Forest Habitat Stewards Workshop - Sept 6-29
LEARN about forest health, ecology of plants and animals, and restoration.
BECOME a better advocate for and steward of the wonderful forests around Puget Sound.
The Kitsap Environmental Coalition (KEC), with grant support from the WA Native Plant Society’s South Sound Chapter (WNPS), will hold a Forest Habitat Stewards Workshop to educate 20 adults. The Kitsap County Master Gardeners Program is also providing assistance.
Speakers include scientists from the University of Washington, Washington State University (Puyallup Research and Extension Center), WA Department of Natural Resources, Kitsap County staff, professional stewards, and other experts. Lectures will occur in NE Bremerton, and field experiences will occur at Newberry Hill Heritage Park, Ueland Tree Farm, the Great Peninsula Conservancy’s Grovers Creek Preserve, and WA DNR’s Oak Patch Preserve.
All activities start between 9:00 and 10:00 AM on four Saturdays and four Mondays (30 hours) from September 6th to 29th.
Basic requirements for students/trainees
- You must be a member of KEC or WNPS. Dues are currently $20 or $40 per year
- You must be at least 19 years old, capable of walking approximately 2 miles on forest trails, and capable of getting to the forests and the Bremerton venue.
There will be no certification upon completion of the workshop.
Complete the form below to apply for the Workshop.
Forest Workshop Application
Forest Habitat Stewardship Workshop 2025
More about the Workshop
Background
The tree-dominated habitats of western Washington are important for natural communities of animals, plants, and fungi native to the region and for human communities that rely on the ecosystem services and products obtained from these habitats. The organizers and sponsors of this workshop believe that these forests can be stewarded carefully and effectively by citizens who are educated about forest species, their interactions, and major biotic and abiotic processes that maintain the long-term viability of the populations and ecosystem. Although this ecological approach could explore an almost infinite set of details, we believe that a focus on long-term forest health is a good starting point for the average citizen interested in native species and forests.
Due to the growing human population, climate change, and the inherited forest condition resulting from past forest practices, there is a general concern about the future of our protected forests. Although the US Forest Service, WA DNR, and Forest Health Watch, a non-profit organization, focus on tree pests and diseases, fire, and invasive plants when describing forest health, we use a broader perspective that considers the population viability of all native species: plants, animals, and fungi. We recognize that a forest is composed of a food web of many species with interactions that are dynamic across a heterogeneous environment. These species exist in the soil and above ground, in wetlands and streams, in the lower and upper canopies, or all of these.
For the purposes of this workshop, a steward is anyone who uses science to care for the forests or who educates the public about forest ecology. A steward can be focused on a particular property or simply be an advocate for forests and wetlands in general.
Vision
Residents educated in the sciences of native plants and their habitats, especially forests and forest-influenced habitats, will be advocates for preservation, conservation, and passive recreation. Many will become or remain members of environmental groups and stewards of these habitats.
Purpose
Educate adults about ecology, forest health, and scientifically based management of tree-dominated habitats. These habitats include wetlands surrounded by forest, as well as small open spaces within and along the edges of forests. By training stewards, we will enhance the management and restoration of forests, while also increasing volunteer retention for the various organizations that rely on their assistance.
Organizers
- Arno Bergstrom, WSU Emeritus Extension Professor, Gig Harbor
- Frank Stricklin, Wetlands expert and Forest Steward; Silverdale
- Dawn Dockter, WNPS Master Steward and Chair, WNPS South Sound Chapter; Port Orchard
- David Onstad, WNPS Master Steward and WSU Adjunct Professor; Port Orchard
