Medford Moulding

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Originally uploaded by World Forest Institute

Paul McKay and Lara Stinger toured Fellows around Medford Moulding’s mill and veneer slicing operation. Click on the group for more photos.

Camping and Yurts and Dunes!

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Originally uploaded by World Forest Institute

Fellows visited Siuslaw National Forests Dunes recreation area. Click on Deepak and Angie for more pics.

Biscuit Fire

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Originally uploaded by World Forest Institute

Fellows visited the Siskiyou National Forest, home of the 2002 Biscuit Fire. The Biscuit Fire burned nearly 500,000 over 4 months, and the cost of suppression efforts totaled over US$150 million (more than 7 times the annual budget of this national forest). In the years following, there were several salvage sales that were the source of conflict for the public, even though they represented a very small percent of the burn. Forest Supervisor Joel King and Partnership Coordinator Paul Galloway discussed their experiences working with communities and activists with Fellows while touring the Biscuit. Fellows were impressed by their positive attitudes and proactive approaches of involving the local community in forest management. Click on the trees for more photos.

Now that's a big tree!

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Originally uploaded by World Forest Institute

Fellows visited Redwoods State Parks in California to see the world’s tallest trees. Click on the Stout Tree for more pics.

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.

Investing Globally in Forestland

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Originally uploaded by World Forest Institute

On September 10-12, 2007 WFI held its first Global Series event in the “Who Will Own the Forest?” series of summits. The event entitled “Investing Globally in Forestland,” was attended by 275 representatives from the forest industry, TIMOs, pensions and investment community and consultants. The conference examined potential benefits and challenges to investing in timberland and was directed to investors in U.S. properties and to issues encountered by investors in acquiring offshore properties.

21 speakers from various countries presented, including WFC directors Colin McKenzie, Dennis Neilson, Bill Bradley, Ken Hines, Jeff Nuss and Rick Smith. Sponsorship for the event was at an all-time high of 18 corporations and associations: American Forest & Paper Association, Forest Capital Partners, The Forestland Group, Forest Systems, Green Crow, Green Diamond Resource Company, Hancock Timber Resource Group, John Hancock Bond and Corporate Finance Group, MetLife Timberland Finance Group, Moss Adams, Port Blakely Tree Farms, RMK Timberland Group, Royal Bank of Scotland, Stimson Lumber Company, Stoel Rives, Sutherland Asbill & Brennan, Timberland Investment Resources, and TimberWest.

The success of the event highlighted that interest in timberlands as an asset class remains strong. With land values in North America rising, many investors are now eyeing opportunities offshore.

Click on WFC President Gary Hartshorn for more photos.

Rehabilitation at Reed Canyon

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Originally uploaded by World Forest Institute

Reed Canyon Manager Zac Perry toured Fellows around the Reed College Canyon to discuss ecosystem resoration, or rehabilitation, the term that Zac prefers. This 28 acre area contains the headwaters for the Crystal Springs Creek. Unmanaged until 1999, Canyon rehab began with an alumnus grant. Fellows examined some of the projects in the canyon, which involve fighting invasive species such as himalayan blackberry, english ivy, wild clematis, and morning glory. Also of great interest were recently installed fish ladders, which appear to be working as salmon returned for the first time last year. More information can be found at the Reed Canyon website at: http://web.reed.edu/canyon/. Click on Ma removing some english ivy to see more photos.