Final report for WRGR22-009
Project Information
Forest owners in the Pacific Northwest face new threats from a warming, drying climate, on top of pre-existing challenges to forest health stemming from past management practices. Forest plantations established after industrial clearcutting lack the species diversity and spatial heterogeneity that help forests to provide a broad spectrum of ecosystem services. They also tend to be too dense for the expected moisture and heat conditions of coming decades, and are therefore at risk of decline in the face of climate change. Recent research points to steps that forest producers can take to make their forests more resilient in the face of these threats.
This project built on two previous SARE-funded projects to increase forest producers’ understanding of climate threats and forest health, and trained forest producers in management techniques to address those challenges. Through a geographically distributed series of 7 master-class workshops and 67 site visits to individual producers, the project acquainted 158 forest owners and managers with four key tools to increase their forest’s resilience: stand release, young-stand thinning, commercial thinning, and fire hazard reduction. These educational efforts addressed two misconceptions: that previously clearcut forests thrive best when left alone to recover; and that intensive monoculture timber production is the only economically viable choice for forest owners seeking income from their forest. By applying these techniques, forest owners can maintain commercial production of timber even in the face of climatic disruption, and can increase the provision of ecosystem services such as watershed protection, salmon and wildlife habitat, and carbon storage even while increasing the likelihood of robust timber yields.
- For 140 forest producers to increase their knowledge of the ways they can steward their forest to increase seedling survival and improve young-stand growth rates.
- For 140 forest producers to anticipate the likely impacts on their forest from climate change, and gain greater knowledge of actions they can take to make their forest more resilient in the face of the changing climate.
- For 140 forest producers to become convinced that active forest stewardship can be preferable to “letting nature take its course” in their forest, as a pathway to greater forest health and resilience.
- For 140 forest producers to recognize that partial harvest techniques such as thinning and individual tree selection can increase the health and resilience of the forest compared with the business-as-usual practice of regenerating it around age 40.
Objectives 1 through 4 are evaluated based on surveys administered before and after the workshops, as described below in Question 9 on Evaluation.
- For 105 forest producers to commission a new or updated forest management plan in light of the knowledge they gained through this project.
- For 90 forest producers to embark on a new management activity in the realm of thinning, fire hazard reduction, or seedling release after taking part in the project.
Objectives 5 and 6 are evaluated based on online surveys sent in the last 3 months of the project.
Non-industrial private forest lands in western Washington are in a state of suboptimal health. Immediately after harvest, vigorous shrub species can outcompete recently planted tree seedlings. Alternatively, where replanting succeeds, it often results in a “dog-hair” young stand that is too dense for all the trees to thrive. In either situation, the site falls short of its full potential for timber production. A recent state assessment finds the dense, young, homogeneous stands that are prevalent throughout western Washington to be historically unprecedented on the landscape (Washington State Department of Natural Resources 2020).
These issues are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, which are already being felt in the region. Fewer trees per acre can persist in the hotter, drier summers of a warming world. Pressure from brush species is even harder on young seedlings when both moisture and light are in short supply, from below-ground and above-ground competition respectively (Lipton et al. 2018 and Vose et al. 2018).
In this time of increasing threats, small forest landowners are asking for help more frequently, and have been judged by state officials to need increased technical support and resources (Washington State Department of Natural Resources 2020).
This project will connect forest producers with the results of research on seedling release and young-stand thinning that our organization is about to complete (OW19-350), in which we tracked the costs and benefits of different approaches to those two techniques for the re-establishment and restoration of young forests. It will also disseminate to the grassroots the technical expertise we brought together in our 2016-2019 project, “Climate Adaptation Training for Foresters” (EW16-021), and draw on those findings to help wood producers make their slightly older (20- to 60-year-old) forests more resilient to climate change.
This project unfolded over nearly three and a half years. During this time, the Principal Investigator met on-site with the forest producers who agreed to participate in the project and offered their lands as sites for the workshops. Through this process, the PI determined which practices and silvicultural approaches could be demonstrated on each site, and also drew on forest owners’ insights as he considered the overall design of the curriculum.
