Project Overview
Forest producers in San Juan County, WA face challenging conditions in their timber stands, which are over-stocked and therefore at heightened risk of loss from wildfire, insect infestation, and drought. To mitigate these risks, producers must remove low-value suppressed trees, thus releasing moisture and soil nutrients to the remaining dominant trees, which face lower risks at sparser stand densities. These risk reduction methods are especially important in a time of climate variability: recent record-breaking dry spells and heat waves have stressed over-stocked stands and threatened timber production.
Previous partnerships funded by the USDA Risk Management Agency have helped over 375 producers to undertake active timber management to reduce these risks.
Through this project, “Reducing Producer Risk in the San Juan Islands Through Improved Forest Management,” partners built on previous work to engage 101 producers through 5 workshops and 21 technical assistance site visits. Producers devised and implemented management plans for forest thinning practices that reduce the risk of wildfire and make their forests more resilient to stress from heat and drought. As a result, forests and farms in the San Juan Island experienced reduced risk and diminished timber crop losses from drought and wildfire.
Number of Participants: 101
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
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EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
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REPORTS & EVALUATIONS
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