Flathead Valley residents breathed a huge sigh of relief last week when timber giant Weyerhaeuser announced it intends to keep Plum Creek’s manufacturing facilities open and retain open-access policies to the company’s timberlands as it completes the merger of the two companies.

We had hoped for the best and braced for the worst following Weyerhaeuser’s announcement in November it intended to buy Plum Creek for $8.44 billion. Rumors quickly circulated that it was possible, perhaps even likely Weyerhaeuser would shut down public access to Plum Creek’s 770,000 acres of Montana timberland, given the company’s policy of requiring paid permits for access and use of Weyerhaeuser lands in other areas. There also was speculation that local manufacturing plants could be closed or curtailed.

It’s a significant economic victory for the Flathead to learn the timberlands and processing plants will remain open. Some administrative jobs such as human resource, information technology and accounting positions will head to Weyerhaeuser’s Seattle headquarters. While we hate to lose any local jobs, we’re thankful the vast majority of Plum Creek’s roughly 750 employees will be retained here.

Plum Creek long has been one of the valley’s biggest economic drivers, pumping an annual $60 million in payroll into the local economy. We’re hopeful that Weyerhaeuser’s financial might — the company had revenues of $7.4 billion in 2014 — will bring an even brighter future to the Flathead’s forest products industry.

The impact of keeping timberlands open for public use also must be emphasized. State wildlife agency estimates show Plum Creek lands attract up to 80,000 hunter-days annually. That doesn’t include the wide range of other recreational uses.

As we stressed last fall when the jaw-dropping news broke about the giant acquisition, Plum Creek has been a consistently good neighbor in the Flathead. It now appears Weyerhaeuser is poised to continue Plum Creek’s legacy. That’s a best-case scenario for our valley.