Upcoming & Past Events
NW Community Forest Coalition 2024 Forum & Field Tour
Taking place every two years, the Northwest Community Forest Coalition leads a multi-day event to bring practitioners together to learn, share, and collaborate around opportunities for community forests across the region.
This year's forum will be in Enterprise, Oregon, hosted in partnership with Wallowa Resource, Wallowa Land Trust, Wallowa County, and more!
Making Energy Work Quarterly Webinar: Agrivoltaics – An Innovative Solution to Siting Solar in Oregon
Join Sustainable Northwest’s Making Energy Work for Rural Oregon coalition for a deep dive into agrivoltaics and the potential for dual-use solar siting in Oregon. Did you know that pairing solar and agriculture together, not only helps solve where solar can be sited but also results in positive co-benefits on the efficiency of both the solar panels and the crop production? Learn more during our upcoming webinar.
Building with Climate-Smart Wood
Connect with experts about using climate-smart wood for mass timber projects. Doors open 5:30. Program 6:30-7.
Making Energy Work Quarterly Webinar: Assessing Pathways for Widescale Microgrid Development in Oregon
Join us for a lively discussion on how Oregon can achieve widescale microgrid development across the state. This webinar will focus on regulatory and policy strategies for microgrids, efforts to standardize microgrids to make them financially viable, and local community microgrid projects that are being developed despite significant barriers.
2023 Energy Resilience Planning for Local Governments Workshop
Sustainable Northwest and Energy Trust of Oregon are hosting a 2023 Energy Resilience Planning Workshop for Local Governments. This workshop will connect city and county staff with funding, resources, and organizations to help with the planning and implementation necessary to make your community more energy-resilient and prepared for future disasters.
Making Energy Work Quarterly Webinar: Unpacking Federal Funding Bottlenecks for Rural Energy in Oregon
Join us on November 29th from 11am - 12pm for the Making Energy Work for Rural Oregon coalition’s last webinar of the year. This event will focus on the federal funding landscape, and how communities are (or are not) accessing these historic investments.
NW Community Forest Coalition Quarterly Meeting
The Coalition’s Fall Quarterly Meeting will take place in Estacada, Oregon, hosted in partnership with Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District, who currently manage the Eagle Creek Community Forest.
NW Community Forest Coalition Quarterly Meeting > Site Visit
On Tuesday, November 7, members of the Northwest Community Forest Coalition will be visiting Eagle Creek Community Forest. Located in Clackamas County, Oregon.
2023 Making Energy Work Fall Energy Symposium
Sustainable Northwest is proud to host the 8th annual Fall Energy Symposium on Nov. 2nd-3rd, 2023. This year we will be taking in the rich history, cutting-edge research, and clean energy innovations of Benton County.
2023 Live Edge
Come Join the Sustainable Northwest community at Live Edge!
We are excited to gather, celebrate the successes of the past year, and look forward to exciting projects of the future once again.
Making Energy Work Quarterly Webinar: Energy Resilience in Rural Communities
Join us on July 26th from 11 am - 12 pm for Making Energy Work's quarterly webinar featuring a lively discussion about energy resilience planning and resilience hubs.
Sustainable Startup Happy Hour
Join Sustainable Northwest, TiE Oregon, and Oregon Venture Fund for a special happy hour on Wednesday, June 28th at 5:30pm!
NW Community Forest Coalition Quarterly Meeting
Discussions on the best "first steps" to manage a community forest and a tour of one of Washington's newest community forests, the Nason Ridge Community Forest.
Register today!
The Making of the Northwest Forest Plan
The Making of the Northwest Forest Plan
A conversation with K. Norman Johnson, Jerry F. Franklin, and Gordon H. Reeves, moderated by Kerry Tymchuk, about their new book The Making of the Northwest Forest Plan. The Wild Science of Saving Old Growth Ecosystems.
Sunday, May 7, 2023
2PM – 3:30PM
Free and open to the public
Oregon Historical Society
1200 SW Park Ave
Portland, Oregon 97205
2022 Live Edge
Join Sustainable Northwest for an in-person Live Edge on Thursday, October 20th!
After two years of distancing, we are excited to gather, celebrate the successes of the past year, and look forward to exciting projects of the future once again.
2022 Making Energy Work Symposium
The Seventh Annual Making Energy Work Fall Symposium
Sustainable Northwest, along with our partners the City of Pendleton, and Energy Trust of Oregon hosted the seventh annual Fall Energy Symposium October 17th-19th, 2022.
This year we reconvened in-person and basing operations out of the spectacular Umatilla County, a region known for its natural beauty, history, and clean energy innovations.
