[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6260774,"mediaKeyId","3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a","parentId",3127195,"title","Whatcom County task force reviews 372-response survey: residents prioritize ecosystem services, cite land conversion as top threat","audioSeconds",475,"startMs",1113000,"endMs",1588000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a&start=1113&end=1588","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a/thumbnail_1113000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6260774/Whatcom-County/Washington/Whatcom-County-task-force-reviews-372-response-survey-residents-prioritize-ecosystem-services-cite-land-conversion-as-top-threat","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260774-de0dc34cc12826c0f275dff83a1c2a73/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171017&Signature=JlNsFNP5LbhZCDxgP5QYYotFx7I5CNLQIpdOoBdeQTdnbwObqLdDFDQUjzhWk-b4f~hdZLhaVtGISGLn2Qhvh5pZdgaTox4UEDnuNbrZ~cIOE4UNgUb9vZXupxZC4Sk2rzUD8o4dUNjL4FaIMmrve3U~d8RpOVjAtyTBVhf98tBGnORWYr4VRql63PAigUQb-O59KYOnChgrC42vrk0ituyvfHN2wj3YtyirJOK0UXkQafaMyDBkUgUx-yj3~KcTIhjoL0A05S7KdS37CNBlXMr5UKiKbTpPLNWdGfyqE2qXc5FNwSwWiI5eejCfD5EPHt5LINAWNJrSW3zBtB-MzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Whatcom County, WA","date","2025-04-25T23:42:59.917Z","article","Melanie (Consultant, Triangle) told the Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force on April 14, 2025, that the team received 372 responses to a public survey open for 32 days and will incorporate the results into the county’s Forest Resilience Plan. “We ended up with 372 responses. And like I noted, it was open for about a month, 32 days,” Melanie said.

The survey, conducted using a snowball sampling approach, skewed older and white: the presentation noted a majority of respondents were over age 55 and 78% identified as white. Respondents reported recreation as their most common way of engaging with local forests; when asked to rank values, respondents most frequently put ecosystem services — for example clean water, carbon storage and soil health — at the top and placed lumber production most often at the bottom. The task force packet says nearly half of respondents identified restoring healthy ecosystems for fish and wildlife as their highest priority for the plan.

Why it matters: the county’s code requires the plan to incorporate community values and task force members said the survey will be one input alongside previously completed assessment interviews. Melanie emphasized the survey is one piece of community input that the task force should consider when setting goals, objectives and actions in the plan.

Key findings and limitations presented
- Responses: 372 total; survey open ~32 days; distribution skewed older and white (78% white); slightly more female respondents.
- Most common interaction with forests: recreation.
- Top-ranked values: ecosystem services (clean water, carbon storage, soil health); lowest ranked: lumber production.
- Top threats named by respondents: conversion of forest land and development, climate change, and wildfires.
- Top recommended priority to promote resiliency: increased investment in future acquisition of timberland; many respondents prioritized ecosystem restoration for fish and wildlife.

Task force questions and staff response
Task force members pressed staff on how the survey’s findings would be used and on the level of detail in reported ecosystem services. Oliver (Task force member) asked whether water-supply and streamflow concerns should be more explicitly listed among ecosystem functions, referencing ongoing adjudication in the Nooksack Basin. Melanie replied that the presentation was a question-by-question summary and said more detailed analysis and any additional phrasing will appear in the community values section of the plan for secondary review.

Representative concerns about sample
Carl (Task force member) raised concerns about sample representativeness, noting the snowball approach could bias results. “Since it wasn't a representative sample, it's kind of questionable,” Carl said, urging caution when interpreting the results. Melanie acknowledged the limitation, said the county code requires incorporation of community values and recommended the task force use the survey as context — together with assessment interviews and subcommittee input — rather than treating it as a statistically representative cross-section.

Recommendations and next steps
Task force members recommended the plan append a list of the organizations and groups the team contacted to distribute the survey; Melanie agreed to include that information in the community values section or an appendix. The survey results will be republished to the task force as part of the plan’s secondary review cycle in May so members can comment in context. Task force members were asked to consider the survey findings when refining goals, objectives, threats and actions.

