The Conservation Fund and American Forests invite you to attend an educational webinar outlining how creating the Forest Conservation Easement Program (FCEP) in the Farm Bill will fill gaps in forest conservation funding, including by providing federal funding for land trusts to acquire easements on forestland.

Join Jefferson Land Trust’s preserve manager and Northwest Natural Resource Group’s lead forester on a free tour of an actively managed lowland coniferous forest at the 65-acre Valley View Forest.

The Valley View Forest is a pilot property for the neighboring Chimacum Ridge Community Forest

Your input is vital in helping design a loan fund that works for Community Forest Efforts!

Join Sustainable Northwest, Washington Association of Land Trusts, and Craft3 on Thursday, October 10 and share your prior experience and input regarding the development of a watershed based revolving loan fund this Fall.

Your input is vital in helping design a loan fund that works for Community Forest Efforts!

Join Sustainable Northwest, Washington Association of Land Trusts, and Craft3 on Thursday, October 10 and share your prior experience and input regarding the development of a watershed based revolving loan fund this Fall.

Attendees will be visiting the Nisqually Community Forest near Ashford to meet with Northwest Natural Resource Group forestry professionals. These trips will take us out into nature to learn about forest management, climate adaptation / mitigation techniques, and other sustainable forestry practices taking place in the Nisqually Watershed!

Join the City of Montesano on a tour of the Montesano City Forest, a 5,000-acre forest owned and managed by the city. This property comprises multiple harvest units, as well as over 20 miles of hiking and recreational trails.

Join the Washington Association of Land Trusts, the WA Recreation and Conservation Office, the Northwest Community Forests Coalition, Sustainable Northwest, and Washington Conservation Action for a webinar to learn about the Washington State Community Forest Grant Program and other ways to fund your Community Forest projects.

The presentation will feature case studies from past grant recipients and tips on applying for the state program, which has an application deadline of May 1, 2024.

Representatives from the RCO will be available to answer your questions as you prep for this cycle's application.

Register Here

Join the Northwest Community Forest Coalition via Zoom for our Winter Quarterly Meeting.

During the meeting, we will be welcoming a presentation from the US Forest Service’s Community Forest Research Team and get an update regarding the Community Forest Program with Washington RCO

Washington’s Recreation and Conservation Office is holding a webinar to highlight 2024 Funding Opportunities for Community Forests and other Working Land Projects

Coalition Partner, Washington Association of Land Trusts will be facilitating a Land Trust Advocacy Day during the Washington State Legislative Session on Wednesday, February 14.

Join an information webinar to learn more about NPS-RTCA and the 2024 application process. The application window is open through March 1, 2024.

The seventh annual Carbon Friendly Forestry Conference takes place over the course of three days, Nov 1, 8, and 15.

The third session, taking place November 15 will focus on: Climate Smart Wood and Supply Chains

Aaron Everett, Climate Smart Wood Group; Micah Stanovsky, Sustainable Northwest; Seth Zuckerman, Northwest Natural Resource Group; Brent Davies, Vibrant Planet Data Commons

Steve Rigdon, Yakama Forest Products; Ryan Sanchey, Yakama Nation; & Brad Rodakowski, Prime Forest Products

Carbon Reduction Strategy, Microsoft

Title: Driving Action on Embodied Carbon in Buildings

Wes Sullens, U.S. Green Building Council

The seventh annual Carbon Friendly Forestry Conference takes place over the course of three days, Nov 1, 8, and 15.

The second session, taking place November 8 will focus on: Forest & Carbon Science for management in the Pacific Northwest 

Max Wright, Conservation International 

Title: Increasing carbon storage in the working forests of Canada and the United States

• Amy Clark Eagle, Forest Stewardship Council US 

Title: Assessing a Community’s Greenhouse Gas Impact from Forests & Trees using the LEARN tool

• Cindy Jayne, Jefferson County Climate Action Committee; & Catharine Copass, Olympic Forest Coalition 

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, Department of Natural Resources 

The Northwest Community Forest Coalition’s Spring Quarterly Meeting will be taking place in Estacada, OR on November 8.

The agenda will focus on how community forest management models can provide high quality water and maintain healthy riparian and aquatic fish habitat for priority species.

The full agenda includes:

A presentation from Partners involved in the Eagle Creek Community Forest and the past and future of the site.

A presentation from John Bull, with Montesano City Forest, to discuss how the city balances management with riparian health and other city benefits.

A panel with community forest managers from North Coast Land Conservancy’s Boneyard Ridge, Chelan County’s Nason Ridge Property, and Whatcom Land Trust’s Stewart Mountain Community Forest.

Funding updates from State and Federal Partners, with specific highlights coming regarding programs receiving additional support from the Inflation Reduction Act, such as the Forest Legacy Program and the Landscape Scale Restoration Program.

Informal Networking with Community Forest Partners

Register for the event at the link here.

On Tuesday, November 7, members of the Northwest Community Forest Coalition will be visiting Eagle Creek Community Forest. Located in Clackamas County, Oregon.

This site visit will give Coalition Members an opportunity to see a community forest which is balancing ecological forestry and thinning with aquatic habitat protection.

