Join us for a conference exploring how forests can be managed for greater resilience and carbon storage - from seedlings to wood products.

The changes anticipated for the Pacific Northwest’s climate will challenge our forests to provide the timber, habitat, water, carbon sequestration, and other important ecosystem services on which we rely.

Over two days we'll go out in the woods and look at a range of harvest treatments, discuss ways to increase carbon stability and climate resilience in forests, and consider potential supply chain solutions that align with these management strategies.

We are bringing together natural resource managers, scientists, local agencies, tribal governments, mill owners, builders, architects, family forest owners, and non-profit leaders from around the region to share information and take part in a dialog to advance ideas to sustain resilience and support carbon storage in Pacific Northwest forests.

Agenda

DAY 1 – Tuesday, June 19

• 8:00-9:00 Registration & Coffee
• 9:00-9:50 Welcome & Opening Remarks
  • • Jerry Franklin, University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Ecosystem Analysis
• 9:50-10:00 Break
• 10:00-12:00 Session #1: Forest management for resilience, sustainability, and carbon storage
  • • Mark Harmon, Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Forest Ecosystems & Society
    • Mike Ryan, Colorado State College, Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory
    • Matt Hurteau, University of New Mexico, Earth Systems Ecology Lab
    • Klaus Puettmann, Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Forest Ecosystems & Society
• 12:00-4:30 Field Tour & Lunch
  • • Timothy Harrington, USFS, Research Scientist
    • Derek Churchill, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Forest Health Scientist
    • Kirk Hanson, Northwest Natural Resource Group
• 5:00-6:00 Networking Reception
• 6:00-8:00 Dinner & Keynote Speaker
  • • Speaker pending

DAY 2 – Wednesday, June 20

• 8:00-8:30 Networking & Breakfast
• 8:30-10:30 Session #2: Supply chain solutions – milling capacity & markets, green building that supports carbon-rich, resilient forestry
  • • Paul Harlan, Collins Companies, Chief Forester & VP of Resources
    • Skip Swenson, Forterra, VP Policy & Programming
    • Brian Court, Miller Hull, Partner
• 10:30-10:45 Break
• 10:45-12:45 Session #3: Measuring carbon storage & increased climate resilience in the forestry sector
  • • Rolf Gersonde, Seattle Public Utilities, Senior Environmental Analyst
    • Dylan Fischer, Evergreen State College, Forest Ecology
    • Andrew Gray, USFS, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Research Ecologist
    • Edie Sonne Hall, Three Trees Consulting, Principal
    • Maureen Puettmann, WoodLife Environmental Consultants, Principal; and member of the Consortium for Research and Renewable Industrial Materials
• 12:45-1:45 Working Lunch – Strategy work sessions – Identify gaps in knowledge across focus areas and develop opportunities to demonstrate climate adaptation and carbon storage
• 2:00-3:30 Session #4: Strategy work sessions – continued
• 3:30-4:00 Recap and Adjourn

Several more speakers are pending; please check back for final speaker list

Organizers

This conference is organized by The Evergreen State College and Northwest Natural Resource Group. We’d like to thank our steering committee for their help with this program:

• David Diaz, Ecotrust

• Dylan Fischer, The Evergreen State College

• Jerry Franklin, University of Washington

• Mark Harmon, Oregon State University

• Lindsay Malone, Northwest Natural Resource Group

• David Peterson, USDA United States Forest Service

• Patti Southard, King County Green Building Tools

• Paul Vanderford, Sustainable Northwest

Program Objectives

Outcomes from the conference include a special edition of Northwest Science developed around the conference proceedings and a grant proposal to the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture research initiative for Resilient Agroecosystems in a Changing Climate.

Lodging

For overnight accommodations, a block of rooms has been held at the RL Hotel in Olympia. To receive a discounted rate of $115 per night, make your reservation online or call 1-800-RED-LION (800-733-5466) and reference the group code: NNRG0618. The room block is being held until May 17. Reservations will continue to be accepted after this date based on availability.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations received before May 19 can be arranged through this registration site. Between May 19 and June 8, cancellations can be made by emailing conference@nnrg.org, and are subject to a 15% service charge. After June 8, no refunds are available, but substitutions are permitted.

Thank You to Our Grantor

Funding for this conference is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture - National Institute of Food and Agriculture through their Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

Questions?

Please contact us at conference@nnrg.org

Photos: Matt Freeman-Gleason. Photo of Miller Hull Seattle Studio by Lara Swimmer Photography