Once the rough framework of the curriculum was developed, NNRG staff planned the schedule and logistics of the first four workshops, to be held in the third, fourth and fifth quarters of the grant — i.e., between April and early October 2023. We planned these workshops for the time of year when days are longest and the weather is driest — although early enough to avoid the worst of fire season.
As people registered for the workshops, they were sent a pre-workshop knowledge evaluation form, which was later compared against their knowledge after they completed the workshop. At the workshops, we invited participants to sign up for a site visit with a forester. Those visits — by professional partners, NNRG foresters, and Principal Investigator Hanson — occurred in Quarters 3, 4 and 5.
The site of the third workshop also provided an opportunity to record video footage that we used in a collection of short how-to videos that we published on the web. Because of staff turnover followed by the hiatus in federal funding, post-production (editing, etc.) took place in Quarters 12 and 13.
We convened project partners in Quarters 5 and 6 to discuss how the first four workshops went, and revised the curriculum based on our experience teaching it. We also held a virtual workshop in January 2024 (Quarter 6) to reach forest managers during a season that is ill-suited to field workshops.
While the curriculum re-evaluation was underway, we began scheduling the second round of workshops. The planning and logistics work for those two events was done in Quarters 6 to 7, and the workshops themselves occurred in Quarters 7 and 9 (June and October) — as before, during the season with the least inclement weather. Participants were surveyed both pre- and post-workshop to assess how their knowledge increased and their perspectives changed. Also as before, participants had the opportunity to request a follow-up site visit after the workshop. These visits took place in Quarters 7 to 9.
Preparations for the final workshop were underway in Quarter 10 when uncertainties in the flow of federal funds led Western SARE to issue a pause-work order for Western SARE projects, including this one. That pause was lifted late in Quarter 10, and planning resumed for a final workshop that was held in Quarter 12. With the help of a no-cost extension, video post-production, final participant surveys, and the writing of the final report concluded in Quarter 13.
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Introduce forest owners and managers to ecologically-based commercial timber thinning techniques.
During this afternoon field tour, participants toured a recent commercial timber thinning project that utilized ecologically-based harvest strategies. Participants learned about: tree selection, appropriate logging equipment, fire risk reduction, climate adaptation, carbon sequestration, managing a timber sale, soil conservation, wildlife habitat enhancement, and more. The workshop was held in Gold Bar, WA, and had five attendees.
This educational event provided forest owners and managers with the information they need to make better decisions about harvesting timber from their forests. With the knowledge gained during this tour, forest owners and managers have a better understanding of harvesting alternatives to clearcutting, as well as how to manage their forests for resilience to climate change and to improve timber production, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and other ecosystem services.
Introduce participants to various strategies for managing young stands to improve growth, timber quality, and climate resilience.
This afternoon field tour took participants through a young forest that has been managed for multiple benefits, including: long-term sustainable timber production, improved wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, water quality, aesthetics, biodiversity, and more. The tour also introduced a variety of concepts related to young stand management, which included seedling release, control of invasive species, pre-commercial thinning, and commercial thinning. The workshop was held in Bucoda, WA, and had 24 attendees.
This field tour equipped participants with the information and knowledge they need to manage young forests for climate resilience, timber production, and a wide range of ecosystem services. With the information they received, participants can change their management practices to better protect their resources for both economic production and conservation. In post event surveys, attendees expressed their appreciation for the hands-on experience, noting the “great location with a good variety of trees and examples.”
Introduce participants to various strategies for managing young stands to improve growth, timber quality, and climate resilience.
This afternoon field tour brought participants through a young forest that has been managed for multiple benefits, including: long-term sustainable timber production, improved wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, water quality, aesthetics, biodiversity, and more. The tour introduced a variety of concepts related to young stand management, which included: seedling release, control of invasive species, pre-commercial thinning, and commercial thinning. The workshop was held in Bucoda, WA, and had 25 attendees.
This field tour equipped participants with the information and knowledge they need to manage young forests for climate resilience, timber production, and a wide range of ecosystem services. With the information they received, participants can change their management practices to better protect their resources for both economic production and conservation.
Introduce forest owners and managers to tools and techniques for managing forest health through thinning practices, climate-adapted strategies, and timber sale planning, while fostering ecological forestry practices.
