Project Director: Kirk Hanson – Northwest Natural Resource Group
Situation: A new forest landowner’s tree stand in the San Juan archipelago illustrates many of the common symptoms of drought stress on common conifer species. Significant numbers of Grand fir, Western red cedar, Western hemlock and Douglas fir trees have either died or show decreased vitality with thinning needles, high cone production and limited crown ratio to overall tree height. Concerned about the systemic health of his forest, he was interested in long-term strategies for restoration and small-scale timber harvest.
[From the course] “I learned more of the systemic issues facing forests today. Also, before, I hardly thought about wildfire, but this program helped me understand that these are fire adapted ecosystems and that fires do not stop at property boundary lines.”
Outcomes: This producer received technical assistance to develop strategies for increasing tree spacing and limiting competition, opportunities to sell trees to a local mill on the island, planting climate resilient tree species and accessing NRCS cost-share programs.
Impacts: This forest landowner applied for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through the NRCS to receive further financial support in his restoration efforts, and is actively managing his forest to increase tree vigor and decrease the risk of catastrophic wildfire.
More frequent heat waves and drought can be economically devastating to small forest land owners. NNRG addressed these barriers with three in-field workshops that trained 86 producers, and conducted individualized site visits with 49 producers; as well as held two chainsaw safety trainings attended by 24 producers. Participants were equipped with hands-on skills and confidence to safely fall small and medium-diameter trees in the forests they manage. Thirty-five participants created risk management plans to reduce forest risk; 20 recipients of technical consultation applied for cost-share funding before implementing risk-reduction activities; and 42 producers began implementing new practices to reduce risks in their forests.
More frequent heat waves and drought can be economically devastating to small forest land owners. NNRG addressed these barriers with three in-field workshops that trained 86 producers, and conducted individualized site visits with 49 producers; as well as held two chainsaw safety trainings attended by 24 producers. Participants were equipped with hands-on skills and confidence to safely fall small and medium-diameter trees in the forests they manage. Thirty-five participants created risk management plans to reduce forest risk; 20 recipients of technical consultation applied for cost-share funding before implementing risk-reduction activities; and 42 producers began implementing new practices to reduce risks in their forests.
