2026 Biennial Forum
Northwest Community Forest Coalition
Photo: Stewart Mountain Community Forest, Whatcom Land Trust
The Northwest Community Forest Coalition Biennial Forum is a multi-day event, open to all registrants involved or interested in community forest work. The forum brings practitioners, funders, and policymakers together to share and collaborate on opportunities that support community forests across the region.
The Meeting Agenda is currently being developed - see below for initial site visits and panel conversations likely to take place during the Forum!
The initial schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, May 27: 1:00 - 5:00 - PM Site Visit to the Stewart Mountain Community Forest
Thursday, May 28:
8:00 AM - 4:00 - PM Panel Sessions (Meals Provided)
7:00 PM - Dinner and Networking
Friday, May 29:
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM - Panel and Presentation Session (Breakfast Provided)
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM - (Optional) Site Visit - Darrington Community Wood Utilization Effort
Photo: Mount Emily Recreation Area, Sustainable Northwest
Join us!
Date & Times: 1:00 PM, Wednesday, May 27 - 12:00 PM, Friday, May 29
Where: Main Event Located in Bellingham, Washington at Lutherwood Retreat Center
Field Tours: Stewart Mountain Community Forest (Deming, WA) and Darrington’s Future Community Wood Utilization Campus (Darrington, WA)
Tickets include:
attendance to all forum panels, listed below
field tours to two regional community forests
a Community Gathering & Dinner the evening of Thursday, May 28.
If you are unable to attend in person, there is a Zoom option for all forum panels available to ticket holders.
If you are planning on joining in person, a set of Cabins are reserved for attendee usage at Lutherwood Retreat Center. Please reach out to Daniel Wear, dwear@sustainablenorthwest.org to request availability.
Additionally, a room block has been set up at the Four Points By Sheridan Bellingham. You can secure the group rate of $129 per night at the link here.
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For ticket pricing and registration, click here.
To receive 2026 Forum updates, join the Coalition’s email list.
Featured Forum Panels
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How Community Forests Engage with Communities
Learn how different community forests approach community engagement in the planning and management of properties.
This conversation will feature presentations and discussions focusing on:
1. How community members were engaged in the project’s formation.
2. How community members are engaged in ongoing management efforts.
3. How intentional engagement with Tribes best informs community forest goals.
Photo credit: Sustainable Northwest — Community Planning Meeting
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Developing Governance Models and Alternative Management Structures
Learn about different community forest efforts established different management and governance structures.
With perspectives from County, Privately, and Co-Managed Communtity Forests Efforts, as well as an overview of the different types of management structures nationally, this panel will share key approaches and experiences in the design of community forest governance structures that support the locally led management of these properties.
Photo: Valley View Forest - Washington Association of Land Trusts
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Community Engagement in Forestry in Whatcom County
Join for a conversation with multiple of forestland owners and managers within Whatcom County to discuss their approaches to forest management and how different entities engage in conversations with the public around their work.
This panel intends to highlight how different landowners facilitate community engagement, based on their goals, processes, and perspectives.
Full Panel Participation Attendees will be announced in the coming month.
Photo - Olsen Creek Forest - Washington DNR
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Increasing Market Access for Community Forest Products
Join for a panel discussing how community forests can better access markets. This discussion will highlight three key aspects of wood supply from community forests:
1. How can forest products contribute to the story of Community Forestry.
2. How can Community Forests better tell a story of forest products within projects.
3. How can Community Forests contribute to wood supplies and support milling and processing infrastructure.
Photo - Trillium Community Forest - Whidbey Camano Land Trust
Field Tours & Place Based Presentations
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Stewart Mountain Community Forest
1 pm, Wednesday, May 27th
To start our forum, join us for a tour of the Stewart Mountain Community Forest, an effort between the Nooksack Indian Tribe, Whatcom Land Trust, Whatcom County, and Evergreen Land Trust to establish a community forest, supporting watershed health, tribal land access, local jobs, low-impact public use, and more!
