Jacob Vail

I work for a local forest products company and in this line of work, it can feel like we live and breathe forest policy. …Unfortunately, major changes to forest policy have recently been proposed without adequate analysis or justification. The state Forest Practices Board is currently grappling with an ongoing debate surrounding the regulation of non-fish perennial streams, essentially streams without fish that flow year-round. The Washington Department of Ecology is proposing a new rule that would create additional tree buffers on these streams, taking another 200,000 acres of private forestland out of timber production. If passed, this rule would reduce harvests on private lands by 4–8%. …Washington’s private forestlands are already sustaining salmon habitat and clean water, and there’s no evidence current temperatures are harming fish or that the new rule will improve fish recovery. The Forest Practices Board should restart the adaptive management process to determine the best path forward.