The 2023 State of our Forests and Public Lands report is out now!
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John,
“The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres declared in a news briefing, as scientists confirmed that July was Earth’s hottest month on record.
At Washington Conservation Action, we know there is still time to act in this moment! The science tells us we need healthy public lands and forests to mitigate the devastating impacts of the climate crisis to protect our communities and families — especially the most vulnerable Washingtonians.
The Commissioner of Public Lands and the Department of Natural Resources showed leadership and progress in some areas that address this moment:
In aquatic lands, such as shorelines and the beds of navigable waters, DNR has led the cleanup of derelict vessels.
The Trust Land Transfer program was updated and funded this year, strengthening a tool for protecting ecologically important lands.
DNR secured funds to expand the state’s important Webster Nursery, which grows trees for replanting after harvest and wildfire.
DNR is making progress on wildfire and forest health work.
However, DNR has fallen short of the leadership and collaboration needed to manage our forests for all the people of the state. The agency’s failure to challenge special interests, namely timber industry associations, means the public interest has been overlooked and undervalued.
This pattern has been particularly striking this year with regard to state trust lands, forest practices, and mitigating climate change. It has shown up in many ways:
The lack of response to the historic 2022 CNW v. Franz decision, which confirmed DNR’s power to manage public lands for many benefits rather than just timber revenue.
The failure to advance its own proposed carbon offset project that would protect 10,000 acres of ecologically important forestland for its carbon value.
The missed opportunity to include climate change in its management of state trust lands.
The absence of statewide strategy to support carbon sequestration in natural and working lands.
The failure to heed the call to protect the remaining mature, carbon dense, mature forests on state lands.
As the threat of climate change looms, DNR is at a crossroads. The agency has significant opportunities to collaborate with communities and partners to achieve better outcomes for our state. Washingtonians expect more from the state’s management of forests and public lands — our forests, salmon, people and all of our futures depend on it.
Since 2015, WCA (formerly Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters) has published the annual State of our Forests and Public Lands Report, which assesses progress made by Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The Commissioner is the only statewide elected office that works almost exclusively with our natural resources, and their actions are critical to the health of Washington’s ecosystems and people.
