Two events at Island Center Forest focus on stewardship

Published 1:30 am Thursday, August 25, 2022

Forest health will be the focus of two back-to-back events, taking place at Island Center Forest (ICF) Saturday, Aug. 27.

The first event, presented by King County, will detail upcoming forest management work to take place in the summer of 2023 in ICF, while the second event — a field day hosted by Washington State University Extension and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources in partnership with King Conservation — is aimed at educating islanders who own forested property how to better steward their land.

Harvesting and replanting project

King County will offer a walking tour of ICF at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, aimed at informing and getting feedback from islanders about its upcoming work to selectively thin Douglas fir and red alder trees from portions of the 448-acre forest, followed by extensive tree planting in those areas.

The tour will begin at ICF’s Mukai/115th Avenue Southwest Trailhead, accessed via Southwest Bank Road.

The tour will be led by County forester Paul Fischer and local forester Derek Churchill, who is consulting with the county to plan and implement the harvesting and replanting project.

After a brief presentation at the trailhead, Fischer and Churchill will take participants to the proposed thinning areas. The walk will be 1½ to 2 miles, with opportunities to return to the trailhead along the way.

Churchill, a forester and scientist who has lived on Vashon for 23 years and worked extensively with the Vashon Forest Stewards and King County in Vashon’s public and private forests, said he was eager to share the ecological objectives behind the county’s project.

The thinning and replanting work, according to both Churchill and a press release from the county, is aimed at building a healthier, more diverse forest that is more resilient to the hotter and drier summers that Vashon is experiencing due to climate change.

Set to begin in the summer of 2023 and take about four weeks, the project will build on previous efforts in 2008 and 2014 to improve the health of portions of the forest that are now very dense with Douglas fir trees and suffering from loss of forest canopy due to red alder mortality and extensive root rot in Douglas-fir areas.

Up to 35 acres of dense Douglas fir forest are now under consideration for selective thinning. While the trees in the designated thinning areas are between 70 and 110 years old, their crowded condition has left these portions of the forest undersized and overly dense, said Churchill. Tall, skinny trees with small crowns are the norm in these areas.

An additional 10 acres proposed for thinning are in red alder forests where the alders have reached the end of their natural lifespan and are slowly dying. The objective, according to the county, is to re-establish conifer and mixed broadleaf tree forests in those areas.

These activities are based on recommendations from the site’s 2005 Forest Stewardship Plan that was developed with a wide range of island groups, including the Land Trust, Vashon Forest Stewards, Equestrian Trails, Audubon, Sportsmen, and Mountain Bikers. The Plan was updated in 2017 to reflect additions to Island Center Forest, as well as the new trails and changing forest conditions.

According to Churchill, these types of forest stewardship actions also promote plant diversity by increasing light in the understory and enhancing the forest’s value as wildlife habitat, and result in a sustainable and local source of wood that can be used by islanders.

Island Center Forest is certified as a sustainably managed forest by the Forest Stewardship Council, the nation’s most demanding forest-certification program. The certification means trees harvested from the forest can carry the FSC label, a voluntary, market-based system similar to organic certification for farmers or food processors.

The planned selective thinning will require temporary trail closures on portions of the 115th Bypass Trail, Landtrust Trail, 188th Trail, Fir Hill Trail, and possibly others. Similar to past thinning operations, the trails will be restored quickly by King County trail crews and reopened as soon as possible

Forest Owners Field Day

Islanders can learn more about developing the stewardship skills to sustain healthy, functioning trees at an event scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at ICF, starting at the 188th Trailhead, at 10612 SW 188th Street.

The event will feature hourly outdoor workshops on topics such as maintaining healthy trees, protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat, proper thinning techniques controlling invasive weeds and protecting homes from wildfire.

The event also provides a chance for those with forested property to network with vendors, agency personnel and other forest owners.

Participants who register ahead of time will save $10 on registration. Tickets purchased in advance are $20 for individuals and $30 for couples. The event is kid-friendly, with youth younger than 18 admitted free.

The field day will be followed by a bring-your-own picnic and twilight forest tour hosted by King Conservation District, at a nearby forested property, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

To register or learn more, visit tinyurl.com/pemtudf2, or contact WSU Extension Forestry at 425-738-0109 for details.

This event will be held rain or shine, with coffee, water and light refreshments provided. Attendees of the picnic should bring their own blankets as seating will not be provided.

Island Center Forest is one of the most popular outdoor recreation sites on Vashon-Maury Island and features more than 10 miles of trails for hiking and running, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.