Whatcom County has embraced climate resilience as a goal and recognizes that mature forest protection is one of the best ways to preserve what we already have in these natural systems. Updating the funding mechanism to better address the near-term needs of local beneficiaries like Mount Baker School District would alleviate tensions that can arise when communities are asked to choose between better near-term revenue for schools and the myriad benefits of conserving mature forests. A $2 billion public education package is up for consideration. This funding package would move K–12 public schools toward being fully funded, taking pressure off of the Department of Natural Resources to provide timber revenues to fill gaps in school operating budgets (a use for which common school funds were never intended).