Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Fruits: berries (other), berries (strawberries)
- Additional Plants: ornamentals
- Animal Products: dairy
Practices
- Education and Training: demonstration, mentoring
- Farm Business Management: whole farm planning, community-supported agriculture, cooperatives, marketing management
- Sustainable Communities: public participation
Abstract:
Small forest landowners and agency professionals were brought together for a three-part collaborative workshop series. This nine-month project was an extremely powerful tool for individuals in the beginning stage of exploring the formation of a forestry co-op or local association. Attendees were exposed to case studies and to experienced and knowledgeable co-op and industry professionals who were available to provide assistance to their specific projects.
The cooperative development training workshops were tailored to professionals interested in promoting small-scale sustainable forestry co-ops and non-industrial private forest landowners. The approach used was to promote small forest landowner cooperatives that can provide sustainable forest management services, management plans, value-added processing and niche marketing of forest products.
Project objectives:
- Address the challenges facing small forest landowners in the Northwest through the creation of landowner co-ops
Provide a high quality intensive workshop, which would take place over nine months
Implement a train-the-trainer approach to offer skills to potential co-op project leaders
Develop a comprehensive workshop template focused on co-op development for future projects that could be transferred to other industries in which the Center operates
Increase the chances that forestry co-ops would form in the Northwest