Action is needed now to give Washington’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) a better way to protect older forests—while generating revenue from ecosystem services instead of destroying them.

Please click the “Start Writing” button to tell your legislators to support HB 2170 / SB 5999. It takes just two minutes, but it can make a real difference.

This legislative session, Washington lawmakers are considering a bill that would give the DNR the legal authority to expand revenue generation from natural climate solutions and ecosystem services—such as carbon storage—rather than clearcut logging.

Today, the DNR generates much of its revenue through logging. In many cases, this means cutting down some of the rarest and oldest forests we have left to help fund a portion of school construction and essential rural services like libraries and fire districts. These services are important—but they should not depend on the destruction of irreplaceable forests.

In the midst of a climate and biodiversity crisis, continuing to clearcut older forests and watersheds is no longer justifiable. The DNR must also be empowered to manage state lands for their ecological and climate benefits. Ecosystem service markets offer a viable alternative. For example, by conserving older forests and selling carbon offsets, the DNR can avoid the massive greenhouse gas emissions caused by logging while allowing forests to continue sequestering carbon over time.

As the steward of nearly 6 million acres of state land, the DNR is uniquely positioned to lead. Protecting these lands can increase carbon storage while also delivering critical public benefits, including improved forest health, cleaner air and water, healthier salmon habitat, flood control, stormwater management, and disaster mitigation.

At a time when the Trump Administration is working to sell public forests to the highest bidder and roll back protections for endangered species, Washington State has an opportunity to lead the way in climate-smart land management. We can protect our public lands while still meeting public needs.

Action is needed now. Please click the “Start Writing” button to urge your legislators to support HB 2170 / SB 5999 and give the DNR the tools it needs to protect older forests for generations to come.

Thank you for taking this important action to protect Washington’s forests.

Note: this is only being sent to Democrats.