Bellingham, WA  — On September 9th, Whatcom County Council voted to support the proposed ownership model for Stewart Mountain Community Forest (SMCF). SMCF will be owned by a nonprofit and governed by a board of representatives from planning partners Nooksack Indian Tribe, Whatcom County, Whatcom Land Trust, and Evergreen Land Trust. After working with community members to establish a vision and goals for the Community Forest, planning partners thoroughly evaluated multiple options for ownership and governance before recommending the non-profit model.

Under this model, Whatcom Land Trust will create a subsidiary non-profit to own the community forest. All partners have indicated support for this approach and are working together to finalize the structure of the governance board. The board will be guided by community input and manage the forest to help restore watershed health in the South Fork Nooksack watershed, support a local forestry economy, protect fish and wildlife habitat, and expand tribal and community access to land.

Additionally, County staff submitted a supplemental budget request for $200,000 from Whatcom County’s Conservation Futures Fund to help close a funding gap to reach the final sale price. The funding gap was caused by an increase of the cost of purchase due to an updated appraisal required by funders and delays impacting the purchase of sale deadline. The requested Conservation Futures funding, along with generous support from private Whatcom Land Trust donors and public grant funds, will ensure the acquisition of the next 1,616 acres (Phase II) on the eastern side of Stewart Mountain near Acme, Washington. The supplemental budget request was introduced to Whatcom County Council during their September 9th meeting and will need to be voted on at a future meeting.

In November 2022, Whatcom Land Trust bought 550 acres of upland and riparian forest along the South Fork Nooksack River from Stewart Mountain Forest LLC as part of the first phase of the purchase process. The next phase of the property purchase will expand the community forest in the upland portions of the watershed.

For the past 30 years, Stewart Mountain has changed hands six times between private timber companies. Intensive logging and frequent ownership turnover, combined with climate change and decreasing snowpack levels, have taken a toll on the landscape. Today, the South Fork Nooksack River struggles with sediment buildup and low water levels in late summer—conditions that harm fish and reduce water reliability. Research shows that restoring upland forests and protecting riverside (riparian) areas can help reverse these trends. The community forest model will also increase opportunities for tribal cultural access and public access, creating opportunities for non-motorized recreation and education.

All forest management activities within the Stewart Mountain Community Forest will be guided by four goals that balance a variety of ecological, economic, and community benefits. These goals were determined through the best available science and five years of community input, including feedback from experts, user groups, and public surveys and forums in the South Fork Valley: 1) Enhance watershed health and improve water quality and quantity, 2) Promote an ecological forestry-based economy for living-wage jobs, 3) Increase biodiversity and enhance fish and wildlife habitat, 4) Expand community access for tribal cultural uses and non-motorized recreation. 

Additional details related to the 1600 acre Phase II acquisition and ownership/governance structure will be shared with the public soon.

Media Contact:
Claire Johnston, Whatcom Land Trust Communications Director. (360) 650-9470 or claire@whatcomlandtrust.org. Interviews and media assets available upon request.

Stewart Mountain Community Forest is not currently open to the public. The planning team is working to establish guidelines for tribal cultural access and non-motorized public recreation access. For more information on Stewart Mountain Community Forest, visit stewartmountaincf.org to read the project’s strategic vision framework.