(The Center Square) – Facing budget strains, loggers, elected officials and environmentalists rebuked Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove on Wednesday over his plan to fulfill a campaign promise.
Over 52% of voters elected Upthegrove last November after he pledged to reexamine how Washington approaches sustainable logging and the resulting revenue. Within days of assuming office, he announced a six-month pause on old-growth forests, and last week, he tried to make that somewhat permanent.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources announced on August 26 that it plans to save 77,000 acres of “structurally complex forest,” while reopening 29,000 acres for harvest. DNR claimed that much was enough to meet its financial obligations, but several stakeholders are raising concerns.
The Legislature has a 5% excise tax on timber, with 4% directed to the county of origin, and the rest going to the state general fund. The state portion primarily funds public education, social services and government operations, all of which could face budget challenges if things don’t go as DNR planned.
“DNR committed to consult with the counties on any decisions that would materially affect us … that commitment wasn’t honored in this case,” Court Stanely, a program consultant with the Washington State Association of Counties, testified. “Counties are the primary beneficiaries of these working trust lands, and to be excluded from such a significant decision is eroding our ability to maintain trust.”
Public school officials, logging outfits and conservationists all weighed in on Upthegrove’s plan during the monthly meeting. While some environmental advocates expressed support and praised the recent decision, others remained skeptical, arguing that 77,000 acres isn’t enough and criticized DNR’s mapping.
“We deserve more than symbolic gestures — we deserve honesty,” said Sarah Gardman, who testified personally as a Whatcom County resident. “We deserve real protection for the forests that protect us.”
A press release says the directive will bolster habitat restoration efforts while supporting “innovative ways to generate revenue for schools and local governments.” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal backed DNR up, too, having expressed support for progressive taxes in the past.
State lawmakers balanced a multi-billion-dollar deficit this year, with education accounting for a large portion of the shortfall. Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the largest tax increase in state history to make it happen, forcing families to tighten their belts while opposing other proposals that may return in 2026.
Ronda Litzenberger, president of the Eatonville School Board, said her voters recently passed a bond to fund new construction, but the district was relying on timber revenue to cover the interest. State law prohibits Eatonville from using local tax revenue for interest so the timber sales were vital.
“We’d already signed financing documents just weeks before the timber sale was paused,” she said.
DNR plans to fill any revenue gaps by selling carbon credits, a controversial program that raises costs at the gas pump and store for families, and acquiring land to replace the 77,000 acres while “seeking increased value from timber sales by promoting mass timber markets,” according to a press release.
Matt Leise, log procurement manager at Sierra Pacific Industries, said the school district that his child attends also has $580,000 to $870,000 tied up due to paused lumber sales.
He and others said the order is affecting communities statewide with impacts on industries outside of logging and education.
“This program does more than just directly generate critical revenue for schools, counties and local communities,” said Collin Emmerson, whose family owns Sierra Pacific Industries. “It supports jobs, health care access and economically healthy rural communities while supporting the health of the forest landscape.”
