Forest Watch, Bark's forest defense program, tracks proposed timber sales, energy transmission corridors, grazing allotments, road building, destructive recreation, and other ecologically harmful activities in Mt. Hood National Forest.
By investigating conditions in the forest and providing the scientific and legal documentation to oppose destructive activities, the volunteer-led Forest Watch program, with the financial support of thousands of concerned members of the public, has protected thousands of acres of the forest from destruction. Forest Watch works to combine the information documented through on-the-ground fieldwork (called groundtruthing and post-logging monitoring) with processes for public input as required by law. Bark provides the tools and resources to support community members who want to submit their concerns and recommendations to the Forest Service, helping push the agency to better address social and environmental concerns.
Fieldwork with Bark starts with a groundtruthing training. Bark hosts groundtruthing trainings throughout the year in our Rad·i·cle Program and as a stand-alone training. Trainings usually occur in the spring and in the summer.
