What is the Good Neighbor Authority?
Through the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation partners with the USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to plan and implement forest restoration projects and address shared priorities. GNA accelerates forest restoration and management, improves forest health and resiliency, reduces fuels and wildfire threats to communities, improves wildlife and fisheries habitat, and provides a timber supply to support Montana's forest products industry.
How does GNA work?
Authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill, GNA 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. Revenue generated from the sale of timber on federal lands is then reinvested in future forest management and restoration projects to get more work done on the ground.
GNA by the Numbers
Total Acres Treated
24,770
Completed or Under Contract
Timber Sales
41
Completed or Under Contract
Service Restoration Projects
45
Completed or Under Contract
Harvest Volume
88.6
MMBF
Revenue (Millions)
$13.6
Under Contract
GNA Project Locations
East Fork Elk Creek BMP's
Kootenai National Forest, Near Heron
This service restoration project addressed BMP's along a recently rerouted section of East Fork Elk Creek Road. The objective of work was to divert road drainage out of an active stream channel, thereby protecting water quality and improving habitat for fish and wildlife. Funded by program revenue from a previous timber sale, this project will help facilitate the completion of future commercial restoration work.
Ski Dale
Kootenai National Forest, Near Libby
The Ski Dale project is addressing hazardous fuels within the wild land-urban interface to help protect the town of Libby from wildfire. Additionally, the project area contains a motorized-use trail and walking path to be used by and benefit the community.
The Ski Dale Good Neighbor Authority project is a significant success story! While small in acreage it has been one of our most critical areas in our community wildfire protection plan.
- Lincoln County Commissioner Mark Peck
Threemile Game Range
Bitterroot National Forest, Near Stevensville
The Threemile Game Range project supports cross-boundary work to address years of fire suppression that led to overstocked stands and reduced forage for big game. Stands will be treated to promote large ponderosa pine, reduce wildfire risk, and improve winter range conditions on both Fish Wildlife and Parks and USFS lands.
