Woodland Stewardship

We promote Woodland Stewardship by working with the local Small Woodlands Association Chapter, providing educational opportunities and support for addressing best practices and challenges of small woodland management.

We continue to explore non-traditional forest product opportunities in northeast Oregon; work with the Wallowa Whitman National Forest to establish and support multi-party monitoring capacity across the East Face treatment area; and develop model woodland management approaches that include ongoing educational opportunities and outdoor recreation sites.

Wildlife-Friendly Fencing

Host: Maurizo Valerio

2021 interns removed barbed wire fencing from the Valerio Ranch. Barbed wire is harmful to wildlife. Species are unable to freely travel from different locations without the risk of being caught on a barbed-wire fence. Eliminating barbed wire improves the livelihoods of wildlife and bolsters forest ecosystems.

Interns replace barbed wire fencing with a wooden fence made from poles from condemned trees. The wooden fence eliminates the risk of harm to the wildlife. The spacing dimensions of the fence were created so that deer could safely jump over. There is enough spacing below for the fawn to crawl under.

Multiparty Forest Monitoring Plots

This fully immersive project truly bolstered interns’ knowledge of forest management. 2021, 2022, and 2024 Interns learned how to identify different tree species. They utilized different forestry tools and technologies to accurately record data for the Forest Service monitoring plots. Multiple plots were established, and the data recorded will be used for ongoing research to understand the growth patterns of the Wallowa- Whitman Forest.