State Forest Lands Management Advocacy
The TCMC Executive Committee approved State Forest Lands Management Advocacy as an additional 2024 regional initiative to be advanced “via Executive Committee Advocacy with minimal Staff Team involvement.” This action was identified in the TCMC’s 2023 Carbon Sequestration White Paper as a high-impact action for carbon sequestration with potential to affect large areas of rural forest at a relatively low cost. This initiative builds on ongoing advocacy by the Board of County Commissioners and other TCMC stakeholders.
Specifically, the Executive Committee agreed to advocate for the following goals:
- Legacy forest protection and funding sources
- DNR enrolling more land in its carbon project
Thurston County Healthy Forests Project
In addition to state-level advocacy, the Executive Committee may engage as advocates for rural forest protection at the county level. Thurston County is now implementing the “Healthy Forests Project” which consists of an update to the forest conversion ordinance, a countywide tree canopy assessment, and updates to rural and urban tree standards.
The next step is to analyze data from the tree canopy assessment to set targets for tree canopy at the regional level. Established targets will be integrated into County’s Comprehensive Plan Update with goals and policies to guide future programmatic actions to enhance tree protection.
Learn more at www.ThurstonForests.org
Washington Conservation Action Briefing
At the January 8, 2024 TCMC Executive Committee meeting, representatives from Washington Conservation Action provided updates on statewide progress on protecting structurally complex, carbon dense forests, and potential next steps for Thurston County.
TCMC Letter to Board of Natural Resources
On January 10, 2024, the TCMC Executive Committee signed and sent a letter to the state Board of Natural Resources requesting a pause on Thurston County timber sales containing mature, structurally complex forests.