Pacific Northwest forests provide many community benefits, including timber, drinking water, recreation, fish and wildlife habitat, and more. Yet, often, local communities have no say in how forests are managed because companies that own large areas of private forests make decisions that don’t match community needs or priorities.
Regardless of their interests, Sustainable Northwest partners with communities to acquire private forest land and create a community-owned or managed forest, commonly known as a community forest.
With communities in the lead, forests are healthier, which is better for nature, people, and local economies.
Working with communities who want to acquire and manage the local forest to benefit its drinking water supply.
This effort has gained momentum because current landowners are commonly managing in ways that maximize timber, not drinking water.
Drinking water faces unique and expanding pressures that require dedicated attention and protections. Along the Oregon Coast, this is of great concern.
A handful of Oregon Coast communities currently own and manage their source drinking watersheds as community forests to protect those supplies or are in the process of starting community forests.
One example of this is the Arch Cape Forest.
Learn more about opportunities to protect drinking watersheds along the Oregon coast using Ecotrust’s interactive mapping tool!
There is no one way to create or manage a community forest, but their unifying thread is communities deciding their futures in their forests.
Some communities focus on other benefits that a community forest can provide beyond drinking water.
In Montesano, Washington, the City Forest balances timber harvest with an extensive recreational trail network, bringing in substantial revenue to reduce the city’s water bills.
In Butte Falls, Oregon, the Butte Falls Community Forest helps protect the city from catastrophic wildfires, while the Mt. Adams Community Forest is being used as a tool to introduce prescribed fire to communities outside of Mt. Adams.
In Newport, Washington, the Indian Creek Community Forest, managed by the Kalispel Indian Tribe, is used as an educational space for Tribal members and area residents. It helps everyone better understand the local forest ecosystem, strengthens stewardship ethics, and inspires future natural resource careers.
Sustainable Northwest organizes the Northwest Community Forest Coalition, a network of over 40 active community forests spanning upwards of 215,000 acres. The coalition shares information, offers networking, and helps increase the capacity of the community forest movement.
The Northwest Community Forest Coalition Newsletter keeps you informed about events, meetings, and publications.
