Chris Reykdal

In his role on the state’s Natural Resources Board, the state’s schools chief Chris Reykdal has in recent years voted against some timber harvests with older trees. …Each month, they generally approve of the agency’s choices for logging, which follow board policy. Reykdal, though, has been protesting stands where trees near 100 years old are on the chopping block. The state’s elected superintendent of public instruction is neither a trained forester, ecologist, nor any kind of timber management expert. …Upward of 20 DNR staff are involved before the Board of Natural Resources sees the results of that work. …For that reason, Dan Brown, a fellow board member and dean of the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, called out Reykdal’s sale-by-sale approach as “reckless” at a January public meeting. …Leave science to the scientists, Commissioner Reykdal. [to access the full story a Seattle Times subscription is required]