Steering Committee

The North Central Washington Forest Health Collaborative chartered a Steering Committee to assist it in fulfilling its functions and achieving its purpose. The Committee will present to the NCWFHC innovative opportunities and actions to increase restoration. Between quarterly NCWFHC meetings, the Committee will also make decisions and approve documents, as necessary, consistent with the vision of the Collaborative Group. The Committee will maintain balanced representation of all forest restoration interests, and will include the Co-Chairs of the NCWFHC.

Below are the current members of the Committee (each serving staggered two-year terms) and a statement as to why their organization is involved in the NCWFHC, or why healthy forests are important:

Tom Partin, American Forest Resource Council (NCWFHC Co-Chair)

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Bob Anderson, Resource Manager, Colville Tribal Sort Yard

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Mike Anderson, The Wilderness Society

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Chuck Hersey, WA Dept. of Natural Resources

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Lloyd McGee, Eastern WA Forests Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy (NCWFHC Co-Chair)

 

Crystal Elliot-Perez, Trout Unlimited

 

Keith Goehner, Chelan County Commissioner

Lorah Super, Board Member, Okanogan Conservation District

“We’re involved in the Collaborative because we believe we can serve a useful role, problem-solving and bridging gaps between public land managers, private land owners in proximity to forested public lands, and the individuals who value public forest lands for a wide variety of reasons.”

 

 

 

 

Matt Scott, Forest and Log Buyer, Vaagen Brothers Lumber

“The mountains, streams, and forest of North Central Washington are crying for help. Vaagen Bros. Lumber is committed to working with the collaborative to help develop answers to these cries. Lumber mills have always depended on our forests, and this dependency may not be as one sided as historically perceived. In order to achieve a more resilient landscape, forests need mills. Vaagen Bros. Lumber is committed to restoring America’s forest by specializing in small logs. Vaagen Bros. Lumber is committed to bringing a holistic approach to the NCWFHC and looks forward to turning challenges into opportunities.”

 

 

 

Paul Ward, Fisheries Program Manager, The Yakama Nation

“The Collaborative allows partners to come together to accelerate restoration in north central Washington. Active restoration will result in more resilient forests and watersheds, which can continue providing critical ecological, social and economic benefits to the communities that depend on them.”

 

 

 

Dave Werntz, Science and Conservation Director, Conservation Northwest

“Home to the grizzly bear, wolverine, wolf and lynx, the North Cascades are vital to Conservation Northwest’s wildlife conservation mission. Decades of fire suppression and logging have transformed east Cascade forests and watersheds, and partnership with tribes, agencies, timber interests, and others generates durable support and means to restore old forest habitat, remove harmful and unnecessary roads, maintain a trained and capable workforce, and return fire to the landscape in ways that contribute to quality habitat.”