About Us

Non-commercial  thinning for fire hazard fuels reduction is not a standard thinning to  enhance the volume of the remaining trees.  This thinning is designed  to: 1) create space (on average at least 10 feet) between tree crowns to  reduce the chances of a running crown fire; and/or 2) to treat  fuels between the ground and crowns of larger trees by removing ladder  fuels to reduce the chances of a ground fire from becoming a crown  fire.

​Properly applied slash is a very useful tool used to protect and enhance  under-represented species such as Aspen or Serviceberry.   In addition to conifer shade, deer and elk browse often prevent Aspen stands and forest shrubs from flourishing. We have produced excellent results by simply stacking loose slash on portions of the forest where there are  Aspen or shrub sprouts.  These sprouts are often 6 inches tall and 10 years old.  Slash is stacked rather deeply,  about 2 -3 feet in  depth.   To reduce the risk of wildfire, these patches are discontinuous and placed in open areas and do not provide a fuel ladder to the overstory.  Habitat piles made from slash enhance the abundance of  wildlife in the forest. For this project we thinned an overly dense Western Larch grove nearby to supply material for the slash to pile for the Aspen project. Slash was reapplied in 2021 and the Apsen has thrived expanding exponentially in height and circumference as well as a significantly improved elk and deer habitat!

A  pre-commercial thin of mixed conifer forest removed over half of the  trees, bringing the stand density down to about 600 trees per acre with  an average spacing of about 8 feet between boles.   Desired leave tree  species ranked in order of importance include Larch, Ponderosa Pine,  Douglas Fir, and Lodgepole Pine.  Pruning included about half the trees  to 8 feet or the height appropriate for the specific tree. Slash  management included lop and scatter and some hand piles where the slash  exceeded state HRA standards.  Some small logs were pulled out for  sawmilling.

Montana native wild pollinators require pollinator-friendly plant species for their habitat.  We conducted a survey to determine that the right mix of plant species were available in the area to bloom all season and provide a continuous source of nectar and pollen needed by pollinators.  We furthermore undertook a project to eliminate invasive noxious weeds to both support native trees, scrubs, forbs and grasses as well as protect pollinator habitat. 

Restoring Western White Pine to the landscape may be one of our best options for responding to climate change. From its incredible ability to sequester carbon to its climatic adaptability, Western White Pine restoration should be at the forefront of future forest health and ecosystem resiliency.  Early in the year we planted over 500 seedlings of both Western White Pine and Ponderosa Pine in an effort to shape the trend towards a healthier and more fire adapted forest ecosystem. 

And they are thriving!

Biological control (biocontrol) involves using living organisms such as insects, bacteria, fungi and nematodes to reduce weed populations. Roots provide plants with water and nutrients. Some biological control agents attach to roots and thereby stunt plant growth. In late June, we released numerous batches of the Cyphocleonus achates, Spotted Knapweed Root Weevil to help us in eradicating  the Knapweed and other noxious invasive weed infestations on the logging roads and landings in the forest that were heavily disturbed during the industrial logging era.

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Providing wildflower-rich habitat is the most significant action you can take to support pollinators. Adult bees, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds and other pollinators require nectar as their primary food source. Female bees also collect pollen as food for their offspring. Native plants, which are adapted to local soil and climates, are usually the best sources of nectar and pollen for native pollinators. Incorporating native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees into any landscape promotes local biological diversity by providing shelter and food for wildlife. Native plants are better adapted to regional climate cycles, do not need fertilizers and are less likely to become weedy.  Our forest health improvement tree thinning projects in years past have created an even healthier forest understory rich in native forest flora resulting in an enhanced habitat for our native pollinators. This year we became an official Pollinator Habitat in our effort to protect our native pollinators.

  Join us in signing the Pollinators Protection Pledge to participate in the Xerces Society "Bring Back the Pollinators" campaign.

