If you missed the presentation last week by two forest ecology experts about what the Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Restoration Strategy is and why we need to thin, burn and restore the health of our forests, you can check it out below!

We especially recommend listening to the presentation by Derek Churchill (starting at 42:00) who makes the strong science-based case for large-scale landscape restoration in the East Cascades. Churchill, a Forest Health Scientist for Department of Natural Resources, thoroughly but concisely explains how restoring the health of our forests is vital to make them more resilient in the face of climate change. He also helps clarify between the terms “‘good fire” and “bad fire” and how by using thinning and prescribed fire on landscapes we can work to prevent the high-severity, sometimes destructive fires we’ve seen in recent years.  The question and answer session (1:23:30) following Churchill’s presentation could also help to answer some of your burning questions. If any questions or thoughts come up while watching this, we encourage you to reach out to our Public Lands Coordinator, Sam Israel, sam@mvcitizens.org.