Forest Resiliency

The Conservation Land Bank owns and manages forested lands across San Juan County. We establish general management objectives for each Preserve based on ecological conditions, recreational uses and other factors. In the context of these objectives, management decision making is informed by climate change projections, specific habitat goals (e.g., Garry oak, wildlife snags, understory development, etc.), wildfire risk, anticipated budget and staff capacity and many other factors.

The recently completed Turtleback Mountain Preserve forest assessment (click here to view) provides an example of our ongoing efforts to plan for increased forest resiliency. The document outlines a variety of forest management actions aimed at improving forest health and habitat value in the face of climate change. Staff incorporated many of the recommended actions into the Draft 2022 Turtleback Mountain Stewardship and Management Plan.

In anticipation of a future that includes more active forest stewardship, the Land Bank applied for and received a $30,000 grant from the Washington Department of Natural Resources to implement small-scale forest management projects that demonstrate the practices described in the forest assessment. These include stand thinning, downed wood and snag habitat creation, chipping, scattering, piling, and pile burning. These projects are described in greater detail in this presentation (click here to view).

There are many examples of effective forest management both regionally and locally. Some resources include:

US Department of Agriculture Forest Service

Washington State Department of Natural Resources

San Juan Islands Conservation District

Northwest Natural Resource Group