WFPA - Washington Forest Protection Association

Looking at the Future of Washington Forests

Growing concern for Washington’s forestlands prompted the state legislature to authorize a major study called “The Future of Washington Forests.” The state Department of Natural Resources contracted with the University of Washington’s College of Forest Resources to prepare a comprehensive report assessing topics such as the competitiveness of Washington’s timber supply, conversion of forestlands to urban development, and forest health. The project also relied on the participation of stakeholders — including WFPA and many of its members — to produce a set of policy recommendations for the legislature. The results are now available in The Future of Washington Forests 2007 Report to the Legislature.

With its temperate climate, abundant precipitation, and fertile soils, Washington has some of the most productive forests in the world.

Washington's forests cover one-half of our land area, mostly west of the Cascade Mountain Range. The rest of the state has vast stretches of agricultural lands, sage desert, and many mountain peaks that reach above the timberline. Also, cities and towns across the state now thrive where forests once grew.

In each forest region, you'll find a unique variety of trees species, plants, and animals. Foresters study the local conditions and tailor their forestry programs to sustain and protect the native species in each forest region.

About two-thirds of Washington's forestland is publicly owned, while the remaining one-third is privately owned. This balance of ownership makes it easier for forests to fulfill many economic, social, and environmental needs.

In our national forests, parks, and wildlife refuges, forests continue to flourish as they have for centuries. In our working forests, trees are grown, harvested, and replanted in a continuing cycle to provide us with forest products we use every day.

Washington Forestland Ownership
Washington's total land area is 42.5 million acres. Half of this is forested. Nearly 36% of the forestland is privately owned, and 64% is managed by the government.
	Acres (000)	Acres (000)	Percent of Total
Washington Total Land Area		42,515	100%
Forestland		22,119	52%
Other Land (urban, cropland, etc.)		20,396	48%
Total Government Forestland		14,261	64%
Federal		9,538	43%
National Forest Service	5,485
National Forest Service Wilderness	2,569
National Forest Scenic & Recreation	165
National Parks	1,132
Department of Defense	60
Bureau of Land Management	69
US Fish & Wildlife, National Wildlife Refuges	58
State Trust Lands		2,683	12%
Native American		1,678	7%
County and Municipal		362	2%
Total Private Forestland		7,858	36%
Industrial Private Landowners*		4,614	21%
Non-Industrial Private Landowners**		3,244	15%
These terms are used as defined by the Pacific Northwest Research Station of the USDA Forest Service: * Industrial private 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. ** Nonindustrial private landowners include land that is privately owned and per owner is less than 10,000 acres of forestland. U.S. Forest Service, USFS Land Area Reports, as of September 30, 2006. (www.fs.fed.us)