In a statewide analysis of the risk of conversion of forestland to other uses between now and 2050, the forest lands of the South Sound have been identified as being at the highest risk of conversion in the state.   Luke Rogers from the University of Washington explained that the analysis identifies that there currently is a signficant economic incentive in some areas to convert land from forestry to mixed use or urban/suburban use.   He suggested that the state policy of reduced property taxes for enrolled forestry lands was successful in providing financial incentives to landowners to keep their land in forestry through the 1990’s.  However, Rogers asserted, new restrictions on forestry practices with new protective regulations have now counteracted that economic incentive and it is no longer effective.  

The biggest transition over the last few decades in forest land ownership has been the sale of industrial forest lands to small private forest land owners.  Rogers showed a map that identified which forestry lands in the South Sound were at the greates risk of conversion to non-forestry uses due to their economic value.  Many of these lands were in the middle area of the watersheds in the transition zone between the public forest lands in the upper watersheds and the more urbanized areas closer to Puget Sound.

A survey of private forest landowners revealed that 93 percent of them would be willing to keep their land in forest production for 10 years if they were given a payment of $200 per acre and 53 percent of them would be willing to sign a 50 year forestry easement for $200 per acre.

Joe Gaydos from the SeaDoc Society encouraged the scientists attending to learn to communicate our science in a more effective way.   We need to be able to talk to the general public about the science we are doing in way that is interesting and useful to them.   Joe asserted that this is necessary to counteract people who are “denialists”  – people who allege there is a conspirancy, use fake experts, cherry pick evidence, create impossible standards for their opponents, use logical fallacies and manufacture doubt.    Joe cited Randy Olson’s book “Don’t Be Such A Scientist” that describes how many scientists are too negative, too literal, and poor storytellers.   

Joe suggested four main principles for scientists to be more effective in getting their good science out to the community:

1. Resolve to speak from science, not opinion.   Speak about your data and know what it means and the implications for society.

2. Know the playing field – understand the audience you are communicating with.  Don’t send detailed scientific publications to elected officials who have no time to read them.

3. Pursue excellence and be realistic –  focus on whether the big message got across, not the minute details.

4.  Expect backlash –  it is going to happen and is not a sign of failure, but rather can be an indication that your message is getting attention.

Julia , who will be facilitating the day, explained that today is about understanding how the South Sound works and what are the important factors.   She encouraged attendees to be the space for problem solving in the South Sound by going beyond documenting the impacts of our actions on the South Sound and looking how those impacts affect human communities and the local ecosystem.  She called for an interdisciplinary integration of ideas that allow us to come up with new innovative ways to deal with the issues facing the South Sound.

Jeff welcomed the approximately 350 attendees to the event.   He thanked the folks that helped to organize the day.  He also mentioned to people that there is a new organization forming in the South Sound to bring together the elected officials from the four counties that touch the South Sound (Mason, Kitsap, Thurston and Pierce), the three Tribes (Squaxin, Nisqually and Puyallup), and other agencies and organizations.   The purpose of this organization will be to be a coordinating, policy making body for the sustainable management of South Puget Sound.   There will be an official launch of this new organization on December 17th.