Cutting the “ribbon” to officially open the Community Forest! From left: Director of Conservation and Strategic Partnerships Sarah Spaeth; Washington State Representative Steve Tharinger; Director of Stewardship and Resilience Erik Kingfisher; Commanding Officer, Naval Magazine Indian Island R.J. Jameson; “Look to the Land” committee campaign Phil Vogelzang; Board of Directors Secretary and former President Brian Rogers; Board of Directors Vice President and Chimacum Ridge Community Forest Board of Managers Chair Tim Lawson; Board of Directors President Jane Guiltinan; “Look to the Land” campaign co-chair Ellen Ferguson; Executive Director Richard Tucker; Director of Philanthropy Kate Godman. Photo by Sara Kozak.
Thank you to all who joined us on Saturday, September 27 at Finnriver Farm & Cidery for a truly special event more than a decade in the making: the official grand opening celebration of Chimacum Ridge Community Forest!
Guests on the Finnriver meadow. Photo by Sara Kozak.
The 918-acre forest is a living community resource in the heart of Chimacum that safeguards wildlife habitat, builds climate resilience, offers recreational and educational opportunities, models ecological forest management, and strengthens our local economy. It was created by the community, for the benefit of the community, forever.
This weekend’s beautiful gathering gave us a special opportunity to celebrate the remarkable dedication and collaboration of the many partners, foundations, donors, community leaders, and volunteers who helped bring this vision of a community forest to life.
The sun was shining and spirits were high as more than 250 guests gathered at Finnriver for this free and public event. Homemade granola bars and tasty cookies from local baking company El Rincón Romero awaited guests who perused a display about the forest and its history inside Finnriver’s haybarn. We also enjoyed complimentary Finnriver beverages (including seasonal favorite Forest Ginger cider, crafted with wild-foraged fir tips gathered on Chimacum Ridge!).
Walking the multiuse trail during the grand opening celebration. Photo by Sara Kozak.
The afternoon’s ceremony began on Finnriver’s meadow, where staff and board members were honored to be joined by special speakers including Representative Steve Tharinger and Look to the Land campaign Co-Chairs Ellen Ferguson and Phil Vogelzang — who honored the contributions of the many partners and community members who helped to protect the forest and transform it into a community forest.
As the crowd cheered, we cut the “ribbon” (a garland of forest ferns and cedar boughs) to mark the official opening of Chimacum Ridge Community Forest!
Following the ceremony, guests were invited to hop on shuttles to the forest, just a few minutes down the road. There, Land Trust staff members and volunteers from the forest’s Board of Managers were on hand to help answer questions, hand out maps, and guide visitors along the peaceful wooded trails that volunteers and staff have created over the last year, including the recently completed multiuse trail: a six-foot-wide graveled path suitable for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders that leads to the upper loop trail and out to stunning viewpoints. Guests also enjoyed the two relatively level wheelchair-accessible trails that lead from the parking lot to the educational pavilion and to a viewpoint over Center Valley.
With blue skies and perfect autumn weather, the views from the top of the ridge that day were crystal clear: visitors could see Chimacum’s Center and Beaver Valleys, nearby Tamanowas Rock, and the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges in the distance.
View from the top of Chimacum Ridge. This bench was made by a Land Trust staff member using timber from a selective harvest in the forest.
Our younger visitors enjoyed a fun bingo scavenger hunt, and a lucky few guests were randomly selected to win great door prizes: a Trek bicycle, a Yeti cooler, and two gift baskets stuffed with local goodies!
The joy and excitement of so many in attendance was palpable. We’re deeply grateful for the many generous contributions of our community who made this project possible, to all who came out to make this day so special, and to Finnriver for hosting the celebration!
The possibilities of this community forest are just beginning to unfold. Whether you joined us this weekend or plan to visit the forest in the future, we hope that you’ll consider this special place your own: a place to explore, learn, and enjoy for years to come!
Chimacum Ridge Community Forest is a working forest with a mix of Douglas fir, western redcedar, red alder, and bigleaf maple. Multiple trails provide easy and moderate hiking opportunities through the forest.
Guests enjoying the forest during the grand opening. Photo by Sara Kozak.
Find more information about visiting the forest at saveland.org/visiting-chimacum-ridge
Click here to view and download a map of the trails.
