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
54,558
Completed or Under Contract
Timber Sales
58
Completed or Under Contract
Under Contract & Completed
Service Restoration Projects
126
Completed or Under Contract
Harvest Volume
113.7
MMBF
Revenue (Millions)
$16.6
Under Contract
GNA Project Locations
Jackknife
Flathead National Forest
The Jackknife Project, located one mile west of the community of Olney, MT on the Tally Lake Ranger District, is one of these GNA projects. The purpose of which is to reduce the risk of intense wildfires within the communities near Forest Service lands by reducing tree densities and accumulated combustible vegetation. This type of forest management also improves the diversity and resilience of the forest.
East Fork Elk Creek BMPs
Kootenai National Forest, Near Heron
This service restoration project addressed BMPs 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.
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.
