National Forest Products Week 2026: Celebrating Montana's Forests, People & Products
October 18–24, 2026 | Montana Wood Products Association
Every day, we rely on products that begin in the forest. From the lumber that builds our homes and the paper we use to the packaging that protects our purchases, forest products are woven into everyday life.
During National Forest Products Week, October 18–24, 2026, the Montana Wood Products Association (MWPA) joins communities across the country in recognizing the people, businesses, and natural resources that make these products possible.
In Montana, this week is an opportunity to celebrate more than wood products. It's a chance to recognize our working forests, skilled workforce, rural communities, and the connection between responsible forest management and a strong forest products industry.
More Than Trees: The Products We Use Every Day
When people think of forest products, lumber and paper often come to mind first. But wood and wood fiber are used in a much wider range of products than many realize.
Forest products include:
Building materials: Lumber, plywood, engineered wood, flooring, and other materials used in homes and commercial buildings.
Paper and packaging: Cardboard boxes, paper bags, tissue, and other everyday essentials.
Furniture and household products: Cabinets, doors, tables, and decorative wood products.
Renewable energy and byproducts: Wood pellets, biomass fuel, and useful materials made from bark, sawdust, and wood chips.
Specialty products: Wood components, handcrafted goods, and innovative building materials.
Each product represents a connection between our forests and the people who manage, harvest, transport, manufacture, and use these valuable resources.
Montana's Forest Products Industry: A Vital Part of Our Economy
Montana's forest products industry supports jobs, local businesses, and economic activity throughout the state.
From logging crews working in the forest to truck drivers transporting timber, sawmills processing logs, and manufacturers producing finished products, the industry connects a wide range of skilled professions.
According to estimates reported by the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research, Montana's forest products industry accounted for approximately:
7,649 private-sector workers
$456 million in labor income
$59,573 in earnings per worker
263 million board feet of timber harvested in 2025
These figures reflect an industry that contributes to Montana's economy while supporting employment and business opportunities in rural communities.
Behind every statistic are Montana workers, families, and businesses whose livelihoods are connected to our forests.
Healthy Forests and a Strong Industry Go Hand in Hand
Montana's forests provide much more than timber. They offer wildlife habitat, clean water, recreational opportunities, and landscapes that are central to our state's identity.
Responsible forest management seeks to balance these important values while maintaining healthy, productive forests.
Depending on site conditions and management objectives, practices such as selective harvesting, thinning, forest restoration, and reforestation can help improve forest conditions and support long-term stewardship.
Active management can also help address hazardous fuel buildup in appropriate locations, support forest resilience, and provide wood fiber for manufacturing.
A strong forest products industry provides people, equipment, infrastructure, and markets that can help make forest management projects economically practical.
When forests are managed thoughtfully, environmental stewardship and economic opportunity can work together.
Recognizing the People Behind Montana Wood Products
National Forest Products Week is also a time to recognize the individuals who make this industry possible.
Foresters, loggers, equipment operators, truck drivers, mill employees, engineers, manufacturers, researchers, and many others contribute specialized skills throughout the forest products supply chain.
Their work transforms a renewable natural resource into materials that support homes, businesses, infrastructure, and everyday life.
These careers also represent opportunities for the next generation of Montana workers. From traditional forestry and manufacturing occupations to emerging technologies and engineered wood products, the industry offers diverse paths for skilled employment and innovation.
Looking Ahead: Innovation and Opportunity
Montana's forest products industry continues to evolve. Advancements in manufacturing technology, engineered wood, mass timber, and specialty products offer opportunities to use wood resources efficiently and create additional value.
Supporting workforce development, reliable timber supply, responsible forest management, and investment in manufacturing can help Montana businesses remain competitive while strengthening rural economies.
National Forest Products Week reminds us that forests are not simply part of Montana's past. With thoughtful stewardship and continued innovation, they can remain an important part of our future.
How You Can Celebrate National Forest Products Week
There are many ways to recognize the value of forests and forest products this October:
Look for wood products in everyday life. Notice how many items in your home, workplace, or community originate from forests.
Learn about forest management. Explore how forestry professionals care for forests and balance different resource needs.
Support local wood products businesses. Discover Montana manufacturers, mills, craftspeople, and businesses that work with wood.
Explore forestry careers. Help students and young professionals discover opportunities in forestry, logging, transportation, and manufacturing.
Share the story. Highlight a forestry professional, Montana-made wood product, or local business using #NationalForestProductsWeek.
Celebrating Montana's Working Forests
At the Montana Wood Products Association, we recognize the important relationship between healthy forests, a strong forest products industry, and thriving communities.
National Forest Products Week is an opportunity to appreciate the renewable resources our forests provide, the skilled people who transform them into useful products, and the communities supported by their work.
This October 18–24, join us in celebrating Montana's forests, the people who care for them, and the products that help build our future.
Healthy Forests. Strong Industry. Thriving Montana.
Learn More
National Forest Products Week — U.S. Code, Title 36, Section 123
University of Montana, Bureau of Business and Economic Research — 2026 Montana Economic Report, Forest Products section
Note: 2025 Montana industry figures are estimates based on information available through the third quarter of 2025.
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