Malheur National Forest and Iron Triangle, LLC enter 20-year stewardship agreement
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
JOHN DAY – (Press Release from the Malheur National Forest)
The Malheur National Forest has signed a 20-year Stewardship Agreement with Iron Triangle LLC, a John Day-based forest restoration and wood products company. The agreement establishes a framework for landscape-scale forest restoration, hazardous fuels reduction, timber harvesting, watershed improvement, and habitat restoration across the national forest.
“It is critical to have forest products infrastructure available within our local community. This agreement gives us and our partners the stability to plan and deliver restoration at the scale these landscapes require,” said Ann Niesen, Malheur National Forest Supervisor. “It’s about reducing wildfire risk, improving watershed health, and supporting the communities that depend on these forests.”
The agreement comes at a critical time for Grant County. Malheur Lumber — the county’s largest sawmill — permanently closed in early 2025, a loss the Oregon Employment Department estimated at 206 jobs and $58 million annually. Iron Triangle, which employs more than 110 people locally, has acquired the mill’s manufacturing assets and is investing in local processing infrastructure to preserve the region’s wood products capacity.
“The 20-year nature of this agreement provides important long-term stability for our employees and their families,” said Russ Young of Iron Triangle LLC. “It also gives us the stability needed to invest in our workforce, equipment, and infrastructure for the future. Our workforce takes a great deal of pride in the work they do, and this agreement allows them to continue delivering meaningful restoration work that benefits the forest and the surrounding communities.”
Under a stewardship agreement, the Forest Service partners with qualified entities to achieve land management goals. Iron Triangle will perform restoration activities in exchange for forest products generated through those treatments, with the Forest Service reimbursing the difference where service costs exceed timber value. Iron Triangle was selected using a best-approach determination based on past performance, technical capability, community benefit, and mutual interest.
Authorized under the 2014 Farm Bill, the agreement anticipates approximately 5,000 acres of treatment and 25 million board feet of timber annually. Actual levels depend on completed environmental analysis, project planning, funding, and market conditions. Every project requires completed NEPA review before operations begin.
