A three-hour tree walk at Moran State Park with Carson Saturday, July 8, 2023, 9am-12pm Take a hike 400 years back in time and learn how some of the most amazing and majestic forests in Western Washington were formed. This walk will progress up Cold Springs for about 1.5 miles then back down. Bring extra … Read more
With the help of Rain Shadow staff, our friends and partners from the Northwest Natural Resources Group (NNRG) will be offering several webinars and workshops related to forest health and climate resilience for San Juans forests in September and October. These include: In addition, NNRG offers a variety of support for landowners, including free phone consultations and … Read more
While it’s no secret that we love trees here at Rain Shadow, several of us are almost equally enthusiastic about mountain biking. Earlier this year, Carson shared his expertise on local forest and fire ecology with writer Amanda Monthei during a ride at Moran State Park. You can find her article in Craft MTN Magazine, available … Read more
Rain Shadow Consulting has opened a new field office on San Juan Island, with Galen Boydston overseeing the San Juan crew as foreman. Boydston, an ISA certified arborist who has been with Rain Shadow for 10 years, grew up on Waldron and recently relocated to Friday Harbor from Orcas. Rain Shadow has provided tree care … Read more
In this short video produced by filmmaker and videographer Michael Noonan for the San Juan Preservation Trust’s “Just a Moment” series, Carson talks about Velvet Top Fungus (Phaeolus schweinitzii) and its role in enhancing biodiversity and driving succession in our local forests. Check out the other videos in the San Juan Preservation Trust’s “Just a … Read more
The State of Washington recently released the 2020 Washington Forest Action Plan, which identifies the San Juan Islands as one of 16 priority landscapes in Western Washington “with the greatest opportunities for forest investments,” according to the DNR’s press release. “These priority landscapes, spanning nearly 2 million acres, are where state and federal resources will … Read more
In early October, Rain Shadow was one of several local contractors to work with the Friends of the San Juans on a salmon habitat restoration project on Sucia Island. Located on a major migratory pathway for juvenile Chinook salmon, Sucia’s Mud Bay hosts a spawning bay and salt marsh that provide rare and valuable habitat … Read more
Introducing Orcas Biomass Serving the San Juan Islands with all manner of wood products—from lumber and custom slab wood to chips to premium firewood and fenceposts—all from recycled, reclaimed, reused, and sustainable sources. Orcas Biomass, established in 2019, is Rain Shadow Consulting’s “sister company” and will serve Orcas Island and the San Juans by storing, … Read more
Rain Shadow Consulting is OPEN as an essential business In response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Governor Jay Inslee has issued a “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” executive order requiring all residents to stay home except as needed for essential activities or to work for an essential business. The State of Washington, along with our professional … Read more
Dear San Juans Forest Owners,The San Juan County Conservation District is in the process of applying for a 5-year regional Natural Resources Conservation Services grant that would develop a cost-share program for forestry conservation practices with landowners in San Juan County. The grant provides an opportunity to further ecological forestry management, reduce fire risk, improve stand resiliency, … Read more