Click “Start Writing” to urge DNR to resolve the lawsuits against legacy forest timber sales.

Now that we have a new Commissioner of Public Lands running the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), we are seeing the kind of change that’s needed to protect our legacy forests!

Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has taken an exciting and bold step to protect Washington’s legacy forests by pausing timber sales containing structurally complex forests for six months. This critical pause gives DNR time to use newly created models to map and more accurately identify these forests, which will then allow the DNR to create a plan to meet its Policy for Sustainable Forests goal of conserving 10-15% of older forests.

While this action is promising, it does not address the timber sales containing structurally complex forests that were rushed through the approval process by Hilary Franz before Commissioner Upthegrove took office. The Legacy Forest Defense Coalition (LFDC), along with other organizations including CRF, has filed lawsuits against 32 sales because they violate DNR’s own policies and they threaten 2,328 acres of legacy forests across Western Washington.

These forests are irreplaceable, and their role in storing and sequestering carbon is a key tool in addressing climate change. Legacy forests support biodiversity, offer recreational opportunities, and enhance our communities' resilience to environmental challenges. We need your help to urge the new administration to favorably resolve the lawsuits challenging the 32 recently approved sales, which were approved in violation of DNR's own policies.  

What Can You Do?

We’ve made it quick and easy for you to take action:

1. Send a Prewritten Comment: Thank Commissioner Upthegrove for his initial “pause” decision and urge him to negotiate a favorable resolution for the 32 previously approved sales currently under litigation.
2. Spread the Word: Share this alert with your networks to amplify the call to action.
3. Donate to LFDC so that they can continue pursuing this important legal work.

Why this matters

1. Legacy forests are our best natural climate solution - they sequester and store carbon at extremely high rates: They play a critical role in carbon sequestration, storing large amounts of carbon in their biomass and soils, which helps mitigate climate change. Mature and old-growth forests continue to act as net carbon sinks even into their old age, meaning they continue to sequester and store more carbon than they emit.

2. Legacy forests are essential for water quantity, quality, watershed health, and salmon: These forests regulate water cycles and maintain water quality by acting as a filter, reducing the risk of floods and droughts by soaking up water for incremental release throughout the year. But if forests have been logged and replanted, the soil is compacted and degraded affecting the path of water. Low summer stream flows are a limiting factor to salmon recovery which cumulative logging can impact.

3. Legacy forests help protect against wildfires: Due to their stable ecosystems and diverse species, legacy forests are more resilient to environmental changes and disturbances compared to younger forests. Older forests burn at lower severities, and are more resistant to drought and uncharacteristic fire outbreaks. In fact, younger tree plantations are 30% more prone to severe wildfire than legacy forests.

4. Legacy forests are biodiversity hotspots, and protecting them helps protect threatened and endangered species: Coastal temperate rainforests are among the rarest and most carbon dense forest ecosystems on Earth. Legacy forests are home to a rich diversity of species, many of which are not found in younger forests. Endangered species like the Northern Spotted Owl and the Marbled Murrelet depend on old growth forests for survival. The biodiversity of these forests also includes fungi, insects, birds, mammals, and microorganisms. They provide invaluable opportunities for scientific research, helping us understand ecological processes, species interactions, and the impacts of climate change.

5. Legacy forests have cultural and historical value: Many legacy forests hold cultural and spiritual significance for indigenous and local communities. They also serve as living records of natural history.Logging these forests would result in the permanent loss of the ecological benefits. Pausing this logging, so that these forests can undergo the same careful review, can support the DNR to meet its Policy for Sustainable Forests’ goal of conserving 10-15% of older forests.

Background on Active Lawsuits

Here is the list of timber sales being appealed by LFDC:

Together, we can ensure Washington’s legacy forests remain standing for generations to come.