Environmental Studies Commons^™

Restoring The Nooksack Watershed Through Community-Driven Forest Stewardship, Alexander Harris

WWU Graduate School Collection

Native salmon runs in the South Fork Nooksack River watershed have dramatically declined from historical levels, primarily due to the degradation of their habitat and a persistent decline in water quality and quantity. Research suggests that commercial logging—the dominant land use in the watershed—has been a primary driver of these watershed impairments. Community-driven forest stewardship offers an alternative approach to forest management that can help restore watershed health while simultaneously producing high-quality wood products and supporting local jobs in the woods. Stakeholder groups have joined Whatcom County and the Nooksack Tribe to develop a community forest on Stewart Mountain, just …