Maintaining Healthy and Productive Working Forests on the North Coast
February 11-12, 2009 Ferndale Fairgrounds
North Coast working forests provide a wealth of products and services
from a variety of high quality forest products to clear running water,
fish and wildlife habitat. Yet our working forests face an increasingly
difficult economic and regulatory environment. Together we may be
better able to identify regional strategies for supporting our timber
production lands, essential infrastructure and open space.
Future Forests II conference will:
- Provide an overview of current and future trends in the wood
products industry at the global, regional and local levels
- Examine various strategies for reducing costs and improving financial
returns from traditional forest products
- Evaluate the pros and cons of emerging efforts to provide incentives
and compensation to landowners who meet conservation objectives
on working landscapes
- Provide an opportunity for participants to discuss and identify
strategies that will best position the region to explore new markets,
maintain essential infrastructure and weather down‐turns in
traditional wood products markets.
Conference Topics and Format
Future Forests II will utilize local experiences and experts from outside the region to seed conversation to help us continue to build common ground among a multi-disciplinary set of stakehold ers (e. g. landowners, policy makers, regulatory agency representatives, foresters and the conservation and open space community) about the future of the region. FFII will cover a range of topics pertinent to the future of the California redwood and Douglas-fir forest region. The conference will increase participants understanding of how global wood prod ucts flows impact local markets and how the north coast fits into that overall larger picture.
The conference will follow a traditional format that mixes presentations, forums for discussion, and social opportunities that support a rich and informative collaborative discussion among a diverse audience. Bring your questions to the conference.
Conference Background
Two years ago a related conference titled Future Forests on the North Coast was attended by a diverse set of forestland stakeholders ranging from members of the board of forestry to environmental advocates, conservation groups, non-industrial landowners, industry representatives and registered professional foresters. Historically many of these participants have sat in opposition to each other. Yet all these stakeholders found one goal they shared in common: To maintain healthy and productive working forests on the North Coast. This conference will build upon this goal and work to identify opportunities to sustain forestlands, essential infrastructure and open space.
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To download the updated FFII flyer in pdf format: Click here
Who Should Attend:
The conference is intended for
landowners, policy makers,
regulatory agency representatives,
foresters, forest manufacturing and
the conservation and open space
community.
Sponsors:
Institute for Sustainable Forestry,
Buckeye Forest Project,
UC Cooperative Extension.
Redwood Coast Rural Action
The Forest Guild
To register for the conference visit:
http://cehumboldt.ucdavis.edu/
Brief DRAFT Agenda:
Wednesday February 11
8:30-9:00 Welcome
9:00-12:00 Outlook for the timber industry: A global, regional and local view of trends affecting the industry including recent developments in foreign countries, the effect of a decline in the value of US currency, fallout from sub-prime mortgages, change in local ownership patterns, new technologies, etc.
1:00-2:45 Traditional log market assessment and opportunities: increasing revenue from your property. Discussion of future of large log (e. g. niche markets, branding) and small log opportunities (e. g. pulp, co- generation, biomass-to-energy).
2:45-4:30 Emerging markets assessment and opportunities: possible revenue sources from carbon markets, ecosystem service markets, energy generation, working forest easements, transfer of development rights, restoration funding outlook, etc.
4:30-5:00 Discussion about what was learned today. 5:30-8:00 Social hour, dinner and presentation
Thursday February 12
8:30 Welcome 8:45-10:00 Panel presentation of resources and strategies for landowners to maintain working forest in today's markets.
10:30-12:00 Panel presentation of resources and strategies for the region.
1:00-3:00 Where do we go from here and work together to sustain working forests and open space ? |
