Forest Gatherings

Unleashing the Powers of Connection and Collaboration

for Equitable and Sustainable Forest Stewardship

  • Group photo of people standing and sitting in a forest, smiling and posing for the camera.

    Connecting

    An immersive experience where decision-makers meet and camp out with locals. Hosted by the Tribe whose place we are visiting, all participants meet as people first and build relationships built on personal connection, instead of titles and politics. Our goal is to catalyze perpetual, cross-sector, cross-generational relationships that bridge differences and equalize influence.

  • Collaborating

    Every Forest Gathering includes a modest restoration project. Projects are structured in a manner that centers equity by starting with the Tribal knowledge and expertise about the place and then inviting learning and collaboration as the project unfolds. The collaborative effort is instructive, offers an example of the potential for small collaborative actions to have big impacts, and expands the fabric of relationships within the group.

  • Engaging

    Each gathering concludes with a policy discussion where locals sit as equals at the table with decision makers and contemplate the policy implications of the experience they shared. Participants are also invited to identify new collaborations they would like to pursue based on the new relationships and connections made during the Forest Gathering.

Klamath Watershed Gathering

Coming Summer 2026

WSN Forest Gatherings are made possible by funding from the California Department of Conservation and the US Forest Service.

Upcoming Forest Gatherings

A wide green field with tall grass, a line of trees on the left, mountains in the background, and snow-capped peaks under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
Logo of the California Department of Conservation featuring stylized mountain, river, and land illustrations.
Forest Service badge with green background, yellow borders, and a pine tree in the center, containing the text 'U.S. Department of Agriculture' and 'Forest Service'

“When we work together, wonderous things can emerge.”

Klamath Gathering Participant

"Most Californians have become aware of the deterioration of our forests and the more than 100 million dead trees. However, few understand the shared consequences to our rural and urban communities. These locally based exchanges are the best way to build understanding and a strategy to save our state's watersheds."  

Lester Snow, Former CNRA Secretary and WSN Advisory Council Member

“Getting a first-hand look at California's stressed upper watersheds, from the locals and scientists who know the land best, was a revelatory experience that has fundamentally reshaped how the Bay Area Council views California's water management challenges.”

Adrian Covert, Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Bay Area Council

A man in a gray suit with a white shirt smiling with arms crossed, standing in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco with hills in the background.

"I was able to interact with colleagues on a more human level, it gave us a chance to find common interests and concerns.” 

SoCal Oak Woodlands Forest Gathering Participant

A middle-aged man with a light brown beard and balding head, wearing a suit jacket over a blue shirt, outdoors with greenery in the background.

Previous Forest Gatherings

Ahaa'Kwii'Aa'Mak Mataayum

Behind the Rain Clouds Gathering. 

Spring 2025

The Gathering was hosted by the Kumeyaay Nation and planned collaboratively by the Kumeyaay Diegueño Land Conservancy, Kumeyaay Heritage Preservation Committee, Kumeyaay Community College, CA Tribal Fund, Watershed Solutions Network, California Department of Conservation, U.S. Forest Service, California State Parks, RCD of Greater San Diego County, and San Diego County. The film and report are in production and will be added to this page when available.

Save the date announcement for the Kumeyaay Nation hosting Aha'KwiilAa'Mak Mataayum from April 27-30, 2025, overlaid on a background of trees and sky, with logos of various conservation and tribal organizations at the bottom.
Man in black shirt and jeans standing by a lakeside among trees, surrounded by greenery and tall grass, with a forested hillside in the background under a clear sky.
A group of people walking on a wooden bridge surrounded by lush green trees and foliage.

So Cal Oak Woodlands Forest Gathering

Fall 2023

Hosted by the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians at their campground and co-convened by the Tribe, RCD of Greater San Diego, California Department of Conservation, U.S. Forest Service, California State Parks, and Water Solutions Network.

SoCal Oak Woodlands Forest Gathering Report
SoCal Oak Woodlands Forest Gathering Notes
Event Summary Prepared by Dimitri Pappas, US Fish and Wildlife Carlsbad Office
SoCal Oak Woodlands Forest Gathering Film
A small, rocky stream surrounded by lush green vegetation and tall grasses in a forest.
A group of people in a forest, some sitting on a fallen log, including a woman with white hair and glasses, and a man in a gray shirt. Others are standing and walking around in the background, suggesting an outdoor event or workshop.

Bull Creek Forest Gathering

Spring 2024

Hosted by the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation at the Kowana Valley Lodge along Bull Creek in the Stanislaus National Forest. The Gathering was co-convened by the Tribe, Mariposa County, Stanislaus National Forest, Department of Conservation, U.S. Forest Service and Watershed Solutions Network. Bull Creek report is coming soon.

Bull Creek Forest Gathering Report
Bull Creek Forest Gathering Film
A woman with long brown hair smiling and standing outdoors on a wooden balcony with a scenic view of trees and a cloudy sky in the background.
A peaceful stream flowing through a forested area with tall pine trees and lush green grass on either side.
Group of people seated in chairs outdoors, gathered in a forested area around a large tree for a meeting or event, with tents and cars in the background.

Trina Cunningham

Genesee Valley Gathering

Summer 2017

Genesee Valley was the inaugural Forest Gathering. The first Forest Gathering was initiated by Trina Cunningham (Cohort 5 alumna), a Mountain Maidu community member and statewide land and water leader. Trina wanted to bring decision makers to her home to share Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and encourage broader engagement between Tribes and decision makers. In addition to Trina, the Forest Gathering planning team included the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Plumas County, and Plumas National Forest. Private property owners offered their place for the group to gather. The event was sponsored by Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Mooretown Rancheria, Palmaz Vineyards, and Traditional Lifeways

Event Summary prepared by OPR Interns
Essay about the Gathering by Erin Pang
People swimming and exploring a rocky stream in a forested area, some with snorkeling gear, during daytime.
Two women crouching near a campfire with skewers of grilled salmon, outdoors with grass and rocks in the background.

Klamath Restoration Gathering

Summer 2018

Word spread about the Genesee Valley Forest Gathering and with it, the demand for another Gathering. The Karuk Tribe agreed to host the 2nd Gathering. Bill Tripp served as the liaison to the Tribe. Bill was Deputy Director of Eco-cultural Revitalization for the Tribe at the time. In addition to the Karuk Tribe, the planning team included the US Forest Service, the Mid Klamath Watershed Council via the Yellow Chair Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, and the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.

A man in outdoor gear with a helmet and headlamp, standing in a forest. The image includes a quote about the importance of knowledge of nature for human responsibility and connection, attributed to Bill Tripp, Director of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy at Karuk Tribe.
Event Summary prepared by OPR Interns