New Online Community Brings Together Forest Stakeholders

OLYMPIA, Wash., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new online community seeks to bring together for the first time a variety of stakeholders concerned with the West's working forests, from timber communities and recreation enthusiasts to loggers and educators.

One Voice for Working Forests (www.OneVoiceForWorkingForests.com) includes a blog and pages on Facebook and LinkedIn, but first and foremost, it is a gathering place for supporters of working forests to exchange ideas and discuss their thoughts on forestry issues.

"Working forests have been an integral part of the history of the American West, and yet there has never been a way for all the stakeholders to gather together as one voice," said Tammie Perreault,  owner of Two Cats Timber in Olympia, Wash., and a One Voice supporter. "This new community will empower and unite everyone who respects forestland."

While many of the first supporters are from Washington and Oregon, the group has also attracted national forestry groups and supporters from California and Canada. One Voice "seeks to unite those who recognize the many benefits that working forests provide," regardless of geography or any other affiliation.

"Forests play such a meaningful role in people's lives, whether for recreation, timber or a sense of tradition and community," said Jay Goldstein, an attorney in Olympia, Wash., and a One Voice supporter.  

One Voice for Working Forests includes a shared set of principles, including a belief in active management of working forests a diversity of land management styles and a robust market for wood products.

The One Voice community supports the idea that working forests "provide materials for the way we live," including clean air and water, environmental mitigation to combat climate change and jobs and financial resources for families and communities.

One Voice for Working Forests is an online community that brings together stakeholders who recognize the many benefits that the West's working forests provide. The site  (www.OneVoiceForWorkingForests.com), which includes a blog and pages on Facebook and LinkedIn, is designed to exchange ideas, create camaraderie over shared issues and spur passionate discussion.

SOURCE One Voice for Working Forests