8:15 am – Tribal Forestland Acquisition & Management Panel
Joe Sambataro, Phil Rigdon, Daniel Ebling, & Estakio Beltran
Abstract: In recent years, Tribal Nations in Washington have repatriated over 100,000 acres of forestland through various mechanisms – Climate Commitment Act funds, DNR’s Trust Land Transfer program, and private purchases. This year’s legislative session allocated additional funding to support future acquisitions. What is the cultural significance of these acquisitions and how will the forests be managed to provide benefits to each Tribe? In this session, speakers from The Tulalip Tribes, Quinault Indian Nation, and Yakama Nation will discuss the diverse mechanisms supporting their recent or pending forest acquisitions, the impact of returning lands to Tribal ownership, and the management approaches they are using to support conservation, cultural resources, and revenue generation.
Space: The Summit Auditorium
9:40 am – Longer Rotation Forestry in Practice at Port Blakely
Gareth Waugh & Dr. Paula Swedeen
Abstract: Port Blakely integrates economic, ecological, and community goals through forward-thinking forest management. This presentation will share insights from our Winston Creek carbon project, Safe Harbor Agreements that enhance habitat, the Black River Conservation Easement, and the development of a large sawn timber Environmental Product Declaration. These efforts underscore our commitment to stewardship and innovation as we work to cultivate a healthy world.
Space: The Summit Auditorium
10:30 am – Management & Conservation of Old Forests in the PNW: Reflections from a Volgenau Climate Initiative Retreat
Rachel Baker, Derek Churchill, Dave Walters, & Sarah Billig
Abstract: In September 2025, Volgenau Climate Initiative convened a multi-stakeholder workshop focused on management and conservation of forests in Washington, Oregon, and California. The purpose statement of the three-day convening was: “All Hands, All Lands: Cross-boundary collaboration for the more effective management and conservation of fully functioning mature and old forests in the Pacific Northwest, now and into the future.” This short session will feature participants of the convening from several sectors: non-profit, state agency, private sector, and Tribal government [to be adjusted based on attendees]. They will share elements of the process that facilitated collaboration toward a shared purpose, primary takeaways from the convening, and themes that emerged for ongoing partnership. This experience offers lessons learned in the type of cross-boundary, multi-stakeholder collaboration that is increasingly valuable in our current federal context.
Space: The Summit Auditorium
11:15 am – Breakout Session 1. Amazon’s Regional Criteria for Sustainable Mass Timber Sourcing
Kristen Dotson, Jacob Dunn, Paul Vanderford, & Seth Zuckerman
Abstract: As wood sourcing transparency starts to gain momentum, how can the design industry start to understand forest management information and how it relates to our client’s ecological, social, and climate-based goals? To take this next step, a regionally-specific criteria is needed to pair with transparency data. This will allow teams to better understand the impact of their supply chains and opportunities for continuous improvement and optimization. This presentation will cover recent examples of projects and their transparency journey, and how a recent Amazon study attempts to fill this gap by defining a series of good-better-best spectrums around regional forest practices. These “timbershed” spectrums propose a framework that covers ecological forestry practices and how they do or don’t overlap with climate smart forestry. Participants will be asked for feedback on how to improve the framework and ideas to scale this process so it becomes the norm instead of a bespoke pathway for ambitious projects.
Read the detailed Regional Criteria for Sustainable Wood Sourcing
Space: Cedar I
11:15 am – Breakout Session 2. Catalyzing Carbon Financing to Accelerate Place-Based, Nature-Based Enterprise
Dr. Tanushree Biswas & Trishala Thakur
Abstract: The Pacific Northwest’s Emerald Edge region offers one of North America’s most significant opportunities for Natural Climate Solutions (NCS), yet widespread implementation is often hindered by financial and socio-economic barriers. This talk outlines a novel pathway for deploying carbon finance to accelerate equitable, place-based, nature-based enterprises.
Analysis from the TNC Carbon Mapper (Colin et al., 2024) establishes the immense regional potential, identifying an actionable area of over 14 million acres capable of contributing up to 37 million metric tons of CO2e annually through protective and restorative activities, primarily via Improved Forest Management (IFM).
