The Forest Overstory Podcast

Dr. Jerry Franklin is an emeritus professor of Ecosystem Analysis at the University of Washington and the Director of the Wind River Research Forest. Dr. Franklin has conducted research across many of the forest types of the Pacific Northwest, including early work in sub-alpine ecosystems, and later work in dry forest ecosystems of the East Cascades. Much of Dr. Franklins career was centered aroun...

Dr. Jerry Franklin is an emeritus professor of Ecosystem Analysis at the University of Washington and the Director of the Wind River Research Forest. Dr. Franklin has conducted research across many of the forest types of the Pacific Northwest, including early work in sub-alpine ecosystems, and later work in dry forest ecosystems of the East Cascades. Much of Dr. Franklins career was centered aroun...

Martha Wyckoff is a private forest landowner in Kittitas County, central Washington. Her and her husband have owned and managed the land for 30 plus years. During this time they have slowly acquired forest and prairie land in the area with the goal of actively restoring the functionality and health of the forest. Their work has consisted of restoring much of the forest structure towards a more his...

Prior to Euro-American settlement, Indigenous Peoples of North American lived on and managed this landscape. Today, their land has been confined to reservations and land acquired and held in trust of the tribe. Much like small forest landowners, they manage their forestland for a multitude of goals and services, including many cultural practices that have been carried on through their history. Ray...

February's episode is joined by Dr. Melissa Fischer and Glenn Kohler. Melissa and Glenn are the Washington State Entomologists with the Department of Natural Resources. Our conversation winds from a discussion about the Hemlock Wooley Adelgid and invasive insects to native insects and the role they play in our ecosystem. We talk about what makes a tree and a forest healthy, and what a resilient fo...

Dave Peterson is Professor of Forest Biology at the University of Washington, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and Emeritus Senior Research Scientist with the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. Dave manages his tree farm, Mountain Heart Tree Farm in Skagit County. Dave sits down with WSU Extension Forestry to discuss forest resiliency. Topics range from historic fo...

Ann Stinson and Lou Jean Clark are co-owners and managers of their second-generation forest, the Cowlitz Ridge Tree Farm. Ann and Lou Jean have co-owned/managed the Cowlitz Ridge Tree Farm since the passing of husband and brother, Steve Stinson in 2014. Ann discusses growing up on the tree farm and Lou Jean shares her experiences taking on the tree farm later in her life. Both having grown up in t...

Ken Bevis is the Washington State Stewardship Biologist for the Department of Natural Resources. Ken works closely with small forest landowners to help educate and guide management actions benefiting wildlife. Here, we explore how Ken recommends including habitat diversity in land management actions for small forest landowners, and how some of these approaches are beneficial to wildlife. Ken discu...

Dr. Paul Hessburg, landscape ecologist with the Pacific Northwest Research Station, sits down to talk about his work around the current era of megafires. Paul discusses historic burning patterns, how fire shaped our landscape and forest structure, and what forest landowners and forestry land managers should focus on when creating a fire resilient landscape. Era of Megafires: https://www.north40pro...

Co-hosts Sean Alexander and Patrick Shults introduce the podcast and discuss what they plan on showcasing over the next year.