The workshop offered an in-depth, hands-on learning experience for landowners to explore ecological forest management techniques. Participants learned about: harvest feasibility, permitting timber sales, selecting climate-adapted species, and the economic and logistical considerations of commercial thinning operations. Participants also engaged in interactive exercises like tree marking. The workshop was held in Gig Harbor, WA, and had 15 attendees.
This educational event provided forest owners and managers with actionable insights into forest health management and climate adaptation. Participants developed skills to assess their forest’s health, plan for thinning operations, and understand the economic and regulatory aspects of timber sales. Additionally, attendees learned about cost-share programs like FREP, EQIP, and CSP. In post event surveys, attendees noted that the information about these programs was particularly helpful, and provided “great exposure to making forest management economically possible.”
Introduce participants to the principles of ecological forestry, and practices for managing stands to improve habitat, timber quality, and climate resilience.
This virtual workshop showcased management techniques aligned with the principles of ecological forestry. Participants explored practices to minimize soil disturbance, enhance wildlife habitat, and improve forest stand structure. The workshop also covered long-term stewardship planning, the importance of seasonal alignment in management practices, an overview of suitable equipment, and more. This workshop was held over Zoom and had 38 attendees.
The workshop equipped participants with strategies to implement ecological forestry principles, fostering healthier, more resilient forests by enhancing biodiversity and optimizing forest structure. Participants learned about a variety of methods to improve ecosystem health and achieve their stewardship goals. Additionally, the workshop promoted peer learning and strengthened the South Puget Sound ecological forestry network by connecting neighboring landowners with one another.
Introduce participants to ecological forestry practices to enhance climate resilience, wildlife habitat, and timber productivity in young forests.
This twilight field tour took participants through a young forest where they learned about techniques for managing young stands, including pre-commercial thinning, invasive species control, tree planting, wildlife habitat enhancement, and climate adaptation strategies. The tour included stops at key management areas to demonstrate these ecological forestry techniques. The workshop was held in Bucoda, WA, and had 12 attendees.
This field tour equipped participants with practical strategies for managing young forest stands to improve ecological and economic outcomes. Attendees gained the knowledge to adapt their forest practices to improve forest health, address climate challenges, and access financial assistance for restoration projects. Additionally, the tour fostered peer learning and strengthened the network of ecological forestry practitioners in the South Puget Sound region by building connections between landowners.
Introduce participants to various forest management techniques that improve forest resilience to climate change, enhance soil moisture availability, and promote tree growth through climate adaptation.
The participants learned about the management practices of the Nisqually Community Forest, which aim to balance ecological benefits with sustainable forest management practices that provide long-term environmental and economic value. The tour explored adaptive forest management practices that prepare forests for the anticipated impacts of climate change in the Pacific Northwest. These management practices aim to increase snow accumulation, extend the snowmelt season, and reduce tree densities, for the purpose of increasing soil moisture available to each remaining tree during the growing season. The workshop was held at the Nisqually Community Forest in Ashford, WA, and had 16 attendees.
Participants gained knowledge of innovative forest management techniques, including thinning methods, snow gap creation, and adaptive planting. Attendees also learned about a variety of tools to enhance forest resilience to climate change, with a focus on maintaining soil moisture, promoting biodiversity, and fostering climate-adapted growth. By fostering collaboration and sharing lessons learned, this event strengthened the capacity of forest managers to implement sustainable practices across the region.
Introduce participants to ecological forest management strategies for small forest landowners with a focus on building climate resilience.
This day-long field tour offered an in-depth, hands-on learning experience for landowners to explore ecological forest management techniques. Participants learned about thinning and planting strategies to reduce fire risk and improve forest health; invasive species removal; riparian restoration; reforestation strategies; climate-adapted planting; wildlife habitat enhancement; and more. The workshop was held in Darrington, WA, and had 23 attendees.
