This funding will support the new greenhouse with additional supplies in preparation for production

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service R1-Northern Region awarded the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation $250,000 on May 6, 2026, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act Nursery Vegetation program (CFDA 10.736) to complete Phase 2 of a dual atrium greenhouse structure and move containerized plants into production at the tribe's reforestation nursery.

Grant funds support finishing construction of a 60-by-42-foot dual atrium structure and relocating large containerized plants into the facility for maintenance, protection, and conditioning. The work increases nursery capacity to meet large-scale demand for containerized plants used in public and private land reforestation, post-wildfire recovery, and disturbance mitigation. The facility supplies seedlings critical to future timber production and landscape recovery aligned with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Reforestation Strategy, which prioritizes state and tribal partnerships to accelerate reforestation, produce high-quality seed, and invest in infrastructure to scale up operations.

Performance occurs in Montana, with an ultimate completion date of January 31, 2031. The program funds state and tribal entities to modernize tree seedling nursery and tree orchard facilities through capital improvements and equipment upgrades, with funding also available for salary, training, travel, and contract labor in seedling and seed production activities.

Grant funds are proposed to cover finishing construction and moving in containerized plants. Goal is to complete phase 2 of the dual atrium structure. This will allow to bring the remaining large container plants inside to be maintained, protected and conditioned. By constructing a large duel atrium structure to house large, containerized plants, will have a single space dedicated to the growth & maintenance of those plants. Large scale demand for large, containerized plants is a driving force for increasing capacity. Therefore, adding a 60 X42 dual atrium to maintain, protect and condition those plants will increase our nursery capacity. Funding supports state & tribal facilities in purchasing equipment and replacing aging infrastructure to improve the operational efficiency and productivity of reforestation nurseries and seed orchards. These facilities are a critical source of seedling for public and private land reforestation to support future timber production and recover land productivity post-wildfire and disturbance. Activities align to priority goals described in the united states department of agriculture forest service reforestation strategy, which calls for partnerships with states and tribes to accelerate reforestation efforts, collaborate to collect and produce high-quality seed, and invest in infrastructure to scale up reforestation.