Columbia Land Trust met with commissioners from Wahkiakum County and Pacific County to talk about an opportunity that might benefit local communities in a variety of ways: a community forest. …Ian Sinks, the Stewardship Director for CLT discussed conversations their organization has had with community leadership and landowners, regarding issues being faced in this watershed, brought on by heavy logging, soil type, rain, and sedimentation issues, along with concerns about fishery resources and recreational access. “It led us to a conversation about a community forest, where maybe there are things we can jointly work on together to provide access, to provide economic benefit, and change the land cover and land practices in the watershed,” Sinks said. “My goal is to keep these lands in timber,” Wahkiakum County Commissioner Dan Cothren said. “I don’t want to see this place turned into real estate, where you have houses everywhere.”