The U.S. Forest Service’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest announced on Tuesday that commercial huckleberry permits will not be issued in 2026.
According to a news release from the Forest Service, the decision reflects a commitment to tribal treaty rights and trust responsibility, ecological recovery and a long-term management approach built on genuine collaboration and long-term sustainability.
The decision follows months of engagement that included an online public questionnaire, a community roundtable in February 2026, conversations with industry officials and government-to-government consultations with tribal nations, according to the news release.
The Yakama Nation, Tulalip Tribes and the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) each formally requested permanent cessation of commercial huckleberry harvest on the forest. ATNI’s resolution documents the cultural, ceremonial and subsistence importance of huckleberries and notes that during 2025 without commercial harvest, tribal gatherers observed improved berry abundance, reduced harassment, and safer gathering conditions.
“Our responsibility is to steward huckleberry habitat in a way that honors treaty-reserved rights and trust responsibility, protects cultural resources, and ensures these plants remain abundant for generations,” Forest Supervisor Johanna Kovarik said in the release. “We heard clearly from tribal governments, forest users and local communities about the impacts of commercial harvest, and we are committed to a path forward that prioritizes ecological health and cultural respect.”
The Forest Service is initiating a multi-year planning effort to evaluate long-term management options. The process will include government-to-government consultation with affected tribes, targeted and public engagement, continued huckleberry field restoration and formal consideration of tribal requests for permanent closure, according to the release, which stated the goal is a durable, transparent and culturally respectful management framework that supports both ecological and community needs.
Huckleberry fields across the forest are experiencing long-term decline from conifer encroachment, fire suppression, drought and invasive species. The Forest Service has a long history of huckleberry restoration through timber harvest, prescribed fire and vegetation treatments, the release stated. Active restoration projects with huckleberry components include the Yellowjacket Project in the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District, precommercial thinning in the Mount Adams Ranger District and the forest-wide plantation thin environmental assessment.
Personal-use huckleberry picking remains open under existing Forest Service regulations. Free permits are available at https://gp.fs2c.usda.gov/gp/.
All visitors are encouraged to harvest responsibly and respect tribal treaty rights and trust responsibility and traditional gathering areas. Additional information is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/giffordpinchot.
