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About Us
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Copyright
2001 - 2003 by Ric Irribarren
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The Methow Forest Owners'
Co-op is a grassroots organization formed by valley landowners for the
purpose of using 'economies of scale' to enable our members to practice
affordable forest health improvement and fuels reduction on their lands.
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We are landowners,
working for landowners. We respond to the ever-changing and diverse needs
of our membership, and create opportunities to help each other get our
work done - whether that work involves a neighborhood-scale fuels reduction
project or a single landowner trying to bring a diseased forest stand back
into balance.
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When an organized group
of landowners use their voice, people listen! In the case of the Co-op,
we have used our voice to obtain discounted services from stewardship-minded
resource professionals such as foresters and loggers, who want our business.
We are also using our voice to encourage other groups
and agencies to help
us meet our goals.
The Co-op works in
partnership with valley non-profits such as The Partnership for a Sustainable
Methow, Okanogan Communities Development Council, The Methow Conservancy,
and Okanogan Conservation District to target and direct funding opportunities
that meet the needs of private forest
owners. We also work
with agencies like the US Forest Service and Washington DNR to encourage
stewardship and fuels
reduction on adjacent public lands.
Through our partnerships,
the Co-op stays in touch with the latest research about successful strategies
for managing forest health, and we are able to share up-to-date information
with our members that can help them establish a value for their small-diameter
forest resources.
| What happens when you join |
You become part of a movement . Forest owner cooperatives are on the rise in the US, as landowners realize that they need to work together with their neighbors in order to achieve forest health and encourage fire safety across property lines.
If you sign up as a
Woodlands
Member, you will be contacted to receive a personalized walk-through
consultation and forest assessment with one of our local participating
forest resource professionals. This consultation is designed to address
your own goals for your property, and provide you with information to help
you meet your goals. Should you choose to move forward with forest health
improvements, the information collected during this initial consultation
will allow us to help you navigate your options. Woodlands members are
also voting participants in the continued growth and development
of the Co-op, electing
board members and making strategic decisions.
If you join as a Contributing Member, we thank you for generously supporting our efforts - donations received before October 1, 2004 will be tripled by our USDA grant, and will be used for the continued development of the organization. All members will be regularly updated on our progress via newsletter,website, and listserve.
Whether you decide to join or not, we invite you to take the Landowner Survey, in order to help the Co-op and its local partners learn more about the needs and desires of the valley's forest owners. The survey takes about 5 minutes to complete, is completely confidential, and will help us to target funding and other resources.