Siuslaw National Forest

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Originally uploaded by World Forest Institute

Over the past decades, federal forest management in the Pacific Northwest has undergone a dramatic shift from providing large volumes of timber to conservation values. With new demands from the public, managers have placed more emphasis on ecosystem restoration and watershed health. Fellows visited a much discussed national forest, the Siuslaw.

The Siuslaw is praised as a prime example of collaboration between environmental groups, local communities, and USFS managers. One-third of all harvest on the Siuslaw falls under Stewardship Contracting, which permits the forest to retain receipts from sales and return the value of these harvests to restoration. Project proposals are approved by a diverse group of stakeholders. Resulting projects have primarily focused on habitat improvement and stream restoration.

The majority of stewardship harvests are accomplished via thinning, which pleases environmentalists and avoids the controversy of the clearcut. Sales are rarely appealed in the Siuslaw and stakeholders on all sides appear content. Click on the photo for more pics.