No formal action was taken on the survey results during the meeting; the presentation was for review and discussion.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Forest Resilience Task Force Meeting 4/14/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Melanie (Consultant, Triangle) told the Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force on April 14, 2025, that the team received 372 responses to a public survey open for 32 days and will incorporate the results into the county’s Forest Resilience Plan.","taxTitle","Whatcom County, Washington","taxId",2976,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6260760,"Task force approves February and March meeting summaries",129,67000,196000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a&start=67&end=196","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a/thumbnail_67000.jpg","/articles/6260760/Whatcom-County/Washington/Task-force-approves-February-and-March-meeting-summaries","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260760-4d6533b6e71a049f2cba1ab9751ad88f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171017&Signature=csphVZISgT4zqeCcqMY4TTBB1bUoX339jJ-SCMnhrl0aXNwVeUWw0Xkh74Xfk--OCfbZN0Msmi5IkAu5kM9exjxOAOCnUsfKZJd1-Rb93U-c6tZhUBsw02UvJkxRlGv3v-nnE1I0PIubZS-Pyy5-8q53Z6eUS9lL2TyvmnVYy-qk5gFEGLtgOytFjIWjNLzKRgGkiamTeWeYeojlMzdh~VUUDSYjZ8517V0EFPGB7MlFpBvB08vfCTWQwsOfS1uaUoAXMJ~XGP4KlXG0ARx1DNmXMsDDJB~uEIWf40EgGtbLkaaDYZPD3hv93NSEGnQ2YPrEi4VkvivfB-cYFPa15Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force voted by voice to approve the Feb. 10 and March 10, 2025 draft meeting summaries during its April 14 meeting.

- Feb. 10, 2025 meeting summary: Carl (Task force member) moved to approve the Feb. 10 meeting summary \"as written.\" The meeting transcript records the motion but does not record a second by name. The chair called for the voice vote and recorded “aye” with no opposition or abstentions noted.

- March 10, 2025 meeting summary: A motion to approve the March 10 draft was made and recorded on the transcript; Barry (Task force member) was identified in the audio as the mover and Carl seconded the motion. The chair called for the voice vote and recorded “aye” with no opposition or abstentions noted.

Outcomes: Both meeting summaries were approved by voice vote. The transcript contains no roll-call vote tally for either motion.

No other formal administrative actions (ordinances, contracts or budget decisions) were taken at this meeting.","At its April 14 meeting the Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force approved meeting summaries for Feb. 10 and March 10, 2025. Approvals were recorded by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6260765,"Public comment urges task force to consider naturally occurring asbestos, landslide risks on Sumas Mountain",54,251000,305000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a&start=251&end=305","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a/thumbnail_251000.jpg","/articles/6260765/Whatcom-County/Washington/Public-comment-urges-task-force-to-consider-naturally-occurring-asbestos-landslide-risks-on-Sumas-Mountain","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260765-e25d509082ff0f77e063343b3123c8c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171017&Signature=kHIa8zveeWODwtifqEOez-xncJeKITEBdsjLJHftLDZH2W~5r71jhmUud0C5AntRLsrdnq4j7CjAyFnAiHxoVhtTNy7A09qq0Ke3pHifJZ-5HKul1uI~rlrlcje16YefIs-80wPeUiW-XjWvHHql7W6fJjz9SNItiIpI8WCzxYMRqE8J6G0ljMLe3G-7JiaqgQVpn3OPgYbvY7spxiiTlNtH~KvinkysDzm-JgoPDJE1Jnw6MOEgy2gsH4G4giByGPHNygAsG7qaMUeFj6GpEZCqcOiBgjwWZQEVuFNAH6cDnD9M4R1syA-CPY1UaXFgzscJnXHinzKT0YvrbuI4hQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A written public comment from Kathleen Greenbaum was read during the Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force meeting on April 14. Greenbaum warned the task force to “be mindful of the naturally occurring asbestos and landslide issues on the West Side Of Sumas Mountain,” and cited the interaction of clearcutting, climate-driven atmospheric rivers and landslide-prone parcels. The written comment also cited expansion of the Cypher Goodwin Quarry to the east as an example the commenter viewed as relevant.

