The Department of Natural Resources announced a six-month pause on timber harvest from some mature forests on Friday.
Limiting timber sales from such forests, also known as legacy forests, was a central campaign promise of the new Commissioner of Public Lands, Dave Upthegrove. Legacy forests are mature forests that have naturally regrown after logging activity or other disturbances, such as fire or landslides.
During the pause, DNR plans to identify and map the characteristics of the forests the agency manages in order to comply with its policy to conserve 10% to 15% of structurally complex forests.
A key function of the DNR is to sell timber from public lands to generate revenue for rural communities to cover things such as education.
Environmental groups have expressed concern about harvesting from legacy forests, stating that they are essential in storing carbon and maintaining the area's biodiversity. Removing trees from such forests would negatively impact species and plants in the area. Advocacy groups have urged the DNR to implement more regulations regarding timber harvests on public lands.
“Forests define Washington — they are vital to our habitats, to our communities, and our economy,” Upthegrove said. “I want to ensure that our forests will continue to work sustainably for the people of Washington for generations to come. The timeout will help us make that a reality.”
Once the criteria to exclude forests critical to carbon storage and habitat biodiversity is established, DNR said it will resume some of the paused sales.
