Forests along a 40-mile stretch of U.S. 2 will be thinned in fall 2026, according to a scoping notice recently published by Flathead National Forest.

The area for the Granite Moccasin Project spans 67,536 acres immediately south of Glacier National Park and north of the Great Bear Wilderness, between the towns of West Glacier and Summit. Treatments ranging from clearcuts to restoration plantings will occur on a total of 4,689 acres. 

“Most treatments are intended to recruit and retain larger trees of desirable species such as western larch and western white pine, while some aim at establishing those same species through regeneration harvest and treating,” reads the scoping notice. “Other treatments intend to restore whitebark pine through various combinations of planting, non-commercial release treatments and prescribed fire.” 

Forest products will also be generated by the project, which proposes commercial treatments on 2,364 acres. Non-commercial treatments include precommercial thinning on 283 acres, understory removal on 214 acres, prescribed burning on 240 acres and whitebark pine restoration on 2,043 acres. 

More than 60% of the project area is designated as an inventoried roadless area, and about 20% is considered recommended wilderness. Treatment areas also include grizzly bear secure core habitat and portions of the Middle Fork of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River Corridor.  

Like many of the other forestry projects undertaken in recent months, the Granite Moccasin Project will be reviewed under an emergency action determination, allowing forest officials to forgo steps in the administrative review process.  

The project qualifies for the accelerated process under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in April, which expedites administrative action on millions of acres of National Forest lands considered to be at very high or high wildfire risk. About 58% of the acreage proposed for treatment in the Granite Moccasin Project meets that qualification, according to the scoping notice. 

While there is no formal comment period or objection process on the project, Flathead National Forest officials said they plan to publish an environmental assessment of the project for public review in the spring.  

A final decision notice is expected to be available in summer. 

Comments on the project scoping notice will be accepted through Jan. 15, 2026. Comments may be submitted online at www.fs.usda.gov/r01/flathead/projects/68919.

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