Washington State has a new law to improve forest health conditions, Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland announced today. In a late afternoon ceremony, Governor Gregoire signed Senate Bill 6141, passed by the 2007 Legislature following enthusiastic advocacy for passage of the bill by a broad range of stakeholders.
Commissioner Sutherland thanked those who participated in realizing the new law. "Today marks a turning point in the forest health crisis in Washington State, and many people deserve to be thanked for it. We owe our thanks to Governor Gregoire for her signature enacting the law today. We owe our thanks to the Legislature for their passage of it, especially due to the leadership of Senators Ken Jacobsen and Bob Morton who sponsored it. The Legislature has also provided $1.3 million in funding to make the new law viable," he said.
"We owe our thanks to the Forest Health Strategies Work Group for their recommendations which served as the basis for the bill and for their advocacy on its behalf, and our thanks to the group of environmental community members and forestland owners who collaborated on forging workable solutions. These stakeholders set aside their respective interests and agreed on a bill that would improve forest health conditions. Because of their hard work, this law will begin to address our state's forest health problem," he concluded.
"Healthy forests are important to both our environment and our economy. This bill gives us the tools to minimize losses from disease, infestation and fire, and encourages the development of a comprehensive forest health program," said Governor Gregoire. "Thank you to the Department of Natural Resources for their hard work on this bill."
Of Washington's 21 million acres of forestland, nearly 2 million acres contain elevated levels of dead and dying trees, defoliation, or disease. Most of these unhealthy forests are in Eastern Washington. Many of last year's wildfires occurred in these forests, burning over 410,000 acres at a cost of greater than $187 million for all state and federal jurisdictions.
The new forest health law updates outmoded laws and recognizes the severity of Washington's declining forest conditions. It directs DNR to develop a system for addressing this crisis in Eastern Washington. Required under the new law is a step-wise approach to achieving desirable forest health conditions that includes technical assistance to landowners. If warranted, it allows for a forest health hazard order to address severe, localized forest health emergencies.
The new law is available online.
The law is based on recommendations made by the Forest Health Strategy Work Group for reducing the risk of forest damage from insects, diseases, wind, and wildfire. Since 2004, the Work Group investigated and reported on opportunities and barriers for improving forest health conditions. They held eight public meetings statewide, published reports to the Legislature, and drafted legislation to solve this forest health crisis. They recommended new legal incentives and additional funding to reduce tree crowding and fuel loads on public and private forests. The Work Group agreed that well-managed forests are the first line of defense against insect and disease outbreaks and are the best way to prevent uncharacteristic wildfires.
The Forest Health Strategy Work Group's reports and findings are available online.
The new law is among the first to emerge from a new model for public policy development, created through The Future of Washington Forests, a distinctive collaboration between DNR and the University of Washington's College of Forest Resources. Documented in a 100-page report published last week by the Department of Natural Resources, the project included several components. First, university researchers conducted in-depth academic studies on a series of policy questions. Next, researchers presented their initial findings to a wide range of interested stakeholders. Finally, collaborative stakeholder discussions led to policy recommendations.
The report summarizes recommendations concerning forest health and five additional policy issues about protecting Washington's working forest land base. Among other recommendations concerning forest health, the report states, "Enact the recommendations of the Forest Health Strategy Work Group, including technical, informational, and regulatory measures."
The new law enacted today with Governor Gregoire's signature accomplishes that.
DNR, administered by Lands Commissioner Sutherland, manages more than 5.6 million acres of state-owned forest, agricultural, range, aquatic and urban lands. DNR also provides wildfire protection for 12.7 million acres of private and state-owned forest land; regulates forest practices and surface mine reclamation on state and private land; provides technical assistance for forestry and mining; and provides financial grant assistance to local communities.
Sutherland is the 12th Commissioner of Public Lands since statehood in 1889.Washington State News
