Dave Upthegrove

Washington Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove defended his decision to pause some timber sales and said he will seek 2026 legislation to diversify revenue from state trust lands, arguing the state can “do more for climate and habitat while providing stability.” In an interview on TVW’s “Inside Olympia,” Upthegrove told host Austin Jenkins that his halt on harvesting in older, “structurally complex forests” — those that have some but not all the characteristics of “old-growth”— began as a six-month hold for restoration and protection. It was intended to refresh inventory data and gather input from tribes, industry, school districts and counties. …He disputed claims of widespread economic harm, noting 70% of Washington’s wood supply comes from private lands and more than 90% of Department of Natural Resources timberlands are unaffected. He said ecological thinning, acquiring replacement timberlands and entering carbon-credit and other environmental markets could support rural economies.