Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Announces 6-Month Pause on Timber Harvesting in Mature Forest Complexes

New Washington Commissioner of Public Lands, Dave Upthegrove, has announced a six-month pause on Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) timber harvests in certain structurally mature forest complexes.

During this pause, DNR will deploy innovative technology to better identify and map the characteristics of the forests the agency manages to effectively meet its Policy for Sustainable Forests of conserving 10–15% of structurally complex forests.

“Forests define Washington—they are vital to our habitats, to our communities, and our economy,” said Upthegrove. “I want to ensure that our forests will continue to work sustainably for the people of Washington for generations to come. This timeout will help us make that a reality.”

Over the next six months, DNR experts will develop the necessary criteria to protect these older forests while ensuring a sustained level of harvests that will produce the timber needed to build homes, hospitals, and schools.