Yaak Valley Forest Council

About Yaak Valley Forest Council

We are a positive and practical community organization working to ensure the natural and human communities of northwest Montana are healthy and resilient. Our mission is to protect the last roadless areas in the Yaak Valley and the Kootenai National Forest in northwest Montana; maintain and restore the ecological integrity of our geographical zone by conserving and improving habitat for native and sensitive species; encourage and support the development of local economies based on stewardship principles, value-added forest products, habitat conservation and ecological restoration; and educate local residents on the value of protected and restored landscapes for community and economic development. We work in the woods to champion forest management that results in healthy, resilient forests and streams. We work in town to inspire leadership and neighbor-to-neighbor communication that result in healthy kids, stronger families, and a more prosperous community. our local community values living close to the land, and our work is rooted in this ideal, because in northwest Montana, the land and the people are inseparable.