Diverse Forest Groups Find Common Ground in Efforts to Maintain Healthy Working Forests.
Eureka, CA. November 2nd, 2005

On October 27th a broad spectrum over 60 forest advocates, landowners, professional foresters, conservation groups, timber companies and forest practitioners gathered in Eureka, Ca to discuss a shared goal: Maintain Healthy and Productive Working Forests on the North Coast. The Institute for Sustainable Forestry (ISF) organized the Future Forests working session in response to the impact of rising Humboldt County land values on the economic viability of maintaining large blocks of forestland for timber production, rural quality of life and conservation values.

Representatives of groups as diverse the Environmental Protection and Information Center (EPIC), the Buckeye Conservancy, Pacific Lumber Company (Palco) and the Sierra Club listened to presentations on the economic cost of reaching conservation objectives and the opportunities and challenges involved in using conservation dollars to maintain the productive timberland base that supports both environmental values and the local timber industry. While participants had differing views on the definition of a "healthy and productive forest" the prospect of a fragmented forest landscape opened the door for constructive dialog throughout the afternoon.

Presentations by Chris Kelly of The Conservation Fund, manager of the 22,000 acre Garcia working forest project, and Jim Rinehart of R&A Investment Forestry, a specialist in conservation/investor partnerships, helped to focus the session on the potential for cooperation.

"Current economic pressures faced by wood products producers and forest landowners offer an opportunity for cooperation between diverse interests. To cooperate effectively it's important for conservation interests to understand the true cost of meeting conservation objectives on the working landscape. It's also important for landowners, investors and industry supporters to understand the potential benefits of involving conservation interests in maintaining both non-industrial and industrial working forestlands." said John Rogers Executive Director of ISF.

Rogers continued: "Each time forestlands change hands responsible asset management requires owners to look at all values, including potential development value. When landowners intend to subdivide that's when conservation/investor partnership scenarios are important to long-term forest health and productivity."

The Redwood Forest Foundation, a key presenter at the working session, has been laying the groundwork for community based working forests since 1998. Kathy Moxon, RFFI's Vice President, comments: "The Redwood Forest Foundation model holds the promise of giving forest-based communities greater control over their long term futures and healing the rift that has been created between timber and environmental interests that has pitted neighbor against neighbor for decades."



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