Thirty-seven percent of Washington’s forestland, about 7.8 million acres, is owned or managed by private landowners.
From Large Companies to the Single Tree Farmer
A little over one-third of Washington’s forests are privately owned, mostly by companies that grow trees for the continuous production of forest products. About 60% of our state’s private forestland, 4.6 million acres, can be classified as being managed by “industrial private forest landowners.” Industrial private forest landowners include land that is privately owned, which has a primary purpose of producing timber products for profit and per owner is 10,000 acres or more of forestland.
The other 40% of private ownership, about 3.2 million acres, consists of small family tree farmers and private individuals. Non-industrial private forest landowners include land that is privately owned and per owner is less than 10,000 acres of forestland. Many of these lands have been held by families for generations. Forest management goals vary from owner to owner. Some manage for income from timber harvesting, some manage for recreation, and some preserve wildlife habitat.
Through collaboration between our various levels of membership, innovative forest practices can be shared with all private foresters across the state of Washington.