Building Knowledge and Relationships: WSSDA Committee Member Joins Board of Natural Resources Retreat

Jim Stoffer, WSSDA Trust Lands Advisory Committee member and Sequim School Director, represented WSSDA last week at the Board of Natural Resources Annual Retreat held in the straits and coastal region of the North Olympic Peninsula. Jim joined Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Hilary Franz and other board members in visits to learn about state forests and common school trust land sites around the region.

One of the highlights of the visits included a stop at Quillayute Valley School District’s Forks High School Stadium site. Over the years, the school district banked state forest revenue to fund the construction and modernization of its sports stadium.

In reflection, Jim shared that his travels amounted to two days of relationship building and collaboration between Trust beneficiaries, DNR staff, and Board of Natural Resources members. “This retreat provided a great deal of learning and understanding of the importance of the management of these Trust Lands, not only for the Trust beneficiaries but for our schools and our communities.”