Small woodland owners in King County and the Nisqually Watershed are eligible to receive a discounted membership in Northwest Certified Forestry, an economic development program that helps landowners optimize the economic and ecological potential of their forestland.

King County's Department of Natural Resources & Parks has provided a grant to Northwest Certified Forestry that will provide a free certified membership to landowners with less than 100 acres.  Certified membership for landowners who own between 101-500 acres will only cost $40.

Stewardship Partners, a non-profit organization advocating salmon-safe land management practices, has also provided a grant to Northwest Certified Forestry that will reduce certified membership fees for landowners in the Nisqually Watershed. Certified membership for landowners with less than 100 acres is now $50 (a $150 discount).  Certified membership for landowners who own between 101-500 acres will only cost $90.

Northwest Certified Forestry is a regional membership program that provides a broad range of conservation-based forest management assistance to small woodland owners.  Services include: FSC certification and wood products marketing, forest management planning, identifying government and non-government conservation funding sources, referrals to high quality consulting foresters and loggers, educational workshops, carbon credit market development, and others.

"We realize there are a lot of folks out there who own small amounts of forestland who have questions about improving wildlife habitat, marketing their forest products, forest certification, carbon credits and other issues," said Denise Pranger, Executive Director for the Northwest Natural Resource Group.  "One of our strengths is our ability to connect landowners to the information and resources they need to optimally manage their land."

Northwest Certified Forestry also helps landowners market their wood products to a quickly growing network of local wood products manufacturers and lumberyards that specialize in locally produced forest products that are certified to the high standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

"The green building industry is rapidly expanding in both the residential and commercial sectors," said Ian Hanna, Program Director for Northwest Certified Forestry.  "Architects and builders are increasingly seeking FSC certified wood products for their green-built homes and buildings.  One of Northwest Certified Forestry's core goals is to help supply wood products from local FSC certified small woodland owners."

As part of the membership process, landowners will receive an on-site consultation with staff from Northwest Certified Forestry.  The site visits are intended to help landowners answer basic forest management questions and learn how membership in Northwest Certified Forestry can benefit them.

For more information on Northwest Certified Forestry, or to receive a membership packet, contact Kirk Hanson at: 360-316-9317, or by e-mail at kirk@nnrg.org. For more program information, visit the website at http://www.nwcertified.org/.