DNR Forest Legacy Program reaches 200,000 acre milestone in conserving threatened private forests

News Date:

January 13, 2025

Read ContentStop

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently reached a milestone of protecting more than 200,000 acres of private forests threatened by development through the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program.

Over the last year, DNR almost doubled the acres conserved since 1993 when DNR began participating. Washington secured $99,335,000 in funding from the U.S. Forest Service through the Inflation Reduction Act in 2024.

"Washington has continued to be a leader in securing funding from the Forest Legacy program, protecting thousands of acres of privately owned forests that could have easily been turned into strip malls and housing developments," said Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands for Washington State. "With increasing population growth putting pressure on our forestlands, this program is critical to helping private landowners keep their lands in forestry, ensuring local jobs and wood products, providing public access and recreation, and protecting environmental benefits from clean air and water to critical fish and wildlife habitat."

Forest Legacy is a federal grant program designed to protect working forests under threat of conversion to non-forest uses, most commonly for commercial or residential development. The program is administered by the USDA Forest Service, and in Washington is carried out by DNR.

Through the leadership of Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, the Inflation Reduction Act provided a historic investment of $700 million over ten years to permanently conserve sate and privately owned forestlands through the Forest Legacy Program.

Washington State has lost over 400,000 acres of forestland to development over the last two decades and is slated to lose another 600,000 acres in the next two decades, making the importance of this accomplishment even more critical.

The milestone was achieved through public-private partnership using federal and leveraged funds of over $200 million through the Forest Legacy Program. The Legacy program leverages the federal investment of more than 50 percent of project costs. DNR worked with private landowners during the past few years, creating numerous forest legacy success stories throughout the state.

One of these legacy success stories is the Stimson Timberland Legacy Project which will conserve 87,754 acres of working forestland across Pend Oreille, Stevens, and Spokane counties. This project is a first of its kind as it is part of a three state 193,000-acre landscape strategy that presents a rare opportunity to purchase a conversation easement of exceptional size, while allowing Stimson to continue responsible forest management that sustains mills critical to the region. This conservation easement will help sustain critical forestry jobs, reduce wildfire risks, and protect at-risk wildlife habitats. In addition, public access to these lands will continue, enhancing Washington's outdoor recreation economy and supporting the local forest-based industries vital to Washington's rural communities and natural resource economy.

Mount Adams is one of the fastest growing areas of our state, with increasing development pressures on working forestlands. The recent funding is phase three of forest legacy funding, protecting 29,778 acres of productive and connected forestland and completing the nearly 48,000 acres Mt. Adams Forest project. The conservation easement will hold together a forested landscape with over 40 miles of adjacency to federal, state, and Tribal lands located between the Wild and Scenic White Salmon and Klickitat Rivers. It supports a thriving forestry workforce, feeds three local mills, and secures public recreation access. The project also protects 105 miles of streams including the City of White Salmon's future drinking water source and safeguards critical habitat for federally and state-listed species and culturally important game species.

The Forest Legacy Program funding was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which has provided unprecedented support for forest conservation and management nationwide.

Additional recent Washington Forest Legacy projects include:

Kitsap County, WA

North Kitsap Community Forest

The North Kitsap Community Forest Project will secure 452 acres on the Kitsap Peninsula, a vital corridor for regional wildlife and ecosystem resilience. Located among a matrix of close to 9,000 acres of Tribal forestlands, county parks, and other conserved areas, this project ensures the protection of one of the last undeveloped forest tracts in the area. Besides preserving essential wildlife habitats, this initiative will sustain forest-sector jobs and encourage tourism, bringing both economic and ecological benefits to local communities.

The Green Mountain West

This project will permanently conserve 360 acres of productive working forestland and important salmon habitat adjacent to federal, state, and local forestland in Kitsap County, Washington. Benefits to the local economy are substantial, providing sustainable forest sector employment and securing year-round access for the 80,000-100,000 visitors annually who currently use the property.

Kittitas County, WA

Cle Elum Ridge Large Landscape

This 9,700-acre project is the culmination of 20 years of conservation to expand the adjacent Teanaway Community Forest, connecting the last piece in a corridor of protected lands. Once acquired, the property will be managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources under a community-backed Forest Management Plan for enhancing water supply, expanding recreation, maintaining forestry, and conserving habitat.

Whatcom County, WA

Koblitz Red Mountain

This conservation easement will protect 240 acres of working forestland. The Red Mountain Forest is one of two easement acquisition tracts on Red Mountain that will provide a buffer from development pressure while connecting the two properties through a 3,700-acre block of WA DNR managed land. Protecting this working forest will produce a wide range of ecological and watershed benefits, while benefiting the local community.

Maple Falls Forest

This conservation easement on the Maple Falls Forest will permanently protect 280 acres of working forestlands. The forest is actively managed by Janicki Logging Co. and is adjacent to 3,700 acres of WA Department of Natural Resources managed land. By protecting these working lands, the project will support local jobs, including 3 local mills that employ hundreds of workers, and protect water quality in a critical reach of the Nooksack watershed. The project will secure permanent public recreational access to a cherished part of the Baker Foothills, supporting Whatcom County's $705M recreation economy.

###

MEDIA CONTACT

Joe Smillie

Communications Manager

Cell: 360-688-3392

[email protected]