Another national forest approves chainsaws in wilderness
Laura Lundquist
(Missoula Current) Wilderness advocates are protesting against another national forest in Idaho allowing the use of chainsaws in the wilderness.
On Wednesday, the Missoula-based Wilderness Watch learned Payette National Forest Supervisor Matthew Davis had authorized chainsaw use in designated wilderness, which includes the northwestern part of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.
“We absolutely do not believe these authorizations are legal under the Wilderness Act or the National Environmental Policy Act. Not only do these moves go against the mandate of the Wilderness Act prohibiting the use of motorized equipment in Wilderness, they could also set a dangerous precedent for the management of Wilderness across the country,” said Matt Koehler, Wilderness Watch Media director, in a statement.
There was no notification Wednesday of Davis’ decision on the Payette Forest website. After Wilderness Watch got the heads-up from reputable sources Wednesday morning, they called the Supervisor’s office to request information. They were told the office staff weren’t authorized to answer questions and that their query would be passed to Media Communications employees.
“They’re funneling the requests through one person, Kelly Martin, who we contacted and left a message. But we have not heard back,” said Dana Johnson, Wilderness Watch Policy director.
The Missoula Current requested information from public affairs specialists Kelly Martin and Michael Williamson, but received no response. Williamson had an auto-return email saying he was out of the office until July 13.
The 1964 Wilderness Act prohibits the use of any mechanized or motorized equipment. The exception is “except as necessary to meet minimum requirements for the administration of the area for the purpose of this Act.” Wilderness Watch argues that using chainsaws to clear trails isn’t necessary for the administration of wilderness. For decades, crews have used crosscut saws just as effectively.
One other national forest in Idaho has already approved chainsaws. In May, Salmon-Challis National Forest Supervisor Heather Degeest authorized the use of chainsaws by commercial outfitters and guides for seven months out of the year for up to three years in about half of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.
After submitting Freedom of Information Act requests, Wilderness Watch learned that the Forest Service made this decision after the Idaho Outfitter and Guides Association sent a May 2025 request to newly appointed Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. Prior to March 2025, Schultz was vice president of resources and government affairs at Idaho Forest Group, where he led timber procurement operations.
In addition to the Wilderness Act violation, Wilderness Watch objects to the lack of transparency. For a year, the Forest Service and the Idaho Outfitters and Guides negotiated the chainsaw use in secret, based upon the documents obtained by Wilderness Watch. As with the Payette authorization, Degeest did no environmental assessment and provided no public notice.
“Requests and authorizations like this - particularly for motorized use in the wilderness because it’s statutorily prohibited - used to go through an environmental analysis, they used to notify the public, there’d be a comment period and a decision after that. But it seems all that is out the window now,” Johnson said. “I think litigation will be the only thing that stops them unless there’s enough public pressure and awareness about what’s going on in the agencies right now.”
With two national forests in Idaho already allowing chainsaws, Wilderness Watch and other public land groups anticipate other national forests might be quietly following suit. The Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association also reportedly made requests for chainsaws in wilderness, Johnson said.
Contact reporter Laura Lundquist at lundquist@missoulacurrent.com.