FWP Opens Comment Periods on Multiple Projects, Local Forest Thinning Notice

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) opened a slate of public comment periods on Jan. 5, 2026, initiating review and scoping for a range of proposals that carry local and statewide consequences. The most locally consequential item for Lewis and Clark County is a forest-thinning project at Lone Pine State Park, with comments due Jan. 27. That project is framed as a fuels-reduction effort intended to reduce wildfire risk and alter forest structure near recreation areas, which could affect trail access, park uses and habitat for local wildlife.

Statewide items now accepting comments include a fuels-reduction project at Thompson Chain of Lakes State Park, with comments due Jan. 6, and a renovation proposal for the Whittecar Shooting Range in Hamilton that would rebuild the firing line shelter, with comments due Jan. 8. Anglers and event organizers should note the proposed rules and conditions for 2026 open-water fishing contests, for which comments are due Jan. 12; those rules guide how contests are conducted and can influence fish mortality rates, enforcement protocols and permit requirements that affect Montana anglers across county lines.

FWP also opened reviews of more targeted fisheries actions. The agency is considering use of rotenone to remove invasive goldfish from a pond near Thompson Falls, with comments due Jan. 13, and plans to transfer 200 walleye from Fort Peck Reservoir to Kuester Reservoir in spring 2026 to address yellow perch population concerns, with comments due Jan. 20. Finally, FWP proposed drawing down Maiden Spring Pond to remove northern pike and later establishing a trout fishery there, with comments due Jan. 30.

These notices are part of FWP’s environmental assessment and scoping process. For residents of Lewis and Clark County, the Lone Pine proposal directly affects parklands and wildfire mitigation efforts near Helena; the open-water contest rules and fish-management proposals could affect regional angling opportunities and species composition in nearby waters. The proposed use of rotenone and the planned species transfers highlight trade-offs in invasive species control and fishery restoration that often prompt public concern about chemical use, biological impacts and recreational outcomes.

Montanans who want to weigh in can submit comments through FWP’s public comment portal on the agency website at fwp.mt.gov, where full notices and submission instructions are posted. Deadlines vary by project and are listed with each notice; timely input is part of the statutory process that shapes final project design, mitigation measures and regulatory language. Public participation will inform how FWP balances recreation, habitat protection, wildfire risk reduction and fisheries management in the months ahead.