Lynn and Becky Miner’s story is one of vision, perseverance, and transformation. When they first purchased their 100-acre property near Chewelah, Washington in 1992, it was far from the thriving, diverse forest it is today. It was an overgrazed, high-graded, weed-choked tract with abandoned equipment and poor forest health.  They still saw an opportunity for their dream of forest land—and for more than 30 years, they have poured their energy into turning “Casa Becca del Norte” (Becky’s House in the North) into a model Tree Farm, earning the recognition as 2025’s Outstanding Tree Farmers of the western region. 

One example of that care was their very first harvest in 2003, which they chose to carry out with horses. The work was slower and more costly than mechanized logging, but it left the land virtually untouched, with little soil disturbance and healthy trees left to grow. It set the tone for their stewardship philosophy—valuing forest health and aesthetics over short-term gains. 

The results are undeniable. Once nearly devoid of wildlife, the property now hosts moose, elk, bear, cougar, and more than 70 bird species. Becky’s passion for ornithology is evident in the 700 nest boxes installed across the farm, as well as her decades of data collection with Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology. She also teaches bird identification classes and leads workshops on avian habitat, sharing her love of birds with both youth and adults. A half-mile “bluebird trail” has fledged hundreds of birds, and each year great horned owls return to raise their young. 

Education and outreach are woven into everything the Miners do. They have hosted statewide forestry field days, wildlife seminars, nest-box workshops, and prescribed fire training events (TREX), making their farm a true outdoor classroom. Lynn’s background as an engineer and volunteer firefighter has led him to develop wolf-deterrent systems now used across the West, while Becky inspires others through hands-on teaching about birds and forest ecosystems. Their heated classroom and shop on the farm now serve as a hub for student and landowner workshops year-round. 

The Miners’ vision extends beyond their own tenure. Their succession plan will donate the entire property—including buildings—to Washington State University, ensuring it becomes a permanent research and teaching forest. There, future students will study forestry, fire, wildlife, and conservation in a living laboratory. 

From restoring forest health to mentoring other landowners, from fighting fire to fostering birds, Lynn and Becky Miner are shining examples of what it means to be Tree Farmers. Their legacy will endure in the thriving forests of northeast Washington and in the generations of students and landowners they have inspired along the way.