FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Aug. 11, 2017 Contact: Cindy Mitchell, 360-791-9372 OLYMPIA – A newly released report from the state Department of Natural Resources shows that Washington’s forest landowners are approaching 100 percent compliance with the state’s forest practices rules. The 2014-5 Compliance Monitoring Program report shows that in the most recent time period studied by DNR (2014-15), the state’s forest … Read More
Forest owners are expanding forests to meet demand
A new report shows that as demand for forest products increases, the amount of forest inventory available goes up, which then leads to more forestland to store carbon and improve the environment. The report by Forest2Market (full report here) called “Historical Perspective on the Relationship between Demand and Forest Productivity in the US South,” analyzes U.S. Forest Service data in Southern … Read More
CLT is taking off in the Pacific Northwest
A story in the Seattle Times this week explores the benefits of cross-laminated timber (CLT) as a renewable and affordable building material, and how CLT is starting to take off in the Northwest. CLT is a contrast to traditional building materials like steel, concrete and plastic, which are major contributors to toxic greenhouse gases. “There’s a need to reinvent construction so that … Read More
Washington wood is a green building material
A new article in the Seattle Times highlights the environmental benefits of Washington’s working forests and the use of wood as a building material. Grown by the sun and nature, wood has a lower carbon footprint than other building materials such as concrete and steel. By using less energy-intensive materials, we can lower our carbon emissions and help address threats … Read More
‘More Than A Forest’ launches to promote sustainable WA forestry
A new website, More Than A Forest, shows how Washington’s working forests benefit both the economy and the environment. The site includes profiles of forestry industry professionals, and videos with forestry leaders talking about how the state’s working forests protect 60,000 miles of streams, produce renewable cross-laminated timber and lead to the planting of 52 million trees a year. Jake … Read More
CLT projects come to Tacoma and Spokane
It’s an exciting time for cross-laminated timber in Washington. There are the 20 state-funded classrooms being built with CLT in the Sequim, Seattle, Mount Vernon, Wapato and Toppenish public school districts. Then there is the new mass timber manufacturing company from Vaagen Brothers in Colville called Vaagen Timbers, which will be the first CLT manufacturer in Washington. Now comes word … Read More
Congress again takes up federal timber reform
We last wrote about the prospect of federal timber reform in December of last year, when Congress was focused on ending the practice of “fire borrowing,” which is when the U.S. Forest Service raids its own budget to fight massive wildfires. Just this month, the Vancouver Columbian editorialized in favor of the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, a bill that would … Read More
Spokane Spokesman-Review profiles Duane Vaagen
The Spokane Spokesman Review has a great feature story this week on Duane Vaagen and his family business Vaagen Brothers Lumber. The company in Colville in Northeast Washington has roots going back to the 1930s, with the company formally starting in the 1950s. The Vaagen family is not just a leading timber company, but is a leader in the timber issues of the day. For instance, … Read More
New Wash. lands commissioner reaches out to rural communities
Newly elected Washington Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz just announced the Rural Communities Partnership Initiative, a new program that will partner the Department of Natural Resources with rural communities on development projects. The initiative focuses on stimulating local economies in sustainable, clean ways. From innovative farming methods to forest restoration to recreation to clean energy, no prospective project is too … Read More
Central Washington forest collaborative is thriving
It’s always good to see a spirit of collaboration in the forest. The Yakima Herald-Republic this week wrote about a new project from the Tapash Sustainable Forest Collaborative, a partnership of the state Department of Natural Resources, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, the Yakama Nation and The Nature Conservancy. The Herald-Republic wrote a news … Read More