A Plan for Loving the Land

The Whidbey Institute was able to engage both a forestry consultant—Malloree Weinheimer— and an indigenous land planner—Bridget Ray—in 2020. In January 2021, they completed a draft Forest Stewardship Plan for the Whidbey Institute’s 106 acres of protected forest and wetland in the Maxwelton Creek watershed on South Whidbey Island. We submitted this draft to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust for review, then sought additional feedback on the draft plan in order to bring it toward adoption as a living document. We shared the plan with community members both online and in person, during a well-attended walk in the forest. We appreciated both opportunities to hear important questions and shared ideas. This plan, developed as part of our conservation easement, commits us to bringing 10, 50 and 250-year perspectives into our plans for stewardship and forest health and has the goal of integrating the best of conservation forest management strategies with indigenous wisdom. It provides a model for similar projects elsewhere in our region and guarantees exemplary environmental stewardship. It also moves us towards actionable partnerships in placekeeping and clearer pathways for the return of traditional tribal activities, including for cultural, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes. The plan is currently being revised with generous input from indigenous community members to help bring it into integrity of relationship with people and place. We are grateful to Larisa Benson, JJ McMinds, Bridget Ray, Kate Snider, Malloree Weinheimer, and many others who have helped bring this plan for loving the land into being. \