21st Century Forestry Manages Complexity
Our private forests produce a continuous supply of trees
for the wood, paper, and pulp-based products we use daily.
WFPA is a membership organization of private forest landowners committed to advancing sustainable forestry in Washington State to provide forest products and environmental benefits for the public. A simple definition of “forestry” is the practical application of scientific, economic and social principles to the use and care of a forest. Look deeper into the meaning of this definition, however, and you will find that the realities of working forests in the 21st century are more complex.
Today foresters must manage to ensure productivity, regeneration capacity, biodiversity, habitat for animals and fish, and on occasion, aesthetics. It is a challenging role, and one that WFPA member companies embrace. Why? Because it is a job that allows us to pursue our passion for working in the forest while providing a vast array of products from a renewable resource.
Washington’s Working Forests
Of the 22 million acres of forestland in the state of Washington, more than 4 million acres are privately owned and managed by the member companies of the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA). These private forests are described as “working forests” because they produce a continuous supply of trees for the many wood, paper, and pulp-based products we use daily. Responsibly managed working forests provide benefit to the public and for the environment with a sustainable supply of wood products, jobs for rural communities, wildlife habitat, as well as clean air and water.
WFPA Plays a Leadership Role in Developing Forest Practices
WFPA members are private forest landowners who practice sustainable forestry. We are a clearinghouse for the latest information on the science of forestry. Member companies participate on committees to share and develop forest practices that meet the demands of today’s complex forestry environment. The results of these efforts can be seen in highly productive forests that also preserve habitat for animals and fish, and provide the green spaces we all enjoy.