Washington Conserves 77,000 Acres Older State Forests

Washington's Department of Natural Resources, led by Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, has announced the conservation of 77,000 acres of structurally complex, older forests, marking the largest forest conservation effort in a generation. These forests, known as legacy forests, are biologically diverse and naturally resistant to wildfires but are not old enough to qualify as old-growth. Upthegrove's plan keeps 29,000 acres available for timber harvest, allowing most paused timber sales to proceed, though it has drawn criticism from both timber industry groups and some conservation activists. The Department aims to manage the conserved lands innovatively, including exploring carbon credit markets to offset potential losses in timber revenue that support schools and local communities. Environmental advocates largely support the move as a necessary step to protect dwindling older forests, while the timber industry warns that removing these lands from harvest could impact jobs and mills. The Legacy Forest Defense Coalition criticized the plan as insufficient, viewing it as a continuation of the status quo despite its conservation framing.