Join us on Nov 21, 2024 from 7:00 - 8:00 PM for a webinar about how to use YOUR power at the county government level—maybe even to help guide county policy around forest management!

Register Here

We invite League viewers and the public to consider advocating for change in their counties. As an example, we will talk about challenges and opportunities to better manage public forest lands to protect mature forests while helping trust land beneficiaries and rural communities. We will describe efforts in two counties to protect mature forests with the help of the county governments. See below for the details of this event.

The Presenters

Vanessa La Valle (LWV Thurston), Kate Lunceford (LWVWA Forest Issue Chair), and Brel Froebe (Executive Director of the Center for Responsible Forestry).

The Agenda

7:00 PM—Welcome/Introductions: We invite League viewers and the public to consider advocating for change in their counties. As an example, we will talk about challenges and opportunities to better manage public forest lands to protect mature forests while helping trust land beneficiaries and rural communities. We will describe efforts in two counties to protect mature forests with the help of the county governments.

7:05 PM—Vanessa La Valle will describe the work in Thurston County with the county commission. La Valle helped develop A New Vision for Capitol State Forest. County Commissioners used the report as part of a plan to co-manage forests in their county with the Department of Natural Resources.

7:25 PM—Kate Lunceford will describe the work in League of Women Voters of Snohomish County to educate the county council and ask it to participate in forest management with the DNR. LWVSC’s work has been guided by data provided by the Center for Responsible Forestry and Legacy Forest Defense Coalition on where structurally complex forests exist and how they might be protected. What is the first step in gaining alliance with the council?

7:30 PM—Brel Froebe will talk about how CRF has supported efforts of LWVSC to gain some alliance with the county council to better manage forests in their county. What is a mature forest? What is at stake if they are logged (habitat, water and air quality, carbon content)? How has the election changed the strategy for protecting mature forests? How can revenue to junior taxing districts be replaced? What role does the county council/commission have?

7:50 PM —Q&A and contact information

8:00 PM—adjourn