Forest Products
About the Forest Products Program
The Forest Products Program supports the forest products industry, the economic sector involving the management, harvesting, and manufacturing of wood in Montana.
A strong and diverse forest products industry provides the workforce, expertise, and equipment that is essential to meeting forest health, management, and wildfire risk reduction goals. Our program reflects the importance of maintaining working forest landscapes and maintaining and diversifying the industry. This sector bolsters local forest industry workers and provides economic support for Montana communities, while often reducing forest management project costs to state agencies and Montana taxpayers.
Information on the Forest Products Retention Roundtable can be found on the Montana Forest Collaboration Network website
Montana Forest Products Industry Week
Montana Forest Products Industry Week was established by a joint resolution of the 62nd annual legislature. The resolution declared that the observance of an annual Montana Forest Products Industry Week is timely and necessary. All people are encouraged to observe Montana Forest Products Industry Week.
Visit MTForestInfo.org for event info
Learn more about Forest Products Week in the drop-down tabs below.
Forest Products Week FAQ
Montana Forest Products Week 2025 will be October 19th through October 25th.
Independent events can be a great way to participate in Montana Forest Products Industry Week.
The DNRC can fund Walk-in the Woods and Timber Tours ($500/event maximum award). Funding awards are competitive and applicants must complete the Forest Products Week Event Grant RFP through our new streamlined application platform. We will no longer be accepting paper Requests for Proposal (RPFs). For first time users, you will be prompted to set-up a new user account.
Click here to apply. Applications will be accepted and processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
To access the Common Questions Center related to our new RFP platform, please visit the Submittable Help Center.
To contact the RFP project team, please click here.
DNRC Service Foresters can help coordinate field trips for Walk in the Woods and Timber Tours. Reach out to your local service forester for information on this service.
The resources below offer event inspiration and ideas:
Do you produce wood products? Is your business built with Montana wood? Are Montana wood products a part of your product line? If you answered yes, we encourage you to recognize Forest Products Industry Week through our grass roots social media campaign. Participation is easy! Simply post a picture to your social media accounts featuring your business, staff, or products using hashtags #MTwood #forestproductsweek #forestproud
Local Wood Does Montana Good
How the forest products industry supports forest management in Montana
Forest Management Benefits
Healthy forests depend on a healthy forest products economy. Sustainable, active forest management projects through methods such as thinning can generate wood that can be sold to local mills, offsetting project costs. These projects are critical to reducing wildfire risk, maintaining recreation, and improving wildlife habitat.
Investing in Rural Communities
Montana's forest products industry supports thousands of jobs, including loggers, foresters, and mill workers. Locally produced wood products support vibrant, rural economies across Montana.
Supporting Wildlife Habitat
Without a productive forest products industry in Montana, forest management projects would cost thousands of dollars an acre to implement. These projects are critical for reducing wildfire risk to communities and improving wildlife habitat.
This video highlights the collaborative work between DNRC and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks on the Threemile Wildlife Management Area to improve forage conditions for large game animals.
Forest Products Industry by the Numbers
10,000+ jobs
Jobs supported by Montana's forest products industry include forestry, logging, and wood products manufacturing.
Every 50 sawmill jobs in Montana provides:
- $3.2 million in direct annual wages.
- $6.1 million in indirect annual wages.
- 135 additional indirect jobs.
~$1 million per year for Montana schools.
Generated annually through the sale of forest products from state trust lands.
Contact the Forest Products Program
406-542-4300
2705 Spurgin Rd Missoula, MT 59804