Legislature should save more forestland | Letter to the editor

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I feel proud of our state Legislature for earmarking $83 million in its recent budget, conserving 2,000 acres of structurally complex, carbon-dense older forests. This money will also go towards purchasing replacement lands with younger forests for sustainable harvesting to protect local timber industry. This policy is a win-win for both Washington’s forests and its vital timber jobs.

I encourage state lawmakers and agencies to listen to the wishes of both county and municipal governments in selecting the 2,000 acres for conservation; I also encourage them to review the other 6,000 acres of state-owned older forests slated for clear-cutting this year and next and to consider preserving those as well.

Forests in the Pacific Northwest store more carbon per acre than any other forest in the world. We need Washington’s best natural allies, our older forests, in combating climate change. These forests need to serve as our carbon workhorses to meet our state climate commitment goals!

Tammy Dziadek

PORT ANGELES