To convert this potential into a reality, the Biswas et al. (2025) NCS Pathway introduces a scalable model. It leverages blended impact investment (e.g., Community Carbon Investment Funds) with advanced remote sensing and ground-verified digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV). By prioritizing co-benefits and ensuring value flows directly to rural, frontline, and Indigenous communities, this model effectively addresses the “additionality” and “socio-economic” barriers that stall traditional projects.
The presentation will demonstrate a spatial tool “CCAT” Carbon Community Investment Action Tool on how this integrated approach not only unlocks viable IFM projects, but also creates a self-sustainable enterprise model that drives local stewardship, generates revenue for reinvestment, and ensures the equitable distribution of climate finance—a critical requirement for achieving durable and scalable NCS outcomes across the Emerald Edge and beyond.
Space: Cedar II
12:15 pm – Lunch
Space: Tamarack Hall
1:45 pm – Breakout Session 1. Forest Management in Wood Product Accounting Using the TIMBER Model
Steph Carlisle & Dr. David Diaz
Abstract: Exceptional forest management delivers value—to communities, ecosystems, and the climate. Yet, carbon accounting in the building industry typically assumes that all wood from managed forests is exactly carbon neutral, providing little opportunity to express the climate value of carbon-smart wood products. The TIMBER model addresses this gap by evaluating climate-friendly forestry and best-in-class sourcing options over 100-year time scales, capturing carbon removal and storage across forest and building systems while linking forest carbon dynamics (harvest, regrowth, and soil carbon) with product manufacturing, use, and end-of-life pathways.
The presentation covers the TIMBER model’s methodology, example sourcing and use scenarios, and emerging approaches to biogenic carbon accounting in LCA. Attendees will learn how forest management translates to product-level climate outcomes and how expanded carbon accounting can support climate-smart procurement decisions aligned with evolving international standards.
Space: Cedar I
1:45 pm – Breakout Session 2. Accelerating Prescribed Fire: The Role of Prescribed Burn Associations in Washington
Lucas King & Colin Sternagel
Abstract: The science is clear, prescribed fire is a critical tool for managing fire dependent forests and reducing risk to communities in the Wildland Urban Interface. A key step to increasing the pace and scale of prescribed fire is the establishment of Prescribed Burn Associations (PBAs). Come here from two of Washington’s recently formed Prescribed Burn Associations about why burning together is better. Mount Adam’s Resource Council and Cascadia PBA will share case studies of how private landowners are working together to maintain fuel treatments using prescribed fire, and how PBAs bring together local fire districts, state and federal agencies to implement multi-agency burns across varied ownerships.
Space: Cedar II
3:00 pm – Stewardship Economy for Forest Health & Rural Resilience
Laurel Harkness & Mayor Dan Rankin
Abstract: For too long, rural community prosperity and natural ecosystems have been artificially opposed in political, cultural, and economic thought. Forest conservation and sustainable forest management are often presented as in opposition to rural economic vitality, rather than compatible interests. Conversations about responsible forestry must go beyond a sole focus on ecological value to also center rural community livelihoods and place-based alternatives.
The innovative Stewardship Economy framework provides a value-based approach, recognizing that the wellbeing of rural communities and of rural landscapes are interdependent and can be supported by conditions-based forestry that include science, local and Tribal knowledge, and collaboration between diverse groups. It is essential for a Stewardship Economy to be a place-based economy where the people that are connected to and care for these places participate in fostering them for generations to come. This presentation will introduce the Stewardship Economy framework, highlight strategies for increasing rural access to capital, make a case for “right-sized” place-based industry, and share stories of success from timber communities across the west. Laurel Harkness will introduce Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition’s Stewardship Economy framework, and Mayor Dan Rankin will share insights from Darrington WA where he is leading regional efforts to revitalize a collaborative, sustainable wood-based economy through many pathways.
Space: The Summit Auditorium
4:10 pm – Commissioner of Public Lands Updates & Priorities
Commissioner Dave Upthegrove
Abstract: Washington’s new Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove will discuss Department of Natural Resources priorities and opportunities across DNR’s body of work to improve ecological, economic, and social outcomes for all the people of Washington. Timely topics include upcoming legislative priorities, updates to the Commissioner’s Order conserving 77,000 acres of structurally complex forests in Western Washington, and efforts to improve wildfire resilience and forest health.
Space: The Summit Auditorium
