy button located on the left sidebar [or click here].

To see the draft legislation being circulated by the Partners, please click on the Legislation button located on the left sidebar [or click here].

To see maps of proposed wilderness and motorized use areas, please click on the Maps button located on the left sidebar [or click here].

The Partners welcome comments and questions. Please use the button on the home page [coming soon] or contact any of the following Partners listed below.

CONTACT US! (alphabetical order)
	Montana Trout Unlimited - America’s leading trout and salmon conservation organization. The Montana Council represents 3,000 members and 12 chapters. Bruce Farling 406-543-0054 Email: bruce@montanatrout.org
	Montana Wilderness Association - Montana-based wilderness conservation organization established in 1958 with more than 5,500 members in Montana and across the nation. Tim Baker 406-443-7350 Email: tbaker@montanawild.org
	National Wildlife Federation, Northern Rockies Natural Resource Center - National fish and wildlife conservation and education organization founded in 1936 with more than 14,000 supporters in Montana. Tom France 406-721-6705 Email: france@nwf.org
	Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Inc. - Family owned and operated lumber mill since 1949, located in Seeley Lake, Montana. Employs more than 280 full-time and contracted workers. Gordy Sanders 406-677-2201 Ext. 27 Email: gsanders@pyramidlumber.com
	Roseburg Lumber Products - Particleboard manufacturing facility located in Missoula, Montana. Employs more than 175 workers. Dan Daly 406-728-3910 Email: ddaly@rfpco.com
	RY Lumber - Manufacturing facilities in Townsend and Livingston, Montana. Employs more than 200 people and produces 16% of all structural lumber manufactured in Montana. Ed Regan 406-266-3111 Email: edregan@rytimber.com
	Smurfit-Stone - In operation since 1957 and located in Missoula, Montana. Producer of liner board. Employs approximately 500 people. Rick Franke 406-772-2999 Email: rfranke@smurfit.com
	Sun Mountain Lumber - Solid stud and finger joint mills located in Deerlodge, Montana. Employs 220 mill workers and 80 loggers, for a total of 300 people. Sherm Anderson 406-846-1600 Email: sherm.anderson@sunmtnlumber.com