Wildfires are an inconvenience that those living along the West Coast have grown more accustomed to as the years progress. An unfortunate and unnecessary side effect of more than 100 years of forest mismanagement, according to local experts.

“We need to do something about it,” Mike Ramsey, conservation district executive director, said. “We have a higher risk for fire here than most of us realize.”

Environmentally conscious community members gathered in the San Juan Island Grange Hall on Aug. 20 to learn about forest health from the San Juan Islands Conservation District, a local forester, a researcher and Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz.

Read more about the forest health concerns in the San Juan Islands and how their local conservation district is involved by following the link below. 

Source: The Islands’ Sounder | Forest management solutions in the San Juans