This annual event convened clean energy leaders from across the state for engaging field tours, panel presentations, and networking receptions. These events featured topics on the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, Rural Electrification, Renewable Hydrogen in the Pacific Northwest, and much more.
Presentations can be found below:
Federal Policy Update: Unpacking the Inflation Reduction Act
Eileen Quigley, Clean Energy Transition Institute, Inflation Reduction Act & Rural Communities
Nora Apter, Oregon Environmental Council, The Inflation Reduction Act
Community Energy Planning
Cathy Higgins, Hood River Energy Council, Hood River County Energy Plan
Wendy Simmons, Oregon Department of Energy, Oregon Department of Energy 2022 Biennial Energy Report, Oregon Guidebook for Local Energy Resilience, and Oregon Renewable Energy Siting Assessment (ORESA)
Grace Andrews, The Environmental Center, Best Practices for Community Energy Planning in Rural Oregon
Rural Electrification
Dan Orzech, Oregon Clean Power Cooperative, Innovative Solar Applications
Robert Wallace, Wy'EastRC&D, Rural Electrification
Renewable Hydrogen in the Pacific Northwest
Abe Mooney, Obsidian Renewables, Obsidian Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub
Mason Murphy, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, CRITFC Vision and CTUIR Energy Strategy
Shannon Souza, Oregon Coast Energy Alliance Network, Renewable Hydrogen In the Pacific Northwest
For any questions, please contact Bridget Callahan, Senior Energy Program Manager, at bcallahan@sustainablenorthwest.org.
This event was hosted by Sustainable Northwest with support from Energy Trust of Oregon and City of Pendleton!
Upper Klamath Basin Producer Listening Session
Join us for our bi-monthly Producer Listening Sessions where producers can share their conservation project needs directly with assembled agency and organization representatives who can listen and provide information and support.
We are responding to a need for more facilitation between agencies, organizations, and producers to accelerate and streamline program enrollment across a wide suite of conservation activities (everything from installing VFDs to riparian habitat improvement projects).
We fill that need by coordinating projects between producers and agencies/orgs to expand capacity and increase communication.
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2022 | 10AM - 12PM
Sprague River Community Center - 23536 Main Street Sprague River, OR
Light refreshments will be provided.
Please RSVP to Kelley Delpit: kdelpit@sustainablenorthwest; 661-747-8562
Participating Entities Include:
Energy Trust of Oregon Intermountain West Joint Venture Klamath Farm Services Agency Klamath Lake Land Trust Klamath NRCS Klamath SWCD Klamath Watershed Partnership Lake County Resources Initiative Macy’s Flying Service Oregon Department of Agriculture OSU Research and Extension Center Sustainable Northwest Trout Unlimited USFWS Partners Program
Sustainable Startup Happy Hour
Sustainable Northwest, TiE Oregon, Oregon Venture Fund, and Elevate Capital will be hosting a happy hour featuring local startups on the cutting edge of sustainability. RSVP to Chaney Clifton, Donor Engagement Manager, at cclifton@sustainablenorthwest.org
ElectricTractor Display
CAPACES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST PRESENT:
ELECTRIC TRACTOR DISPLAY
MERGING THE GREEN MOVEMENT & SOCIAL MOVEMENT TO SUSTAIN LIFE ON MOTHER EARTH FOR MANY GENERATIONS TO COME
*please register before the event*
Schedule:
FRIDAY, JULY 8TH 11:00 AM - 3 PM
9536 Parrish Gap Road SE Turner, OR 97392
INCLUDES LUNCH PROVIDED BY ANAHUAC FARM OF CAPACES & TRACTOR DEMONSTRATION BY SNW
11:30am - 12:30pm: Welcome & Lunch
Anahuac Farm of Capaces Leadership Institute gives the welcome and offers a serving of lunch to the
community that honors their Indigenous culinary traditions
12:30pm - 2:15pm: Electric Tractor Demonstration & Presentation by Sustainable Northwest & Wy'East
Information session and tractor testing
2:15pm - 3:00pm: Interactive Session - Q&A and Community Dialogue
Includes section related to the e-tractor and technology presented and conversations around sustainability and introduction of green technology
3pm: Closing
2022 NW Community Forest Coalition Forum & Field Tour
The 2022 Community Forest Forum and Field Tour will bring together people from across the Pacific Northwest to share, learn, and contribute to the growing interest in community forests that we continue to see across the region.
Economic Opportunities for Klamath Producers Engaging in Conservation Activities and Drought-Resilient Management
Please join us to learn more about economic opportunities related to conservation and restoration program participation, and drought-resiliency management.
We’d also like to hear from you! Please come to share your feedback on how these organizations can best serve Klamath landowners.
MEW Quarterly Call: Policy Update
The energy transition is accelerating.
