Conservation district to host forest outing

Published 1:30 am Thursday, April 2, 2026

CHIMACUM — The Jefferson County Conservation District will host Forest Health Field Day on Saturday at Chimacum Ridge Community Forest.

Sierra Young, the district’s assistant manager, said it will be an overview of forest health with forest stand assessments.

“We’re going to go through some historical management practices that have led to the current state of Chimacum Ridge Community Forest,” Young said.

The event is open to the public, but its target demographic is small forest owners.

The hope for the event is that it may further the working knowledge of owners or managers such that they might apply lessons in their own forests, Young said.

The day is a field extension of a forestry 101 class taught at the Jefferson County Library in December.

Instructors will walk participants through a protocol for basic forestry health assessment.

“How many trees, how far apart they are, what non-trees species there are, looking up to see the percent of live-crown ratio, how much the height of that tree has living branches, as an indicator of how healthy or how stressed those trees are,” Young said.

For those who manage their land for timber, the density of trees will impact how large their trees can grow.

Chimacum Ridge Community Forest also has some examples of root rot, commonly found regionally in Douglas Fir.

“Mostly, we’re there to answer the questions of the people that come and to offer the resources that the various providers offer in terms of technical assistance, site visits and cost-sharing opportunities,” Young said.

The event will bring together forestry experts from a number of organizations: Young will present on behalf of Jefferson County Conservation District, Stewardship Forester Janessa Cimfl from Mason County Conservation District, Stewardship Forester Collin McAvinchey from the state Department of Natural Resources, Kai Hoffman-Krull from San Juan Islands Conservation District and Forest Manager Ryen Helzer from Jefferson Land Trust.

Starting with a presentation at 11:30 a.m. at Finnriver Farm and Cidery, 124 Center Road, the day will primarily take place at a number of distinct teaching stations at Chimacum Ridge Community Forest immediately south and across Center Road. The outing will conclude at 3:30 p.m.

Once in the field, the event will involve short lectures and hands-on opportunities.

“We’re going to look at the effects of thinning and managing for structural and age diversity in a forest stand,” Young said.

The group will observe an even-age cedar stand. It’s nearly a monoculture in terms of its trees and understory, Young said.

“It’s a fully closed canopy; there’s not much light reaching the ground,” Young said. “There’s essentially no shrub layer. There’s sword fern and not much else.”

In the dense stand, one doesn’t hear much bird life and no berries will be found.

That stand will be compared to another which was thinned several years ago.

“The shrub layer is back in force, there’s sunlight hitting the forest floor, there’s a lot of red elderberry, there’s ocean spray, there’s osoberry,” Young said.

Once there, participants will encounter much more bird song. The remaining trees will take advantage of the open canopy space to grow, Young said.

“Those trees will be healthier,” she said. “They are not going to be competing as much for the limited — primarily water — resources in the soil.”

Admittance is free, but participation is limited to 40 people and registration is required. To register, go to tinyurl.com/mry45rd3. As of Wednesday, eight spots remained.

Also on the district’s April calendar is an event featuring a healthy soil demonstration trailer. It will take place at 2 p.m. April 20 at HJ Carroll Park in Chimacum, 9884 state Highway 19.

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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.