2024 Puget Sound Forest Owners’ Field Day – Fall City July 27th

An out-in-the-woods education event

WSU Extension, in cooperation with WA DNR and King County, presents the 2024 Puget Sound Forest Owners’ Field Day to help you learn about forest issues, foster healthy and resilient forest conditions, pursue fun new projects, and achieve your goals for your property. The Field day will feature different outdoor workshops with a number to choose from that cover a wide variety of topics.

Learn about current forest health issues, drought and climate impacts, fire risk reduction, wildlife, making your own maple syrup, new forestry research, and much more in an out-in-the-woods setting with local experts. See the below for more details. The Field Day will also feature exhibits by local agencies and organizations that assist owners of forested property.

When and Where

Schedule of Events

8:00 a.m. – Gates open, time to mingle with vendors
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Field Day workshops rotating every hour
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Lunch (not provided – please bring your own picnic lunch)
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Field Day workshops rotating every hour

Location

This year’s Field Day will be at the Keller property near Fall City. Location specifics and driving directions will be provided upon registration.

For more information or day-of assistance finding the location, please contact:

Kevin Zobrist – 425-231-4524 or
Quinn Merrick- 425-357-6023

What to Expect

Field Day logistics

Water and restrooms will be available at the Field Day
Please bring your own lunch and snacks!
This is an outdoor field day. Please come ready for the elements (comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, hat, rain jacket, layers).
There will be vendor exhibits where you can browse and network with forestry professionals during the Field Day and during the lunch hour.
The workshop stations are located in the woods, within a 5-10 minute walk from the registration and exhibit area unless otherwise noted.
There will be six workshop sessions. For each workshop session, you will get to pick from the workshops offered for that session time. A schedule showing what workshops are offered at what times (and the station locations) will be provided when you arrive. The sessions will run approximately fifty minutes, followed by ten minutes to walk to your next workshop.

Field Day Topics

Bats on small woodlands – Learn about our local bat species, the special adaptation that helps them thrive, why they are so important to our ecosystems, and what we can do on our own properties to support local bat species.
Bigleaf maple sugaring – Learn how to tap your maple trees and process the sap into a delicious homemade maple syrup.
Diseases in western WA forests – From common fungal root diseases to abiotic stressors like drought, learn about disease issues in western WA forests and how to prevent and address problems.
Fire risk reduction around your home – Learn how to understand wildfire risk in Western WA, how to assess your home’s vulnerability to wildfire, and the practical steps to take now to reduce the chance of your home igniting during a wildfire.
Insects in western WA forests – Learn about common insect pests in western Washington forests and how to prevent and address insect problems with your trees.
Invasive weed control – Learn how to identify invasive weeds and both chemical and non-chemical methods to effectively control them.
Measuring trees for growth and health assessment – Learn how to measure trees and use the data to track growth and assess stand health.
Shiitake mushroom cultivation – Learn how to grow your own gourmet mushrooms with logs from your forest.
Soil assessment and interpretation – Learn how to assess the soils on your property and what it means for the growth and health of your trees.
Thinning for ecosystem health – Learn how to assess a stand to see if it needs to be thinned and how to develop a thinning prescription to improve health and resilience.
Tree planting and seedling care – Learn about selecting seedlings, proper site preparation, proper planting technique, and post planting seedling care for successful regeneration.
Wildlife habitat enhancement – Learn how to make your property more attractive to wildlife.
Wildlife species and habitats – Learn about the wildlife species that call western Washington forests home and what their habitat needs are.

Cost and Registration

Pre-registration is required. Registration will NOT be available on site. The registration deadline is 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 25, 2024. Cancellation requests must be received by 7:00 p.m. Thursday, July 25, 2024 to be eligible for a refund. Eventbrite processing fees are non-refundable.

Registration fees

Registration deadline is 7:00 p.m. July 25, 2024

Individual registration: $20
Household registration (2-4 adults): $30

Registration is now closed – please join us for one of our other upcoming events:

Invasive Forest Weed Field Practicum – August 23, 2024 in Auburn
Preston Coached Planning Course – Tuesdays starting September 3rd.
Whidbey Coached Planning Course – Fridays starting September 6th.

Acknowledgements and Accommodations

This program is an educational partnership between Washington State University Extension and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Additional funding support is provided by the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks.

Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination. Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension office. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and special needs who contact Sarah Stewart at sarah.stewart1@wsu.edu or 425-738-0103 at least three weeks prior to the event.