The comment was submitted through the task force website and read aloud by staff during the public comment portion of the meeting. No formal action or staff response beyond acknowledging receipt was recorded in the meeting transcript.

Why it matters: exposure of naturally occurring asbestos and increased landslide risk can pose public health and environmental hazards and may intersect with forestry, land-use change and quarry operations that the Forest Resilience Plan seeks to address. Task force members did not take formal action on the comment at the meeting; the comment will be part of the record that task force staff and consultants incorporate into ongoing plan drafting if relevant.","A written public comment read at the April 14 meeting warned the task force that clearcutting and quarry expansion on the west side of Sumas Mountain could expose naturally occurring asbestos and increase landslide risk; the comment urged the task force to consider these risks in planning.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6260770,"Task force forms small group to streamline goals and objectives for county forest plan",762,2432000,3194000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a&start=2432&end=3194","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3127195-6edd4f3e80ee246ccb25866a83ac226a/thumbnail_2432000.jpg","/articles/6260770/Whatcom-County/Washington/Task-force-forms-small-group-to-streamline-goals-and-objectives-for-county-forest-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6260770-6159be7bc941e28250b55563a76da8e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171017&Signature=A5tCCHuhhmX29e6a7ysDgeSEbDQFF5dQmv3Uw7uOQaLcrexy7Gvt5OlKoYlVkVHiQc2jRH4WYdpHRXrzrp-mvoudU~1l3U51cHPTMn-9d6PNHc9T5SaefiuenPNQvk0nkrxxigMPpPJpqVo6TjORE4OKigy4seAX4SVAwxAC3BaL8VdEqGPjgOQKs66BO~2j5O2QlVOj4sK9Xb1M4AvR8FpY4Q-DLPU647-~mIqs-dXL3RpS~-3HPkufzF1ZUlC~o5eyyAdaYyaYj5o5h5M~dSruvIR4r-QClCkUUpseUKkNq~RQ4~hqhddGozItYgJnX-yfMKeJucpNMrpq0x9GSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force on April 14 agreed to form a small working group to recommend how to reduce redundancy and harmonize goals and objectives in the draft Forest Resilience Plan. Melanie (Consultant, Triangle) proposed a focused approach: a subgroup made up of representatives from the task force’s subcommittees should draft a process and, if useful, initial edits, then bring recommendations to the full task force.

Why it matters: multiple task force members said the current goals and objectives contain overlapping language that could dilute the plan’s clarity for county decision-makers. Jim (Task force member) urged consolidation: “Many of these goals are redundant. And if I was on council and I read this, it would lose credibility,” he said.

What the group will do
Volunteers and roles (as stated during the meeting): Oliver (Task force member), Ellen (Task force member), Jen (Task force member), Tom (Task force member), and Brandy (Task force member) offered to participate in the subgroup. Melanie said the subgroup should attempt to meet before the next full task force meeting and return a recommended process for how to address redundancy and prioritization; she did not expect a final, fully edited set of goals from that first subgroup meeting.

Diverging views on timing
Some members supported immediate work by the smaller group so the writing team and full task force have clearer goals to align objectives and actions. Others, including Brandy and Jen, said it may be premature to finalize goal consolidation before subcommittees complete action-level drafting and suggested the subgroup focus first on a recommended process and timeline.

Next steps
- The subgroup will coordinate a first meeting; Jen volunteered to schedule and to request contact information from staff.
- Melanie and staff will provide relevant purpose statements and plan schedule materials to the subgroup.
- The subgroup will present a proposal for the full task force to consider at the next meeting; any recommended changes to goals or objectives will be considered by the full task force before being finalized.

No formal vote was recorded; members agreed by consensus to form the subgroup and identified volunteers.","Whatcom County Forest Resilience Task Force members agreed April 14 to form a small group that will propose a process to reduce redundancy in goals and to harmonize objectives; volunteers from several subcommittees offered to meet and return a process proposal for the full task force to consider.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Whatcom County task force reviews 372-response survey: residents prioritize ecosystem services, cite land conversion as top threat

Task force approves February and March meeting summaries

Public comment urges task force to consider naturally occurring asbestos, landslide risks on Sumas Mountain

Task force forms small group to streamline goals and objectives for county forest plan