Forest Stewardship Course

A 3-day intensive course for forest and woodland owners in the San Juan Islands
Your land. Your trees. Your goals.

||| FROM CAITIE BLETHEN for WSU EXTENSION SAN JUAN COUNTY |||

Natural beauty, wildlife, ecosystem health, harvest income, family ties, privacy, and peace and quiet are some of the many reasons people value their forestland. Whatever your values are, this comprehensive university-based forestry course will help you get the most out of the land you love. Whether you have just a few wooded acres or a larger forest tract, if you have trees on your property, this course is for you.

Topics covered include:

• How do you know if your trees are healthy? What should you do if they aren’t?
• Are characteristics of your property attracting or repelling the wildlife you enjoy? What can you do if wildlife cause damage?
• Are there certain trees you should always keep or remove? How do you cut trees without damaging your land?
• What types of trees do you have? Does your forest look like a “mess”?
• How do you know if your trees need to be thinned, and how do you go about it?
• How do you identify and mitigate fire risks?
• Are invasive and noxious weeds taking over your underbrush? What are the risks and what can you do about it?
• What kind of soil do you have and how does that affect what grows?
• How will climate change impact your property and what can you do to improve the resiliency of your trees?

You might save money, too!

As part of this class we will “coach” you in the writing of your own simple forestry plan that may help otherwise qualifying landowners enroll in conservation cost-share grant programs or current use property tax reductions.

When and Where

Maximize your time with our intensive course

Your time is valuable. Rather than spread the course over weeks, we are going to give you everything you need to know about stewarding your property in a three-day training packed with all the same great educational content as our longer courses, including a field trip!

The course will be held 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. March 28 – 30, 2024.

Location

The course will be held at the San Juan Island Grange, 152 First Street North, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

Cost and Registration

What’s Included:

• Three full days of education packed with practical information you can use
• A field trip
• A digital library of reference materials and how-to guides
• A copy of the book Native Trees of Western Washington
• A consultation site visit to your property from a state or county service forester

Cost

The registration fee is $175. Registration covers up to two adults from the same household/ownership. If registering as a couple, only do one registration for the both of you – do not do two separate registrations. Youth under 18 are welcome and may attend at no additional cost.

• The registration deadline is 5:00 p.m. Monday, March 25, 2024.
• Space is limited and is first-come, first-served. These courses almost always sell out.
• Cancellation requests must be received by 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 15, 2024 to be eligible for a refund. Eventbrite processing fees are non-refundable. Cancellations of mail-in registrations may be subject to a $10 administrative fee.

Registration

Visit the Spring 2024 San Juan Islands Coached Planning website to register: https://forestry.wsu.edu/nps/events/cpsanjuan/

Acknowledgements and Accommodations

This program is an educational partnership between Washington State University Extension Forestry and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. This Program is made possible in part by funding from San Juan County, San Juan Islands Conservation District, and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension office. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and special needs who contact Quinn Merrick at 425-357-6023 or nicholas.merrick@wsu.edu at least two weeks prior to the event.