If the Gifford Pinchot National Forest were its own county, it would be in the top five largest counties in Western Washington.
At 1.3 million acres, or roughly 2,000 square miles, wildlife, scenery and camping opportunities that exist through Lewis County often go unnoticed by many residents.
After coming on as the forest supervisor in February, though, Johanna Kovarik intends to build relationships with the county and community, she told the Lewis County commissioners in a meeting on Tuesday.
“I have a deep value around relationship building and community building,” Kovarik said in a presentation at the Lewis County Courthouse. “I wanted to give you all an opportunity to get to know me, or at least, to start to get to know me.”
After introducing herself, Kovarik gave the commissioners updates on business in the forest. Challenges, she said, have been hiring staff members, finding housing for staff and unseasonably early wildfires.
While the U.S. Forest Service, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, often has “acting” supervisors, she said, Kovarik’s role is permanent. She manages the forest’s 80 to 90 full-time employees and its three ranger districts. Locally, that’s the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District headquartered in Randle. The district currently has 10 active timber sales, she said.
The forest has capacity for around 127 full-time employees, Kovarik said, noting hiring has been a challenge. The next few seasons are likely to see increases in at least temporary employees, she said.
Asked by Commissioner Scott Brummer, who represents the eastern half of the county, if housing has been adequate for forest service employees, Kovarik said that’s a challenge for the Forest Service across the nation. In Packwood, Gifford Pinchot employees have been renting a bunkhouse.
A permanent solution, she said, will be an eventual necessity.
Wildfires are Kovarik’s other worry.
For the last few years, Kovarik has worked on the Ochoco National Forest in Central Oregon. There, she said, wildfires are a big part of the ecosystem. She said she’s excited to be back on “the wet side” of the Cascades, but still is able to apply “dry forest ecosystem” training for management of the forest near Mount Adams in the Gifford Pinchot.
Fires in the Gifford Pinchot, especially this year, are less standard. According to Kovarik, there have already been 10 wildfires in the forest this summer, the first and largest of which was the Iron Creek Campground fire. While fully contained, the fire is still not completely out, she said, and the campground will not be open for some time.
While Kovarik began her role permanently in February, she was “acting supervisor” starting in September 2022, and was present for the several large wildfires which lasted well into the fall. This year’s 10 fires to date, she said, is above average.
“My sincere hope is that we’re not in that situation again this year,” she said. “But, I’m definitely concerned.”
The forest shares fire resources with Mount Rainier National Park, which she called a benefit for both agencies.
Learn more about the forest, which includes the Mount St. Helens National Monument, at https://www.fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot.
