WFPA - Washington Forest Protection Association

The Forest Industry is a Part of the Climate Change Solution

Washington’s Forests Remove Greenhouse Gases from the Atmosphere

Science has demonstrated that forests provide environmental values, including removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that non-forested landscapes cannot. As a tree grows it takes in carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere and releases oxygen in the process of photosynthesis. This carbon is sequestered and stored, in the forest and in the wood products we use everyday. When we use wood products in our buildings, we avoid concrete and steel, products that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide in their manufacturing process.

Learn more from these fact sheets highlighting research result

Gov. Gregoire Signs a Bill That Reduces Emissions & Creates Green Jobs

On March 13, 2008, Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law, Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2815, which is the bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create green jobs in Washington. A part of the bill directs the State to develop recommendations to the Legislature regarding how the forest industry may voluntarily participate in an offset program in a regional cap and trade system or be provided other credits, while ensuring that the industry is not put at a competitive disadvantage in any system that is developed. The recommendations will address commercial working forests, forest products, including accounting for using wood in more applications that substitute for fossil-intensive products such as concrete and steel, lands set aside for conservation purposes, and reforestation projects. WFPA is participating in a working group that is assisting in the development of these recommendations headed by the Department of Ecology and the Department of Natural Resources.

Washington State is a Part of the Western Climate Initiative

The Western Climate Initiative (WCI) is a collaboration of western states and Canadian provinces that is identifying, evaluating and implementing collective and cooperative ways to reduce greenhouse gases in the region by 15 percent from 2005 levels by 2020, primarily through the development of a regional cap and trade system. WCI will be providing general design recommendations for the regional cap and trade system which will then need to be adopted by the governing bodies of the individual states and provinces. There are continuing opportunities for public comment within Washington as well as the WCI.