Community Forests Stories Across The Pacific Northwest
Community forestry is expanding across the Pacific Northwest, and a recent video series developed by the Northwest Community Forest Coalition in partnership with Sustainable Northwest highlights the countless regional benefits community forests provide.
Through the US Forest Service's Community Forest Program, a small team of forest and conservation policy advocates collaborated with individual land owners to share their conservation stories. The Pacific Northwest showcases exceptional land stewards, spanning from the southern coast of Oregon to the Olympic Peninsula and north to the foothills of Mount Baker. Learning from these forests and the local communities participating in alternative forest management has been my pleasure.
This video, “Community Forest 101” showcases five current or developing community forests within our region that share an inspirational motivation to keep land management local, all while differing nearly entirely in their specific approaches to the management plans. Each community tailors their forest management to support their neighbors, bringing ecological, educational, and economic benefits home.
With responses varying as much as the sites themselves, the video shares perspectives of various land managers, community members, and project partners describing - what a community forest means to them...
"Access to selectively harvested timber to support the local arts community."
"Clean drinking water for my family, neighbors, and future generations."
"A community resource for education, natural exposure, and access for everyone."
The most common theme shared across all the community forest partners we interviewed was the sense of joy a community forest brings, whether it's a connection to a sense of place or resources the forest provides.
Arch Cape, managed by the Arch Cape Water District | Chimacum Ridge, managed by Jefferson Land Trust | Indian Creek Community Forest, managed by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians | Nisqually Community Forest, managed by the Nisqually Land Trust and Nisqually River Foundation | Stewart Mountain, managed by Evergreen Land Trust and Whatcom Land Trust
A community forest is born out of the needs of residents and designed by the forest's surrounding landowners and organizations, evoking collaboration, innovation, and life-long partnerships. They provide educational opportunities, economic stability, access to nature, and acknowledgment of history.
These videos illustrate the tremendous impact of small community forests, and we hope to inspire community members to get involved with their local forest management.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Wear
Forest Program Manager
dwear@sustainablenorthwest.org
To learn more visit our Private Forestlands page.