New state and federal policies dramatically shape the clean energy transition in Oregon. Please join us Wednesday, February 23rd, from 12pm-1pm for our next Making Energy Work quarterly call to dig into critical near term opportunities.
We will be joined by John Cornwell and Rob Del Mar with Oregon Department of Energy to discuss ODOE's Community Renewable Energy Program (CREP). This newly established $50 million grant program supports energy resilience projects across the state with a focus on rural and disadvantaged communities.
In addition, ODOE has been commissioned to study barriers to small-scale renewable energy development. We will dig into this study and discuss how this can help accelerate local clean energy projects.
Also joining the discussion is Neil Baunsgard with The Environmental Center based in Bend, Oregon, to share updates on the proposed Reach Code legislation being debated in the Oregon legislature. Reach Codes would allow cities to create higher energy efficiency standards for buildings.
Meeting details can be found below. We hope you join us!
MAKING ENERGY WORK QUARTERLY CALL: POLICY UPDATE
February 23rd, 2022
12pm - 1pm PST
JOIN ZOOM MEETING:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85314690888?pwd=M0h1b0F6OVFGOVQ2Rkg5WE5obXF0QT09
Meeting ID: 853 1469 0888
Passcode: 941940
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For more information about the Making Energy Work network, please contact Bridget Callahan: bcallahan@sustainablenorthwest.org, 503.756.0494.
Live Edge 2021
Our Live Edge virtual gala is just a few weeks away on October 14th!
Bid on fabulous packages, learn about our latest projects and programs and support Sustainable Northwest.
We are excited to host keynote speaker Peter Brannen, an award-winning science journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Wired, Aeon, The Boston Globe, Slate, and The Guardian among other publications. His book, The Ends of the World, about the five major mass extinctions in Earth's history, was published in 2017 by Ecco and was a Forbes Top 10 Best Environment, Climate, and Conservation Book.
PHOTO: Peter Brannen
Integrating Wildfire Risk Reduction, Landscape Restoration, and Climate Adaptation across eastern Washington
Integrating Wildfire Risk Reduction, Landscape Restoration, and Climate Adaptation across eastern Washington
Reducing wildfire risk to communities, restoring landscape resilience, and facilitating climate adaptation are often approached as separate, competing efforts, yet they are interconnected on many levels. In eastern Washington, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR) has worked with a wide range of partners to develop an integrated approach to tackle these challenges.
This effort formally began in 2017 with the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan to increase the pace and scale of landscape restoration and reduce uncharacteristically severe wildfire. Since then, WA DNR has prioritized 39 planning areas and conducted landscape evaluations covering 3.2 million forested acres. Landscape evaluations combine quantitative assessments of departure from historical conditions, fire risk, current and future drought vulnerability, habitat for focal wildlife species, and operational feasibility. In 2020, WA DNR conducted an extensive public engagement process to develop a wildfire response benefit prioritization and integrate it with landscape evaluations. As a consequence, the primary products of the landscape evaluation process are treatment targets and prioritization maps for planning areas that combine landscape restoration needs with wildfire operations benefit in what is referred to as dual benefit.
In this 90-minute workshop, WA DNR scientists and planners, along with a representative from a partnering organization, will describe the science, public process, and data products emerging from this framework. Group discussion will focus on how best to use this framework in a collaborative setting.
Panelists:
Amy Ramsey, Forest Health Division, WA DNR
Garrett Meigs, Forest Health Division, WA DNR
Erin McKay, Chelan County Natural Resource Department
For updates: Subscribe here.
Click here for more information about the workshop series.
Big Mosquito: Riparian Restoration & Fuels - exploring options with Monitoring & Collaboration
Big Mosquito: Riparian Restoration & Fuels - exploring options with Monitoring & Collaboration
Many Collaboratives and Forest Service partners across the region are considering innovative work in riparian restoration. This webinar looks specifically at fuels, water temperatures, and increasing shrubs and hardwood cover. Come hear from Forest Service staff on the Malheur National Forest, where they successfully partnered with a Collaborative and scientists from the PNW Region Ecology Program to test riparian treatments that removed conifers to restore riparian and aquatic systems.
Big Mosquito: The Malheur National Forest completed a pilot project for active riparian forest management in 2016 on the East Fork of Big Creek. The Ecology Group worked closely with the Forest to set up a robust (CFLRP) monitoring program to fulfill NEPA monitoring requirements, and to support the development of Riparian Zones of Agreement with the Blue Mountains Forest Partners collaborative. Sixteen openings, ranging in size from ¼-1 acre were created, to restore fire regime spatial patterns, continuity of fuels, valley downed wood loading and riparian hardwoods for their allochthonous inputs and their influence on water temperatures. All trees cut were directionally felled toward the creek.
