This September, Five Valleys is starting a forest health improvement on the north side of Mount Dean Stone. This work is part of the larger Mount Dean Stone project, and will help improve forest health and reduce the risk of wildfire on the edge Missoula.
Together with Ottman Forestry Consultants, we will be treating approximately 20 acres on property owned by Five Valleys on the northeast side of Dean Stone Drive. The project has been carefully designed to improve forest health and wildlife habitat, reduce the risk of wildfire, and foster old growth conditions.
Residents of Missoula's Stone Mountain and surrounding neighborhoods will likely see some heavy equipment on Dean Stone and Whitaker Drives during the duration of the project, which we expect to last one to two months. Log trucks will be hauling material from the project site between the hours of 5:30am and 4:00pm.
In recent years, you may have seen log trucks on Whitaker Drive, associated with nearby forestry projects conducted by Ottman Forestry Consultants. As with these other forestry projects, Ottman Forestry Consultants will make every effort to minimize impacts on neighbors as they work with landowners to improve forest health and reduce the risk of wildfire near Missoula.
Five Valleys is happy to answer questions and address concerns related to this project. Please feel free to contact Jenny Tollefson, Stewardship Director (jenny@fvlt.org), or Pelah Hoyt (pelah@fvlt.org), or call the Five Valleys office at 406.549.0755.
Header photo by Five Valleys staff
