Benson named Kootenai Forest supervisor

Montana native Chad Benson, who has been the acting forest supervisor for the Kootenai National Forest since the fall of 2018, is now the forest’s supervisor.

Benson’s long career with the U.S. National Forest has included stints on the Kootenai National Forest, Lolo National Forest, the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho, the Custer Gallatin National Forest and elsewhere.

He is a 1998 graduate of Montana Tech.

The Kootenai National Forest encompasses more than 2.2 million acres in the northwest corner of Montana and northeast corner of Idaho. Its northern border is British Columbia, Canada.

The supervisor’s office is in Libby.

Benson’s wife, Aubree, is a fisheries biologist. They have two boys, four quarter horses and two dogs.