North Coast working forests provide a wealth of products and services -- from a variety of high quality forest products to clear running water, fish and wildlife habitat. Yet our working forests face increasing economic challenges. Together we may be better able to identify regional strategies for supporting our timber production lands, essential infrastructure and open space.

On Feb. 11-12 a local conference will address the challenges currently facing the wood products industry and the work to identify opportunities to assist in sustaining forestlands, essential infrastructure and open space. The conference, Future Forests II, is intended for a broad audience including landowners, policy makers, regulatory agency representatives, foresters, forest manufacturing as well as the conservation and open space community. Anyone with an interest in these issues is welcome to attend, though pre-registration is required. To register, call 445-7351 or visit http://cehumboldt.ucdavis.edu. The costs for the two-day program with meals is $60 (dinner extra). The conference will be held at the Ferndale Fairgrounds.

The conference is being sponsored by Institute for Sustainable Forestry, Buckeye Forest Project and Buckeye Conservancy, University of California Cooperative Extension, Forest Guild and Redwood Coast Rural Action.

Optional free pre- and post- conference field tours are also included in the conference schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 10 and Friday, Feb. 13. More information about the whole program and these tours can be found at the http://cehumboldt.ucdavis.edu website.

The conference agenda is designed to provide an overview of current and future trends in the wood products industry at the global, regional and local levels; to examine various strategies for reducing costs and improving financial returns from traditional forest products; to evaluate the pros and cons of emerging efforts to provide incentives and compensation to landowners who meet conservation objectives on working landscapes; and to provide an opportunity for participants to discuss and identify strategies that will best position the region to explore new markets, maintain essential infrastructure and weather down-turns in traditional wood products markets.

Two years ago a related conference titled “Future Forests on the North Coast” was attended by a diverse set of forestland stakeholders ranging from members of the board of forestry to environmental advocates, conservation groups, non-industrial landowners, industry representatives and registered professional foresters. Historically many of these participants have sat in opposition to each other. Yet all theses stakeholders found one goal they shared in common: To maintain healthy and productive working forests on the North Coast. The FFII conference will build upon this goal and work to identify opportunities to sustain forestlands, essential infrastructure and open space.

Future Forests II will help us continue to build common ground among a multi-disciplinary set of stakeholders (e.g. landowners, policy makers, regulatory agency representatives, foresters and the conservation and open space community) about the future of the region.

FFII will cover a range of topics pertinent to the future of the California redwood and Douglas-fir forest region. The conference will increase participants’ understanding of how global wood products flows impact local markets and how the north coast fits into that overall larger picture.

The conference will follow a traditional format that mixes presentations, forums for discussion, and social opportunities that support a rich and informative collaborative discussion among a diverse audience. Bring your questions to the conference.