Abstract:
The Dry Forest Zone (DFZ) project was a five-year (2009-2014) initiative to support forest stewardship and economic development in eastern Oregon and northern California. With support from the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities and USDA Rural Development, a core team of four organizations working in close partnership collectively leveraged their strengths and networks to take innovations in community-based forestry “to scale.” A regional nonprofit organization (Sustainable Northwest), two community-based organizations (Wallowa Resources and the Watershed Research and Training Center), and an applied research group (the Ecosystem Workforce Program at the University of Oregon) led the DFZ project.