A Message from Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands

Department of Natural Resources takes action to protect health and resilience of forests

information released by DNR, file photo

Friends: I’m committed to giving back to nature what it provides for us.

Washington forests work every day on our behalf, cleaning our air and water, as well as providing fish and wildlife habitat, critical jobs for rural Washington, and the wood we need for our homes, hospitals, and schools. They are key for accelerating our transition to a sustainable environment, a renewable economy, and a just society.

We must stop fighting over our forests and come together to start fighting for our forests. 

And that’s exactly what we’re doing here at DNR. We know that fully recognizing the value of our natural spaces means fully investing in them.

My team has taken unprecedented action to protect the health and resilience of our forests. Read more below to see how we’ve committed to sustaining our lands and communities in the face of worsening threats.

LAUNCHING FIRST-IN-THE-NATION CARBON PROJECT, PROTECTING FORESTS, AND CREATING OVER A MILLION CARBON OFFSET CREDITS

Last month, I announced that I am moving 10,000 acres of Western Washington’s most ecologically valuable forests into conservation status to store carbon and generate revenue for schools, colleges, and critical local services. This initiative is a first-in-the-nation use of carbon markets by a state agency to protect critical forest areas by immediately removing stands from the planned harvest schedule. 

• Learn more about this milestone carbon and forest conservation project.
• Read my op-ed with Jad Daley of American Forests on how we can use forests to fight climate change.

PREPARING FORESTS AND COMMUNITIES FOR WILDFIRE

As spring turns to summer, we are already on the eve of fire season. But my team knows that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of suppression; we’ve been working year-round to ensure that our firefighting teams and local communities have the peoplepower, resources, and training that they need to prevent and fight wildfires.

We’ve just launched the second year of Wildfire Ready Neighbors. The program — a collaboration between communities, local partners, and DNR — takes a localized approach to develop proactive plans for wildfire protection.

Last year, 2,200 Washington residents signed up for Wildfire Ready Neighbors, exceeding program goals by 22%. Now we’re building off that success by expanding to new counties. So far, we’ve kicked off the program in Chelan, Spokane, and Yakima counties. Renters, homeowners, and private landowners in those three counties — even if they do not live on their property full time — are eligible to participate.

To join Wildfire Ready Neighbors and get a free customized plan, sign up at WildfireReady.com. Or, share the program with friends and family.

We’re equipping our forests, too: After 18 years, we’ve resumed prescribed fires on DNR lands to reduce wildfire fuels on the ground, restore natural, fire-resilient habitats, and support healthy conditions for trees and wildlife.

• Listen to my discussion with KUOW about why we’re bringing back prescribed fire in Washington state.
• Learn more about what we’re doing to help trees survive wildfire.

With gratitude,
Hilary