Attendees will meet at 1:00 PM at the Eagle Fern Park, before consolidating vehicles and traveling to the Eagle Creek Community Forest.

Register for the event at the link here.

The seventh annual Carbon Friendly Forestry Conference takes place over the course of three days, Nov 1, 8, and 15.

The first session, taking place November 1 will focus on:

Small Forest Landowners, Carbon Markets and Carbon Offsets

Richard Pine & Debra Pine, O’Neill Pine Company

Title: Forest Carbon Works & Small Forest Landowner Experiences in the Carbon Market.

Sandy Letzing, Forest Carbon Works; & David Bugni, Small Forest Landowner 

Title: Carbon Markets for Forest Management: State of the Market

Julius Pasay & Jeremy Koslowski, The Climate Trust 

Join to learn more regarding the upcoming Community Forest and Open Space Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity, taking place from 11 AM - 12 PM virtually on Wednesday, October 11, 2023

The USDA Forest Service’s Community Forest Program is a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to tribes, local governments and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to acquire and establish community forests that provide community benefits.

This webinar will be focused on the role of land trusts in facilitating successful projects through the Community Forest Program. We will be joined by presenters from the Forest Service, Kaniksu Land Trust and the Land Trust Alliance, who will share how land trusts can develop strong projects through intentional and inclusive community engagement.

Coalition Partner - Kaniksu Land Trust will highlight the Pine Street Woods Community Forest in Sandpoint, ID, which was successfully funded through the program.

The Forest Service has the opportunity to facilitate a significant increase in funding for the Forest Legacy Program, received through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

This webinar will be hosted by the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Coalition, and will be focused on land trusts and other community organizations interested in learning more about the numerous funding opportunities provided to the Forest Legacy Program through the IRA.

The event will take place via zoom from 11 AM - 12 PM on Thursday, September 28.

You can register for the event here.

Attend the Land Trust Alliance on Saturday, September 9 and learn about two case studies which utilize Federal Community Forest and State Revolving Funds (clean water act), one in New England and the other in the Pacific Northwest.

The featured case study from the Pacific Northwest is Ilwaco’s Bear Ridge Community Forest, with speakers from the City of Ilwaco, Trust for Public Land, and Washington Conservation Action.

Learn more about the event, and others during the Land Trust Alliance Rally below.

Join the Northwest Community Forest Coalition on August 15 for our Summer Quarterly Meeting.

The meeting will be held via zoom, and will cover approaches to public access and recreational planning within community forests.

You can register for the event here!

With a focus on existing tools and needs for additional support, the forest stewardship workshop will offer practical ways to improve the opportunities FSC offers to community and family woodlands. Whether you’re a group manager, consulting forester, forest owner or forest manager, FSC encourages you to participate in this free in-person workshop.

The event will also offer a good opportunity to connect with peers about shared challenges facing small, low-intensity, and community-managed forests.

Forests meeting one or more of the following criteria are eligible for the resources and tools that will be introduced in the workshop:

• Forests smaller than 2,471 acres (1,000 hectares; any ownership)

• The rate of harvesting is less than 20% of the mean annual increment (MAI) and EITHER a) the annual harvest is less than 1379.5 cords; OR b) the average annual harvest is less than 1379.5 cords/year during a 5-year cycle (any ownership)

• Only non-timber forest products are collected or harvested (any ownership)

• Both: a) the legal right to manage the forest is held at communal level; AND b) the members of the community actively manage the forest or have authorized someone else to manage it

Breakfasts and lunches will be provided with the workshop, but participants are responsible for covering their travel, lodging and dinner expenses.

This workshop has been awarded 13.5 hours of Cat 1 CFE credits through the Society of American Foresters.

For more information and to register, please visit https://evt.to/ahaedgoow

Registration for this event runs through Friday, June 30, 2023.

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Clark Eagle (a.eagle@us.fsc.org).

On Wednesday, May 10, members of the NWCFC will be visiting one of Washington's newest community forests, the Nason Ridge Community Forest. Located in Washington's Central Cascades, Nason Ridge is an incredible resource within Chelan County.

The Field Tour is currently at capacity, however you can join the Waitlist via the Registration Link Here!

The Northwest Community Forest Coalition’s Spring Quarterly Meeting will be taking place in Wenatchee WA on May 9.

The Agenda includes:

Moderated Discussion Including Experts on:

• Forest Management Plan Development - Featuring Executive Committee Member Chad Washington

• Cooperative Decision Making in Community Forest Planning - Featuring Teanaway Community Forest

• Tribal Engagement and Partnerships within Community Forests - Featuring Rebecca Ramsey with Swan Valley Connections

• Approaches to Public Access - Featuring Executive Committee Member Erin McKay

• Using a Forest as an Educational Resource - Featuring Asa Deane with Friends of Anacortes Community Forest

A presentation focusing Staffing a Community Forest:

• Led by Mount Adams Resource Stewards

Resources Available for Operational Budget

• Grants and Loans available for Operation and Maintenance.

• Opportunities for forest derived incomes.

Legislative Update

• How did Funding Take Shape this Year?

• Status of Relevant Bills in State Legislature

Roundtable and Networking

You can register to join the event, either in person or remotely Via the Registration Link Here!