Bees need our help. Just five years ago Oregon saw a major bee die off, and pollinator populations continue to decline around the world. “We have more species of bees in the Pacific Northwest than all the states in east of the Mississippi,” says Andony Melathopoulos, a pollinator ecotoxicologist with OSU. “We really want to protect […]
How to Manufacture Biochar from Woody Biomass
Converting excess woody biomass to a valuable soil amendment Saturday, June 30, 2018 | San Juan Island Biochar, a soil amendment made from woody biomass like branches and small-diameter trees, presents an opportunity for landowners to convert forest thinnings to a high-value product. Removing excess biomass from dense, crowded San Juan forests is an important […]
FSC-Certified Northwest Forests
NNRG’s group certificate for forests meeting the Forest Stewardship Council® standards covers more than 190,000 acres in 86 different ownerships across Oregon and Washington. The forests certified by NNRG are depicted as dark blue circles in the map above. In addition, another 420,000 acres in the two states are certified under other auspices, including the South […]
Not Your Father’s Lumberjacks
Remember the Super-Axe-Hacker from The Lorax? The machine that could whack off four truffula trees with one smacker? Advances in logging technology have made this fantasy contraption a reality, with equipment like feller-bunchers, forwarders, skidders, and processors changing how we harvest. These machines can make ecological forestry better, efficiently and safely removing some trees while leaving others […]
Measuring Timber and Woody Biomass in San Juan Forests
Techniques to estimate the volume of timber and woody biomass in your forest Saturday, April 28, 2018 10:30am-5pm Lopez Island Understanding which trees and how many to remove from your forest is critical to a successful thinning project. This workshop will introduce participants to strategies for installing forest inventory plots and collecting the right data to calculate timber […]
Jackrabbit Farm: Building a Food Forest System
by Kelly Smith, NNRG volunteer On a cool and misty morning last September, Kirk Hanson and I visited Jackrabbit Farm in Southwest Washington. Kirk, Northwest Natural Resource Group’s Director of Forestry, needed to make observations and gather data for a new forest management plan for the farm, which had recently been funded through the USDA’s […]
Blakely Island Timber
Up in the San Juans Islands, our Forest Stewardship Council®-certified member Blakely Island Timber cares for more than 2,200 acres on namesake Blakely Island. Harvesting timber is a tool to achieve their goal of stewarding the forest with a healthy, productive long into the future. Douglas-fir grows much more slowly in the San Juans than […]
Build a Constructed Log
Building a constructed log after thinning out small suppressed trees increases the economic value of future harvest while invigorating wildlife habitat and cleaning up slash. Kirk Hanson, our Directory of Forestry, talks about why he built his. Photo: Matt Freeman-Gleason
Empowering New Forest Owners in the Northwest
Many new forest owners are not aware that heavily altered forests need active management to improve ecosystem functions and reduce vulnerability to pests, diseases, and wildfire. New owners indicate purchasing forestland for privacy, aesthetics, wildlife, and as an investment. Ecologically-based forest management involves practices that align with new forest owners’ objectives, such as uneven-aged, multi-species […]
Forest Tour: Thinning Overstocked Stands for Health and Productivity
NOTE: This workshop was originally scheduled for February 24th but has been rescheduled for March 10th due to icy road conditions. If you already registered for the 2/24/18 workshop, please let us know if you can make it on March 10th by sending Cailin an email at cailin@nnrg.org. See how your neighbors are thinning excess wood to […]
By the Numbers: 2017 Accomplishments
2017 was a productive year for NNRG and the forests our members steward! We are so inspired by the landowners and managers in our community who worked to enhance habitat for threatened and endangered species, removed invasive species, planted a diverse array of native seedlings and shrubs, and pursued new markets for local wood products. […]
Precision Tree Felling Course
Safety and Woods Working (SAWW) courses provide training and practice in precision tree felling and small-diameter thinning. Level 1 & 2 – April 12-13, 2018 | Level 3 – April 14, 2018 | Leavenworth, WA REGISTER TODAY! Our friends at Tierra Learning Center are bringing this outstanding precision tree felling class back to north central […]
Member Spotlight: Butler Family Forest
Paul Butler has had a life-long love of forests. Now that he and his wife steward their own forest they’ve taken steps to care for and enjoy their land. Paul tells us how his relationship with his woods has deepened over time and what actions he’s taking to make the forest healthy.
Forest Certification is a Global Movement
I’ll admit that I traveled to the worldwide General Assembly of the Forest Stewardship Council meeting last month in Vancouver, BC with a smidgen of skepticism. As I’ve re-immersed myself in ecological forestry since taking the helm at NNRG in June, I’ve been chagrined to learn that 15- and 20-year-old challenges are still dogging the […]
Solving Woody Biomass in the Forests of the San Juan Islands
Engaging with woodland owners in San Juan County to address the unique challenges of managing island forests for both ecological health and economic viability. NNRG and our partners have worked in many island forests, conducting one-on-one site visits, developing management plans, hosting tours and classes. Increasingly, landowners have sought guidance on how to manage their overstocked stands for improved […]
Woody biomass trainings to reduce risks in the San Juan Islands
Landowners in San Juan County are addressing the unique challenges of managing island forests for both ecological health and economic viability. NNRG and our partners have worked with many island forests, conducting one-on-one site visits, developing management plans, hosting tours and classes. Increasingly, landowners have sought instruction on how to manage their overstocked stands for improved forest health. They […]
Tools to inform forest stewardship decisions
Many forest owners want to reap a diverse harvest from their land: ecological, social, and financial benefits, all from the same forest. The question they ask: How to achieve these good intentions? Fostering a future grove of old-growth or restoring an oak woodland may mean thinning out extra trees through commercial harvest. Creating a home for pileated […]
Thank You Thursday is 9/28 at Reuben’s Brews
Help forests, drink beer! On Thank You Thursday at Reuben’s Brews, $1 from every pint you buy supports NNRG’s work to protect and restore Northwest Forests. September 28, 2017 – 3:00 to 8:00pm Reuben’s Brews – 5010 14th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107 Reuben’s Brews has a special place in our hearts. First and foremost, they […]
Promoting decision making tools for informed forest stewardship
Giving landowners the decision-making tools they need to become informed forest stewards Landowners can encounter barriers that prevent them from taking an active approach to stewarding their forests. We interviewed landowners to understand their stewardship concerns, their sources of information, and the factors that influence their management activities. Landowners make decisions based on their understanding of their […]
Hyla Woods and Zena Forest in the News!
Eugene Weekly published a wonderful piece celebrating the values behind responsibly sourced timber. Two of our pioneering members are featured in the story. Both Hyla Woods and Zena Forest are Forest Stewardship Council-certified woodlands that employ diverse silvicultural practices that balance forest health and wildlife habitat with sustainable timber production. Learn more about their stewardship and buy beautiful […]