Experience a Working Forest

Forests, Wood, and Intentional Sourcing

This accredited course connects forest management practices directly to today’s built environment. Designed for AEC professionals, the session explores how sustainable forestry is practiced across major U.S. timber-producing regions, which products are sourced from each region, and how intentional specification can support responsible forest management outcomes.

Our Lunch & Learn format is ideal for firms, project teams, and offices looking to learn together and align sustainable wood sourcing strategies. We encourage group participation to foster discussion and shared understanding across your organization.

Course Highlights

• Silviculture explained: how North American forests are sustainably managed.
• Where U.S. timber comes from, and what products each region supplies.
• Why solid sawn timber performs in structural, sustainable design.
• The environmental and economic advantages of sourcing wood locally.

Led by local foresters, you’ll walk through a working forest to see climate-smart design, local sourcing and long-term sustainability in practice. 

Along the way, you’ll learn about:

• The benefits of growing Douglas-fir on extended rotations for stronger, premium-grade wood.
• The environmental benefits like biodiversity, carbon sequestration and wildlife habitat.
• The economic and environmental advantages of sourcing local timber.
• How regulations, certification and conservation shape forest management.  

Each tour runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and includes a guided walk through the forest, highlighting key topics in sustainable forestry, with lunch provided. Tour locations vary by date and include Olympia, WA and Molalla, OR. Upcoming tours include: 

There are no upcoming tours scheduled at this time.