Participants increased their understanding of ecological forestry practices, and how they can apply them on their own properties. The field tour also provided landowners with knowledge of how to manage forests for climate resilience, timber production, and a broad range of ecosystem services. With the information they received, participants can change their management practices to better protect their resources from climate-related risks like wildfire, drought, the spread of invasive species, and more.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation summary:
Workshops
NNRG completed eight landowner workshops, providing hands-on demonstrations of stewardship practices for 158 participants across seven field tours, and a virtual demonstration to 38 participants. These workshops focused on the skills landowners need to address forest health and climate concerns, including pre-commercial and commercial thinning, tree planting, monitoring, wildlife habitat enhancement, and invasive species control. Participants also explored topics like carbon sequestration, forest management logistics, and available financial assistance resources.
The first workshop’s aim was to increase forest producers' understanding of climate threats and forest health and provide training in the management techniques to address those challenges. Forestry Director Kirk Hanson provided Snohomish County forest producers with a four-hour workshop covering forest ecology, climate change, and adaptation strategies, red alder management 101, and financial and technical assistance.
In the following two workshops, Kirk took forest producers to his own family’s forest for two six-hour workshops on Managing Young Forests: Using Ecological Forest Management Principles to Improve Climate Resilience and Timber Productivity. The workshops toured participants through different management sites covering topics such as pre-commercial thinning, managing Douglas-fir and red alder stands, tree planting and seedling maintenance, wildlife habitat enhancement, commercial thinning, carbon sequestration, invasive plant species, forest mapping and monitoring, climate adaptation strategies, non-timber forest products, labor and financial costs of forest restoration, and financial assistance programs.
During the fourth workshop, Kirk and four NNRG foresters led a tour where participants engaged in interactive exercises like tree marking. Workshop attendees learned about harvest feasibility, timber sale permitting, selecting climate-adapted species, and the economic and logistical aspects of commercial thinning operations.
The fifth workshop was virtual, led by Kirk and NNRG’s Lead Forester Jaal Mann. They introduced the principles of ecological forestry and discussed management practices that minimize soil disturbance, enhance wildlife habitat, and improve forest stand structure.
For the sixth workshop, Kirk hosted another tour on his property focused on Managing Young Stands for Climate Resilience. Our seventh workshop took place at the Nisqually Community Forest, where NNRG and other Nisqually watershed partners are testing techniques to prepare forests for the changing climate. The tour took participants through different management sites and demonstrated a variety of innovative forest management techniques, including thinning methods, snow gap creation, and adaptive planting.
Our final workshop took place in Darrington, WA, and focused on strategies for small forest landowners to build climate resilience. Kirk led Snohomish County forest producers in a five-and-a-half-hour workshop covering forest ecology, wildfire resilience, climate adaptation strategies, and available financial and technical assistance. Following the workshops, we shared resources with all participants.
Outreach
Approximately 2,700 producers receive our monthly newsletter, which includes topical blog posts, educational events, news, and resources that support them with the continuing management of their forests. Several newsletter resources were supported by SARE funding, including guidance on using maps in forestry, and insights into the importance of soil in forest management. Additionally, NNRG offers free monthly fireside chats — online webinars — during which forestland owners can discuss their specific management goals and challenges with professionals and peers following a technical presentation.
NNRG also collected video footage at the site of one of the SARE-funded workshops and edited it – along with supplemental footage – into a three-part video series to make the content accessible to producers who were unable to attend in person. The series focuses on pre-commercial thinning, and cover stand assessment and tree selection (Video 1), techniques for felling trees in dense stands (Video 2), and methods for safely getting hung-up trees on the ground (Video 3). As of February 2026, the three videos had more than 3,080 views combined.
Using additional funds leveraged by the SARE grant, NNRG has produced additional resources on ecological forestry practices. In April 2024, Mountaineers Books published A Forest of Your Own: The Pacific Northwest Handbook of Ecological Forestry, written by Kirk Hanson and NNRG Executive Director Seth Zuckerman, which serves as a comprehensive guide to the science, philosophy, and practice of ecological forestry. Additionally, NNRG partnered with Oregon State University (OSU) on a research project to explore the range of outcomes local forest owners have achieved through timber harvests, with the goal of helping landowners learn from the experiences of peers with similar forests and management objectives. The study was published in Small-Scale Forestry in November 2024.
