Northwest Community Forest Coalition 2023 Spring Meeting
Our Spring Quarterly Meeting was highly informative, covering steps to manage a community forest, following acquisition. The meeting featured both presentations from a set of community forest experts and collaborative conversation and brainstorming from all attendees.
While the quarterly meeting was held in person, we were able to host the meeting via Zoom for attendees who were unable to join in person. View the meeting at the link below.
You can view the the timing and details for each session and the related materials below.
Meeting Materials
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Forest Management Planning
Chad Washington with Nuveen Natural Capital provided an introduction to Forest Management Planning from 0:00:00 - 0:14:20 in the meeting recording.
For Community Forests without access to a forester. He recommended reaching out to Forest Planning Resources with WSU or OSU, State resources with WA DNR or OR Stewardship Foresters, or with written resources from OFRI
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Cooperative Decision Making in the Teanaway
Larry Leach (WA DNR) and Nicky Pasi (Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust) both presented on the collaboartive decision making approach through Teanaway Community Forest. Watch the recording from 0:15:24 - 0:38:00.
Being Washington’s largest Community Forest, the partnership between WA DNR, WFDW, and the numerous local organizations is vital for the forest’s success.
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Elk Creek Tribal Co-Management
Working with Tribal Partners is a vital component for many community forests. From 38:00 - 1:02:00 in the meeting, Rebecca Ramsey with Swan Valley Connections discussed the co-ownership and co-management that takes place between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Swan Valley Connections for the Elk Creek Conservation Area.
You can read the management plan for the property below.
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Public Access: Nason Ridge
Erin McKay with Chelan County Natural Resources presented on approaches to balance public access, ecological benefit, and timber revenue, using the experience from the Nason Ridge Community Forest.
From 1:01:00 - 1:28:50 in the meeting recording, Erin shares the experiences and partnerships beneficial in ensuring the Nason Ridge Community Forest provides sustainable recreation opportunities.
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A Forest for Education
Friends of the Anacortes Community Forest Executive Director, Asa Deane presented on how the Anacortes Community Forest is used as an educational resource. From 1:30:00 - 1:53:00 in the recording, Asa discusses the history of the site, and how the Anacortes Forest Lands (ACFL) are used in school district curriculum, through summer camp programming, and with local engagement.
View the presentation below.
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Staffing a Forest
Jay McLaughlin with Mount Adams Resource Stewards presented on how to staff a community forest.
From 2:02:00 - 2:32:00 in the presentation, Jay shared how MARS was effective in balancing timber harvest within the community forest with Management Planning, contract work, and harvest for adjacent properties outside of the Community Forest footprint to effectively grow the MARS Staff from 1 employee to nearly 30.
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Funding for Operation and Maintenance
From 2:33:00 - 3:07:45 in the meeting, Coalition members shared where they have secured funding for ongoing maintenance, as well as potential fundraising opportunities.
Attached is a draft document which covers many of the opportunities discussed during the conversation.
Given the complexity of the funding landscape for community forests, funding conversations take place in most meetings.A short portion of legislative updates took place to close the meeting from 3:09:00 - 3:29:35
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Nason Ridge Visit
On May 10, following the quarterly meeting, Chelan County Natural Resources led a site visit to the Nason Ridge Community Forest.
Our team visited the property, and got the opportunity to hear more about public access, partnership with the State Parks, and the acquisition process through a morning tour. Read the full blog post around the visit below.
A special thanks goes out to Chelan County Natural Resources for hosting the Coalition.
