Snohomish Conservation District Revitalizing Forestry Program With New Hire

Snohomish Conservation District (SCD) has hired a new forester, Stacey Dixon, to help small forest landowners navigate the challenges and opportunities associated with owning forested property.

Dixon assists forest landowners who want to improve their forest’s health, develop timber management plans, and nurture a diverse, healthy ecosystem on their land.

“Forest owners face unprecedented challenges right now,” said Kevin Zobrist, professor at WSU Extension Forestry. “It’s essential to have support services as landowners try to navigate them.”

Washington’s forests face challenges brought on by climate change and the consequences of past forest management practices, such as removing only high-value timber species, lack of tree thinning, and planting a single tree species instead of a diverse species mix. Small forest landowners must navigate management regulations, wildfire prevention, and western red cedar dieback to ensure a healthy, thriving forest.

This forester position will assist small forest landowners of all types, including those who have under five acres of property. The project was developed by a partnership between the Puget Sound conservation districts and state partners, and made possible with funding by the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program.

“There’s a lot of need out there amongst the small forest landowner community, and there’s no one group or agency that can do it alone,” said Matthew Provencher, Stewardship Assistance Forester for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

In addition to on-the-ground assistance, Dixon is available to help landowners understand the different taxation programs and financial assistance available, as well as species identification, drought management, and carbon sequestration.

“We all work together to help meet the needs of the landowners, not only in Snohomish and Island County, but also throughout Washington as a whole,” said Provencher. “Keeping small forest landowners on the landscape is important to protecting water quality and providing habitat, and this new hire gives us one more avenue to help reach and support them.”

For more information, please contact outreach@snohomishcd.org or call 425-335-5634 option 1.