Site Visits
NNRG completed 67 site visits, providing one-on-one support to help forest producers apply what they have learned through workshops, newsletters, and other outreach. Due in part to a temporary pause in federal funding during the peak field season, combined with higher-than-anticipated costs and staff cost-of-living adjustments related to inflation, we were unable to complete the full target of 80 visits. Despite these constraints, we met our overall project goals by engaging more than 175 forest owners and managers and delivering two more workshops than originally planned.
Learning Outcomes
Project Outcomes
Workshops reached 158 forest producers and provided in-person opportunities to see management practices. Additionally, a virtual workshop reached 38 participants, expanding access to practical forestry knowledge and techniques across a wider geography. Pre/Post tests show that landowners increased their knowledge of ecological forestry management during the workshop. Participants on average rated their knowledge as a 2.6 on a 5 point scale before the workshop, and at 4 after. Participants also indicated an increase in the likelihood of implementing practices, particularly improving wildlife habitat, managing the risk of fire, and developing a forest management plan. These responses show an increased interest and confidence in stewarding their forests to increase seedling survival and improve young-stand growth rates and climate resilience.
In the end-of-grant survey, 75% of respondents reported engaging in new management activities, including evaluating climate-related risks in their forests, conducting seedling release, conducting pre-commercial thinning or commercial harvest, managing fire risk, and applying for cost-share funding. 40% reported that they developed or updated a forest management plan, and an additional 32% indicated that they plan to do so.
Outreach efforts successfully engaged forest producers and provided additional resources. Monthly fireside chats have been well-attended, and we have seen familiar faces from the workshops. We continue to share resources through our monthly newsletter, which reaches 2,700 people.
Some outcomes following specific site visits include:
- Whatcom Land Trust: The Land Trust contracted NNRG for general forestry consulting services on their Stewart Mountain property. As a part of this project, NNRG will conduct forest carbon assessments, forest management planning, timber harvest evaluations, and evaluations of new forestland acquisitions.
- Smith Family Forest: The Smiths worked with NNRG to develop a forest management plan on just over 20 acres of their property. They applied for EQIP funding for forest stand improvement and woody residue management on 16.6 acres, with the goal of reducing the current stand density to improve the growth of residual trees and the regeneration of conifer seedlings.
- Owen Family Forest: The Owens enrolled approximately 88 acres in NNRG’s forestry program. They also applied for the EQIP and CSP funding programs, and lent 10 acres of their forest to the study of thinning and woody slash abatement strategies following pre-commercial thinning.
- Willamette Meridian Tree Farm: NNRG worked with the Tree Farm to conduct a selective commercial timber harvest on approximately 22 acres with the goal of reducing fire hazards, encouraging future timber growth, and promoting healthy growing conditions.
Story #1:
Following a SARE-funded site visit by an NNRG forester, a woodland owner with 90 acres in Pacific County, WA applied for and received funding from the Washington Department of Natural Resources to hire NNRG to develop a comprehensive forest management plan for his family's land. He also received funding that has supported his efforts to plant over 8,000 tree seedlings, clear competing vegetation from around the seedlings, and address invasive plant species on his land. The landowner has also installed bird and bat nesting boxes and has created access trails to aid in managing this land.
Story #2
Following a SARE-funded site visit by an NNRG forester, a woodland owner with 70 acres in Grays Harbor County, WA applied for and received funding from the USDA to hire NNRG to develop a comprehensive forest management plan for her land. Her plan recommended precommercial thinning of 40 acres to reduce competition in a young Douglas-fir dominant stand. With NNRG's continued assistance, the landowner hired a thinning contractor to thin the stand, thereby improving tree growth and long-term timber quality.
Story #3
Following a SARE-funded site visit by an NNRG forester, a woodland owner with 20 acres in Lewis County, WA applied for and received funding from the USDA to hire NNRG to develop a comprehensive forest management plan for her family's land. Her plan recommended precommercial thinning of the majority of her land, as well as a range of wildlife habitat enhancement projects. With the assistance of NNRG, the landowner applied for and received additional USDA funding to pay for the thinning and habitat projects, which they were able to accomplish themselves.