Diverting dead trees and woody debris from thinning to the production of biochar can be a multi-solution approach to reducing forest fire risks, climate change impacts, promoting forest health and resiliency and protecting wildlife habitat. Biochar is an innovative use for low value biomass.  We use mobile kilns to convert woody forest debris into biochar which is then applied on-site to our forest soil to both enhance productivity and reduce forest fuel loads.  Biochar adds nutrients to the soil as well as being an excellent method of carbon sequestration.  The primary ingredient of biochar is a recalcitrant carbon that can persist in soils for years or decades, and even millennia.  Biochar can be used as a soil amendment by itself, or it can be blended with other soil amendments to address a wide range of environmental, agricultural, and forestry challenges. The Wildfire Adapted Missoula Twin-Gold Creek Project is an important step in creating a healthier, safer forest ecosystem and we are excited to participate. Our biochar project is part of the Governor's Montana Comeback Plan including forest management to 

support local economies with good-paying jobs in the forest industry.

The understory of a forest is made up of the trees, scrubs and herbaceous plants that exist below the tree canopy.  The forest understory makes up the largest percentage of plant diversity in a forest ecosystem.  The understory of a dry conifer forest is rich in native forest botanicals appreciated for their medicinal, culinary, cosmetic and floral uses.  Another  important contribution of the forest understory is to provide food and shelter for the small animals, birds and large predators that live in the trees.  This year we have been surveying and discovering which forest botanicals are thriving in our forest understory.  This exploration has further inspired us to make culinary and cosmetic creations utilizing a variety of our native plants species.  We believe such healthy, eco-friendly traditional products incorporating local,  sustainably harvested, eco-friendly ingredients and packaging are yet another way we can support our pledge to practice Positive Impact Forestry.

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    Available to private landowners, The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is NRCS’ flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands.  Our objective was to remove unmerchantable and unwanted trees from forested areas to fully use a site's potential; to maintain plant cover; to improve stand composition by leaving the best trees - spaced for best growth; to improve forage production; or improve natural beauty, wildlife or recreational value.  Specifically, the goal was to avoid scarring leave trees, leaving up to 10 per cent of the area in scattered thickets for wildlife and retaining or creating 3 to 5 snags per acre while favoring Quaking Aspen and Western Larch.  We also endeavored to remove Lodgepole Pine that was killed by beetles and removed the trees from the property for firewood.  Overall our objectives were achieved by Improving Forest Stand Composition, Improving Forest Health and Reducing Fuel Loads with a combination of EQIP Forest Stand Improvement and Woody Residue Treatment Planned Conservation Contracts.  Thank you to our wonderful NRCS Consulting Foresters!

Montana's diverse forests and mountain ranges support a rich array of wild fungi, with spring and late summer through autumn serving as the premier foraging seasons. Prized edible species like morels, chanterelles, and king boletes thrive across western and central habitats, though proper identification is vital due to toxic look-alikes.  After a small fire we conducted a survey of native mushrooms growing in the recovery area and other areas throughout the understory.  We additionally found Larch Boletes in an area largely forested by Western Larch.  Mushrooms and their underground fungal networks (mycelium) act as the primary natural recycling system of the forest. They release powerful enzymes that break down tough plant materials like lignin and cellulose in dead wood, fallen leaves, and debris, turning them into rich soil nutrients. Without them, a forest would suffocate under piles of un-decomposed organic matter. The mycelium is the first part of the mushroom to grow. It is often found in a forest, among dead leaves and wood. Mycelia perform a critical role in forest decomposition. Unable to create their own food, the mycelia instead break down and consume leaves, needles, and other forest litter. This transforms the litter into matter that can be used by other organisms and clears the way for the continued growth of the living parts of the forest.  

       Soil solarization is an eco-friendly, chemical-free method that uses plastic sheets and the sun's radiant heat to kill weeds, weed seeds, and soil pathogens in the top few inches of soil. It requires laying plastic tightly over wet soil during the hottest, sunniest summer months for 4 to 8 weeks or longer.  Solarization works using the greenhouse method. This process raises soil temperatures to 108°F–140°F (42°C–60°C), which bakes and kills existing weeds, emerging seedlings, and dormant weed seeds. It is an ideal organic practice for preparing a clean, weed-free seedbed for future planting. In an effort to eliminate an infestation of invasive non-native weeds including Spotted Knapweed, Canada Thistle and St. John's Wort we covered an area in an open meadow with plastic over the Winter season.  Once the weeds were eliminated we reintroduced native seeds of local grasses, forbs and wildflowers all of which are now thriving in a chemical free and healthy soil.

Overlooking Gold Creek