Lake Whatcom Forest Management Plan

Help shape the future of forests in the Lake Whatcom Watershed

Do you care about forest health, clean water, and outdoor recreation in the Lake Whatcom watershed? We want to hear from you as we begin the development of our first-ever joint Lake Whatcom Forest Management Plan.

Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Department (County) and the City of Bellingham (City) are working together with ecological forestry consultants from Northwest Natural Resource Group (NNRG) to create a long-term plan that will guide forest management across more than 13,000 acres of forests that we collectively manage in the Lake Whatcom watershed, with the goals of protecting water quality, improving forest health, and supporting responsible recreational access (where applicable). This plan also advances the Forest Management program area within the 2025-2029 Lake Whatcom Management Program Work Plan.

Which forests are included?

• County-managed forest lands with recreational access: Whatcom County manages approximately 9,600 acres of parklands, including Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve and Lake Whatcom Park, which were reconveyed from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. These areas support passive recreation activities such as hiking and biking.
• City-managed forest lands preserved for water quality: The City manages more than 3,500 acres of land acquired through the Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation Program, which purchases land to prevent development and safeguard forests that protect Lake Whatcom, Bellingham's drinking water source. This program is ongoing, with new properties regularly added.

See an interactive map of these lands in the Lake Whatcom watershed.

What will the plan do?

The Lake Whatcom Forest Management Plan will inventory and assess existing forest conditions and provide recommendations for enhancing forests to reduce water quality impacts in Lake Whatcom, promote forest health, and increase resilience to climate change, wildfire, and disease. The recommendations in the plan will be site-specific, since forest management needs may vary from site to site. The plan will also recognize the unique purposes of each property. For example, County parks have management goals related to providing passive non-motorized public recreation, while City-acquired lands focus on forest preservation for water quality protection.

📷 Photo of Lake Whatcom Overlook by Hannah Montroy