MENDOCINO Co., 5/9/19 — After two intense wildfire seasons over two years, many Mendocino County residents are exploring new ways to steward our forestlands while also looking for ways to build more affordable and fire safe housing in our communities. One organization, the Forest Reciprocity Group, has developed a project that uses smaller, round wooden poles harvested from local timberlands, many of which are dense with fuel, in order to build cabins encased in earthen materials, which are more fire safe than wood covered structures.
The Forest Reciprocity Group will be talking more about their project at the Willits library on May 18, and then the group, along with Polecraft Solutions, will be building a demonstration cabin at a workshop in Laytonville on May 25. If you’re curious about the project and how it could reduce fuel loads in forests, or want to learn how to build with round poles and earthen materials, these two events are a good place to start!
Here’s more details from the Forest Reciprocity Group:
The Forest Reciprocity Group (FRG) will give a presentation on Revitalizing Forests to Revitalize Communities. Saturday, May 18 from 3-5 pm at the Willits Library, 390 E. Commercial St.
The Forest Reciprocity Group seeks to work collaboratively to unburden forestlands of overcapacity fire fuel load small diameter poles. This burden can become our solution. When we tend our forests for regenerative health, we are reciprocated with an abundance of valuable raw material that can provide economic incentives to revitalize local economies. Small diameter poles are a practical choice for framing fire-safe, earthen encased affordable housing and a plethora of other uses. Come to the presentation and learn more.
Also, FRG in collaboration with Polecraft Solutions https://www.polecraftsolutions.com/ will present a Pole Frame Cabin Raising Demonstration on Saturday, May 25 from 10 am to 10 pm. 44450 US Hwy 101, Laytonville (just north of the Chief) Pole Furniture Building Workshop, Food, Drinks and Music. Forest Activist Groups who would like to table should contact Jen 380-5059 See attached flyer.
FRG is an initiative of Cloud Forest Institute. visit http://www.forestreciprocity.org
Thank you for the great article!!