The conservation group that helped create the Whitefish Trail says a proposed timber sale could damage or close some of the trail network's most beloved areas.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation announced plans last month to harvest 3 million board feet of timber from state trust lands near Whitefish. The project will contribute to the department’s mandated yield and fund public schools across the state.  

The affected area includes 3,500 acres in the Beaver Lakes and Spencer Mountain areas, both of which the city of Whitefish and Whitefish Legacy Partners help manage for recreation under cooperative agreements with the state. If approved, the forest work would begin in the fall. 

“We are concerned this proposal will leave a shocking scar on the landscape that will be visible from Highway 93 west of Whitefish and will negatively impact our favorite community recreation areas,” reads a public statement from Whitefish Legacy Partners. 

The organization played a leading role in the purchase of the Beaver Lakes recreation easement in 2014 and the procurement of an ongoing recreational-use license for Spencer Mountain. Under both agreements, the state retains ownership of the land and manages forest resources while the city of Whitefish, Whitefish Legacy Partners and Flathead Area Mountain Bikers develop and maintain trails and other recreational amenities. 

In a statement posted to its website, Whitefish Legacy Partners claimed that the proposed sale infringes on the goodwill of these agreements. The organization expressed concerns that the harvest will temporarily bar recreational use of the Beaver Lakes and Spencer Mountain areas, damage existing trails and interfere with maintenance activities planned for the summer season. 

Whitefish Legacy Partners was unable to respond to questions before the Inter Lake’s press deadline. 

Flathead Area Mountain Bikers echoed these concerns in a Facebook post, emphasizing that the proposed plan failed to properly recognize Spencer Mountain as a community recreation site. 

“Spencer Mountain’s unique trail system contributes significantly to the diversity of recreation on state trust lands, and it deserves formal recognition within this project,” reads the post. 

Kalispell Unit manager Dave Poukish said that the department valued its partnership with local organizations, while also maintaining the necessity of the harvest. He said forest health in the area had declined following several Douglas-fir bark beetle outbreaks, and that the timber sale would provide an opportunity to address these concerns. 

“Coexisting is very important to us, but we also want to do the right thing for the resource,” said Poukish. 

The proposed forest management plan is not finalized, and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is accepting written comments and suggestions through Feb. 14. Comments should be addressed to Alex Golden at [email protected]. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at [email protected] or at (406) 758-4433.