Big news from Washington State! Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has announced a monumental decision to conserve 77,000 acres of older forests. While environmentalists cheer, the timber industry raises concerns about economic impacts. Is this a win for nature or a blow to local economies? Dive into the full story!

In a significant move reshaping the future of public lands in Washington State, Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has announced the conservation of 77,000 acres of vital older forests. This decision, following an eight-month pause on logging sales, fulfills a key campaign promise and sets a new direction for the state’s natural resource management amidst ongoing debates about environmental preservation and economic stability.

These designated areas, termed “structurally complex forests” by the Department of Natural Resources and “legacy forests” by conservationists, are critical ecological assets. While not yet qualifying for old-growth protections, their advanced age contributes to rich biodiversity and provides natural resilience against the increasing threat of wildfires, making their protection paramount for ecological health.

Upthegrove’s comprehensive plan delineates specific actions: 77,000 acres are earmarked for permanent conservation, while 29,000 acres of these older forests will remain accessible for timber harvesting. This approach allows most of the two-dozen previously paused timber sales to proceed, reflecting a nuanced strategy that attempts to balance competing interests within Washington’s forest sector.

The announcement has garnered strong support from environmental advocacy groups, who have consistently argued for the urgent need to protect these dwindling tracts of older trees, particularly in western Washington. Organizations like Washington Conservation Action and Conservation Northwest lauded the order as a crucial step towards more sustainable, climate-smart forest management practices, highlighting the broader ecological benefits beyond timber value.

Conversely, the decision has met with firm opposition from the timber industry and its representative organizations. Groups such as the American Forest Resource Council contend that larger, older timber is essential for specific wood products, including power poles, and that removing lands from logging will inevitably lead to job losses and adverse impacts on local mills and the broader economy, dependent on forest sector activities.

Adding to the complexity, the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition, while supporting the overall conservation effort, expressed significant concern regarding the 29,000 acres still designated for logging. This includes tracts in sensitive areas like the Capitol State Forest and the Chehalis River Basin, lands the coalition has actively campaigned to keep intact, viewing their continued availability for harvest as a “continuation of the status quo under the guise of a conservation victory.”

Financially, the Department of Natural Resources asserts that the 29,000 acres available for sale will sufficiently meet its financial commitments to local governments for the next decade. Furthermore, the department plans to explore alternative revenue streams from the 77,000 conserved acres, including the potential sale of credits on emerging carbon markets, and intends to seek legislative authority for this new economic model in the upcoming session.

Industry representatives, including spokespeople from the American Forest Resource Council, voiced procedural concerns, suggesting Upthegrove’s actions bypassed the necessary public process and the Board of Natural Resources. They advocate for forest management decisions to be “steeped in science, not politics,” emphasizing the significant economic value of the conserved lands, estimated at $2.3 billion in logging value and $6 billion in economic activity.

Crucially, the recent pause on timber sales facilitated an accelerated inventory project, allowing Department of Natural Resources staff to comprehensively map and identify older and structurally complex forests. This foundational data, completed ahead of schedule, provides a “much more responsible starting place” for future discussions and policy decisions regarding Washington’s invaluable forest resources.