Nevada City, California, April 3, 2025 – Sierra Business Council, in partnership with Sierra Commons, is hosting a free two-day forest business workshop on April 26-27 at the Bodhi Hive in Nevada City. This training is designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs launch and grow successful forest-based businesses, equipping them with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate this expanding industry.
The Intro to Forest Entrepreneurship Bootcamp is designed for those who are interested in starting or expanding a business in:
- forest thinning and management
- defensible space
- prescribed fire application
- small mass timber product manufacturing
- small diameter timber utilization
- biofuel
- bioenergy
- home hardening
- plant restoration
- other non-timber-related businesses and/or forestry logistics.
Expert Guidance & Networking Opportunities
Industry experts in forestry, business, marketing and finance, startups, emergency services and more will share their knowledge and experience. New this year: a Friday night social to kick off the event and give participants an opportunity to network with like-minded entrepreneurs.
Last year’s trainings, which happened in Nevada City, Mammoth, Sonora, Auburn, and in a virtual session, had a significant impact on participants. Stephanie Williams, a graduate of the program, will use what she learned to help build a 5-megawatt biomass-to-energy power plant in our region. “Now that the plant will be built, I get to focus my time on the tools and resources afforded me through the Forest Entrepreneur Training to build out our business campus,” said Williams. Connections made among other past participants in complementary forest businesses have led to innovative collaborations.
About the Forest Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
Robert X Trent, the founder of Nevada City’s nonprofit business incubator, Sierra Commons and an experienced business consultant, will co-facilitate the training with forestry industry expert Ruby Beauchamp, who runs a successful reforestation tree climbing business.
“This is an exciting time for forest entrepreneurship,” said Trent. “The industry is growing rapidly, with opportunities that support both economic and environmental resilience. This training provides everything an entrepreneur needs to know to start or expand a forest business.”
Tim Van Wagner of First Rain Land Stewardship Services, a private business that brings land back into balance through the use of prescribed burning, mechanical forest thinning, and targeted grazing with livestock, will also teach at the Nevada City event. Van Wagner is a state-certified prescribed-fire burn boss with a focus on restoring forest health and creating fire-resilient landscapes. “Fire is a natural part of this place and humans have used fire as a tool to improve land for thousands of years. Our team of experienced practitioners apply fire safely and artfully to the land to achieve fuels reduction and ecological objectives,” said Van Wagner.
In addition to learning the basic foundations of a good forest business in the bootcamp, students will also have access to an accountability group and one-to-one advising at no cost through the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
The curriculum is designed to provide:
- Technical training to launch a broad range of forest and wood-based businesses
- Business development strategies, including pricing, cash flow management, insurance, marketing, and navigating government contracts and permits
- Guidance for transforming businesses from individual ownership to cooperative businesses that support economic justice
- Opportunities to showcase emerging business opportunities in wood product development and outdoor recreation that have co-benefits of wildfire reduction and economic development
- A nexus to existing markets and identified needs such as forest thinning and management, application of prescribed fire, small mass timber product manufacturing, small diameter timber utilization, biofuels manufacture, logistics and support
This program is administered by Sierra Business Council, and funded by a Good Jobs Challenge EDA-funded grant through the Foundation for California Community Colleges to conduct forestry and fire mitigation training programs in the Sierra Nevada region of Northeastern California.
Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
Learn more and register on the Sierra Commons website.
Sierra Business Council is a Sierra-based nonprofit organization with a mission to catalyze and demonstrate innovative approaches and solutions to increase community vitality, economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social fairness in the Sierra Nevada. www.sierrabusiness.org
Sierra Commons empowers rural entrepreneurs by offering heart-forward business education, resources, and community. www.sierracommons.org
