September 22 to 28 was National Forest Week. 18 die-hards arrived at our Wardner Trailhead station for a walk in the forest and braved the first snow flakes of the fall. We were well prepared thanks to Val Koenig, our hometown veteran with all outdoor event coordination. A warming fire was crackling in the home made barrel stove while Val doled out a choice of two delicious soups created by Sunnyside Side Naturals. Board director Stephen Neville was in charge of hot chocolate and cookies. Johannes Smith made sure we weren’t running out of wood and set up a plant hunt for our young visitors. During our steep hikes to the viewpoint we investigated forest health issues and discussed management options on this multi-use hillside.
