Forest in Focus Custer Gallatin National Forest

In this podcast, we dive into the remarkable history of Harry S. Kaufman, a pioneering ranger in Montana’s Absaroka Mountains, and the historic Main Boulder Ranger Station—an enduring symbol of conservation and rugged frontier spirit.

In this bite‑sized episode of Forest in Focus, Public Affairs Specialist Morgan De Meyer talks with trails engineer and Contracting Officer's Representative Todd Orr about the creation of the new Sweet Trunk Trail No. 274. Todd walks listeners through the trail’s planned 20‑plus‑mileroute from Big Timber Canyon to Sweetgrass Creek, how the alignment improves access by resolving former checkerb...

In this episode, "Whitebark Pine Seeds of Survival," we venture into the rugged peaks of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem to visit the Little Bear Whitebark Pine Seed Orchard, a beacon of hope in the fight against the decline of the majestic whitebark pine tree. We speak with Heidi Genito, seed orchard manager on the Custer Gallatin National Forest about the transformative journey the o...

Step behind the scenes of the Custer Gallatin National Forest, where the trails you hike don’t maintain themselves—they’re built, cleared, packed in, and protected by a community of people whose work is often invisible but always essential. In this episode of Forest in Focus, Public Affairs Specialist Morgan De Meyer sits down with three backcountry experts whose lives revolve around tread, tools,...

In this episode, "Safeguarding Bears and Visitors: Understanding the Food Storage Order," we speak with Josh Hemenway, the Wildlife Program Manager in a Question and Answer style interview as we discuss an important topic for all visitors: the Food Storage Order. This regulation plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of both visitors and wildlife, particularly bears. Host: Charity P...

When the pavement stops and snow reaches shoulder height, the dynamics of law enforcement transform completely. In this episode, we delve into the Snowmobile Operations for Law Enforcement Course (SOLEC), a three-day intensive training led by law enforcement professionals from the Custer Gallatin National Forest. This program equips officers from various agencies to become adept backcountry operat...