Field Friday Culvert Clearing @ Stewart Mountain

Volunteer at Stewart Mountain Community Forest with Whatcom Land Trust for a day of stewardship!

We’ll cut back brush and clear culverts along the access roads ahead of winter. Culverts are pipes that carry streams and runoff under the road. Sometimes, when the rains come in fall, or snow melts in winter they can clog with dirt, gravel, and wood. Keeping them clear improves access, prevents flooding, and reduces erosion. We’d love your help managing these mountain roads!

As a thank-you for your hard work, volunteers will be welcome to cut and take home their own Christmas tree for the holidays! Removing select young trees helps thin the forest, so you’ll get a small hand in forest management too. Check out this Great Peninsula Conservancy resource to learn more about thinning!

Event Details:

Registration is REQUIRED for this event: Sign up here!

Once you register, our Volunteer Coordinator, Lauren Ralbovsky, will send additional details 4 to 7 days before the event. If you have questions in the meantime, email lauren.r@whatcomlandtrust.org.

What to Expect:

This is a physically strenuous day. Activities include: Using rakes and shovels to clear debris from culverts (pipes that carry water under the road), using hand tools for trail and road maintenance, and riding in a vehicle on an unpaved forest road.

What to Bring:

Sturdy, closed-toe boots, layers and rain gear, work gloves (we’ll have extras), water and a packed lunch.

Please note: We are seeking a few volunteers who are able to drive their own 4-wheel-drive vehicle with staff and volunteers up a bumpy forest road.

Site Info:

Stewart Mountain Community Forest is a collaborative effort led by Whatcom Land Trust, the Nooksack Indian Tribe, Whatcom County, and Evergreen Land Trust. Together, they aim to bring 5,500 acres of forestland into local ownership so it can be managed for the benefit of the local community.

Whatcom Land Trust purchased the first 550 acres in October 2022. In January 2026, the partnership protected an additional 1,616 acres of forestland above the South Fork Nooksack River near Acme. The combined 2,166-acre forest will protect water resources and biodiversity.

The community forest has four goals:

Enhance watershed health and improve water quality and quantity.

Promote an ecological forestry-based economy for living-wage jobs.

Increase biodiversity and enhance fish and wildlife habitat.

Expand community access for cultural uses and non-motorized recreation.

For more information on Stewart Mountain Community Forest, visit stewartmountaincf.org to read the project’s strategic vision framework.