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The Forest Futures Roundtable is an informal regular gathering of researchers and practitioners who are interested in discussing issues related to the future of our forests. It is hosted by Willamette University's Public Policy Research Center.

The Most Recent Roundtable was: "New Paths to Conservation: Streams, Trees, and the Willamette Partnership"

Forest Futures Roundtable — Wednesday, December 14, 2005

The Forest Futures Roundtable ventured into the linkages between forest health and stream health. It spotlighted the new and innovative programs being developed by the Willamette Partnership, a diverse group of watershed stakeholders now working to establish a conservation credit market that will allow riparian development to fund restoration projects throughout the watershed. The program has sparked interest from the US Forest Service and many other land managers, as well as various river and forest advocates.

Sara Vickerman, Director of Biodiversity Partnerships for Defenders of Wildlife and David Primozich, Director of the Willamette Partnership, presented a new approach to the conservation of land and water that taps existing mitigation funds and other sources to make strategic investments in high priority areas.  Public and private partners in the Northwest are exploring options to pay landowners for a variety of "ecosystem services" including clean water, fish and wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and others.  By looking holistically at the landscape and managing land for multiple values, tax dollars and private funds can be more effectively invested in ecologically significant projects. 

The Willamette Partnership recently received a targeted watersheds grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to begin a water quality trading program in the Willamette Basin.  The trading program will initially focus on temperature, then expand to include other values. The Partnership is a new nonprofit organization with a diverse board of directors including members from business, agriculture, conservation, academia, and local government.