Contact: (phone) 208-666-8621 | (fax) 208-769-1524
Email: dstephenson@idl.idaho.gov
David Stephenson is the Idaho Community Forestry Coordinator. This position involves networking with numerous federal, state, municipal and private agencies to promote the conservation and management of Idaho's community forest resources. David administers a statewide grant program for Idaho communities that exceeds $140,000 annually. He is also the IDL liaison to the Idaho Community Forestry Council. The Community Forestry program relies heavily on partnerships and community volunteers to achieve the greatest benefits possible for Idaho's communities.
David received a degree in Forest Resource Management from the University of Minnesota, College of Forestry, in 1980. He has been working in the community forestry profession since 1978 in a variety of positions - as a community forester, urban forestry consultant, statewide program manager and, most recently, as a regional urban and community forestry coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. In this position, David provided technical and program development assistance for more than 150 communities in a twelve-county area of South Central Wisconsin. David is also an active volunteer. He has served as president of the Wisconsin Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), a member of the core planning team for the 2001 ISA Conference and neighborhood nonprofit friends group and as a Tree Board member for the City of Madison, Wisconsin. He has also ridden his recumbent bicycle in the 2000 and 2001 Tour des Trees, raising nearly $40,000 for community tree research.
David and his wife, Annette, enjoy travel and a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, cycling, sailing, rock climbing, cross country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing and gardening. They look forward to living and recreating in the Inland Empire.
Contact: (phone) 208-666-8622 | (fax) 208-769-1524
Email: jjowdy@idl.idaho.gov
Joyce Jowdy is the Community Forestry Administrative Assistant. The natural environment - its protection, conservation and enrichment - has always been very important to Joyce. By helping to administer grant and recognition programs, Joyce hopes to aid cities in their efforts to improve or protect the condition of their urban forests.
Previously, Joyce has worked in the capacity of educator, administrator and advocate for human service organizations. For nearly 10 years, as Assistant Director of Housing
Opportunities Made Equal, Inc., Joyce helped individuals affirm their rights and learn their responsibilities under Fair Housing laws. She also worked as an organizer for Citizen Action of New York, a Nutrition Lead for a natural foods department and has aided senior citizens regarding their housing needs.
Joyce earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New York at Buffalo. After many years living in western New York, Joyce left that area in search of a new place to call home. The combination of mountains, water, trees (which she emphasizes) and the promise of green summers drew her to Northern Idaho.
Free time for Joyce is usually spent outdoors enjoying nature. She enjoys hiking, creative writing, photography, reading and (when the paycheck permits) extensive travel.
Community Forestry Assistants
Are Available to Help You!
The Idaho Department of Lands partners with the nine Resource Conservation and Development Councils to provide technical assistance to communities throughout the State. Cooperative agreements with the RC&Ds provide for the contracting of three Community Forestry Assistants. These specialists offer timely local assistance to cities and organizations in their respective geographic areas at no charge.
For additional information, please refer to the profiles below.
Contact: (phone) 208-681-5964
Email: gabates@cableone.net
Gerry Bates has worked as a Community Forestry Assistant in Southeastern Idaho since 1998. He works in four RC&D areas: Three Rivers RC&D, High Country RC&D, Mid-Snake RC&D and Bear River RC&D. Before contracting with the Idaho Department of Lands, Gerry owned and operated his own nursery and landscaping business with his wife. He is a past president of the Idaho Nursery Association, an INA Certified Nursery Professional, a Certified Plant Diagnostician and a Master Gardener. Additionally, he is a Certified Arborist by the International Society of Arboriculture. As a volunteer, he is the chairman of the City of Idaho Falls Tree Committee.
Gerry's responsibilities include assisting communities with the development of sustainable community forestry programs, assistance with grants, tree committee and ordinance development, helping cities to obtain Tree City USA status, Arbor Day planning, etc. Gerry also helps with the development of tree inventories, community forestry workplans and offers advice in design of new city parks or other public projects.
Gerry has lived in Southeastern Idaho all his life and currently resides in Idaho Falls with his wife, Ann, and son, Evan. Gerry's hobbies include skiing, hunting, whitewater rafting (he owns his own boat) and golf. He feels the nice part of having such a large area to work in is the opportunity to play on all those courses.
Northwest Management, Inc.
.......Jim Colla...........................Tera King....................Brian Vrablick...............John Erixson
Northwest Management, Inc., a full service forestry consulting firm, began providing Community Forestry Assistance for North Idaho in 2007. Under contract with the Clearwater RC & D and Panhandle Lakes Resource Conservation & Development Councils, their staff works with community leaders, volunteers and many others toward development of community forest management plans, tree ordinances, street tree inventories and project grant applications.
Jim Colla is the primary contact for the Panhandle Lakes RC& D area of North Idaho. He has served as the Fire and Fuels Manger for Northwest Management, Inc. since April 2005.
Jim’s previous experience includes 17 years with the Idaho Department of Lands as the Idaho Forest Practices Program Director. There he was responsible for the statewide administration of the Idaho Forest Practices Act (FPA) through policy and procedure development and providing technical forestry best management practice guidance and support to field staff. At the State of Alaska Division of Forestry Jim spent 10 years in the fire management and forestry assistance programs. He received his Master of Forestry in Forest Resources Management in 1982 and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Conservation in 1977.
Tera King is the primary contact for the Clearwater RC&D area of North Idaho. Since 2003 she has been a Professional Forester for Northwest Management, Inc. working with crews to gather timber inventory and volume data. She is a Society of American Foresters Certified Forester. Her previous experience included working for the USDA Forest Service for several years clearing and maintaining forest roads, trail systems and campsites in remote areas of the Nez Perce National Forest. In 2003 she received her Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources, Ecosystem Management from the University of Idaho.
Northwest Management, Inc.
Panhandle Area Lead Contact:
James Colla,
W 21 Commerce Dr, Ste G,
Hayden, Idaho 83835,
(208) 772-8554 / Fax: (208) 772-4654
Email: colla@consulting-foresters.com
Assisting in Panhandle: Brian Vrablick
Clearwater Area Lead Contact:
Tera R. King,
PO Box 9748,
Moscow, Idaho 83843,
(208) 883-4488,
Fax: (208) 883-1098
Email: king@consulting-foresters.com
Assisting in Clearwater: John Erixson
COMMUNITY FORESTRY - STAFF CONTACTS