The Monitoring Plan used the National Riparian Core Protocol with a Before-After/Control-Impact (BACI) study design that consisted of three treatment openings and three control areas. Vegetation data were collected before treatments in 2016 and again in 2019, 3 years post-treatment. The Core Protocol established valley cross-sectional transects that collected tree species, canopy cover, basal area, shrub species, and herbaceous species across various landforms (colluvium, terrace, floodplain, and channel). Seven to nine transects occurred in each monitoring reach. Stream shade was measured at each transect and continuous water temperature monitoring was collected above, throughout, and below the openings.
Panelists:
Bob Hassmiller – USFS District Hydrologist
Amanda Lindsay – USFS District Silviculturist
Upekala Wijayratne – USFS Northeast Oregon Ecology Group
For updates: Subscribe here.
Click here for more information about the workshop series.
For questions or further information, contact Sally Bernstein, sbernstein@sustainablenorthwest.org
2021 Making Energy Work Symposium - Wallowa County
The sixth annual Making Energy Work Fall Symposium
Sustainable Northwest, along with our partners Wallowa Resources, Energy Trust of Oregon, Wy’East RC&D, and Heartwood Biomass hosted the 6th annual Fall Energy Symposium September 13th-15th, 2021.
This year we reconvened in-person and basing operations out of spectacular Wallowa County.
This quiet and scenic corner of Oregon is home to a host of community energy innovations. From harnessing community hydro and launching a renowned wood energy campus to embarking on creative solar development, this county has become an incubator for innovation and inspiration.
We crafted a unique agenda that included hands-on tours, presentations from regional experts, and plenty of networking opportunities to connect guests with other drivers in the clean energy sector.
For questions please contact Bridget Callahan, Senior Energy Program Manager, at bcallahan@sustainablenorthwest.org.
This event was hosted by Sustainable Northwest with support from Energy Trust of Oregon, Heartwood Biomass, Wallowa Resources, and Wy’East RC&D.
Westside Wildfire Research Initiative Co-producing Science to Meet Management Needs in W. WA and OR
Westside Wildfire Research Initiative Co-producing Science to Meet Management Needs in W. WA and OR
Increases in area burned and the 2020 wildfires have prompted a greater interest in the role of fire in forests and communities of western Oregon and Washington.
In 2019, the USDA Pacific Northwest Research Station convened researchers and managers in the Westside Fire Research Initiative, a collection of co-produced research projects aimed at filling in critical knowledge gaps and delivering management-level information related to wildfire west of the Cascade crest in Oregon and Washington.
The Initiative’s projects collectively address three main themes:
1) Historical and future fire regimes.
2) Fuels management in moist, mixed conifer forests.
3) Post-fire vegetation trajectories and management strategies.
In this session, researchers will give brief presentations of ongoing and planned future work in each of the three initiative themes in an effort to expose participants to the different projects and project leads, and to enhance communication between collaboratives and researchers as part of the co-production process. Presentations will be followed by group discussion.
PRESENTERS:
Matt Rollins (Program Leader, USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station)
Matt Reilly (Postdoctoral Researcher, USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station)
Andy McEvoy (ORISE Research Fellow, USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station)
Becky Flitcroft (Research Scientist, USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station)
Eric White (Research Scientist, USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station)
Gretchen Engbring (Postdoctoral Researcher, USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station)
Morris Johnson (Research Scientist, USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station)
Josh Halofsky (Research Scientist, Washington Dept. Natural Resources)
For updates: Subscribe here.
Click here for more information about the workshop series.
Sustainability Happy Hour
Sustainable Northwest, TiE Oregon, Oregon Venture Fund, and Elevate Capital will be hosting a happy hour featuring local startups on the cutting edge of sustainability. RSVP to Chaney Harter, Donor Engagement Manager, at charter@sustainablenorthwest.org.
Old Growth on the East Side
Old trees have enormous social and ecological value. This session gets at the
basics. What are the characteristics of old trees? What ecological roles do they play? How does it develop in the context of active fire regimes? How has the abundance and distribution of old trees changed over time? What are the key threats to old trees in the region? What are management options for protecting old trees in landscapes altered by fire exclusion?
Panelists:
James Johnston, PhD, Oregon State University
Andrew Merschel, PhD, Oregon State University
Keala Hagmann, PhD, University of Washington
Paul Hessburg, PhD, PNW Research Station
For updates: Subscribe here.
Click here for more information about the workshop series.
DROUGHT-RELATED FORAGE PESTS IN KLAMATH: EDUCATION AND TREATMENT SEMINAR
RSVP TO: Kelley Delpit
kdelpit@sustainablenorthwest.org
661-747-8562