WA state to make largest public land purchase in a decade: 9,000 acres for $55 million
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is set to purchase more than 9,000 acres of forestland in Wahkiakum County near the mouth of the Columbia River in southwest Washington.
The transaction, which is expected to be finalized in mid-December 2023, will cost the taxpayers about $55 million. It’s the largest land purchase by the DNR in over a decade.
“This is a transformational opportunity for Washington state to add to our public lands and keep working forests working,” Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands, stated in a news release.
The purchase is being funded through the Real Property Replacement Account — an account created by the state treasury for acquiring land — and the Climate Commitment Act, funding provided by the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The land, located on the southern end of the Elochoman State Forest, will be used to generate revenue for the department through commercial timber production and harvesting. The department also plans to preserve the land for public services, provide wildlife habitats and protect water quality.
Logging of 941 acres will go toward the Common School Trust, a program that supports construction projects for Washington’s K-12 schools and universities. The other 8,174 acres will go toward the DNR and additional trust funds, which are yet to be decided.
The land being purchased has a wide age range of trees, according to the DNR, from recently harvested and replanted trees to those that are old enough to be immediately harvested.
“We are extremely pleased to support DNR’s purchase of timberland in Wahkiakum County,” Wahkiakum County Commissioner Lee Tischer stated in the news release. “With this purchase, this land will remain in timber production in perpetuity, and our county’s residents, schools, and fire districts will benefit financially for generations to come.”
This isn’t the first purchase of forestland in southwestern Washington the DNR has made recently. The department has been active in recent years in obtaining land for logging, including:
Another 640 acres in Clark County
Another 266 acres in Wahkiakum County
“Most counties in our state are rural, and keeping our forestlands intact and in production supports rural jobs and communities,” stated Eric Johnson, the Washington State Association of Counties executive director.
“These lands will also provide additional environmental benefits for all Washington residents,” Johnson said. “This is a great example of an outcome where we don’t have to choose between environmental or economic benefits. In this case, we get both.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
