2005 Washington Revised Code RCW 79.15.540: Intent — Contract harvesting — State trust forest land with identified forest health deficiencies. (Expires December 31, 2007.)

(1) The legislature intends to ensure, to the extent feasible given all applicable trust responsibilities, that trust beneficiaries receive long-term income from timber lands through improved forest conditions and by reducing the threat of forest fire to state trust forest lands.

     (2) In order to implement the intent of subsection (1) of this section, the department may initiate contract harvesting timber sales, or other silvicultural treatments when appropriate, in specific areas of state trust forest land where the department has identified forest health deficiencies as enumerated in RCW 76.06.140. All harvesting or silvicultural treatments applied under this section must be tailored to improve the health of the specific stand, must be consistent with any applicable state forest plans and other management agreements, and must comply with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations regarding the harvest of timber by the department of natural resources.

     (3) In utilizing contract harvesting to address forest health issues as outlined in this section, the department shall give priority to silvicultural treatments that assist the department in meeting forest health strategies included in any management or landscape plans that exist for state forests.

[2004 c 218 § 5.]

Intent -- Expiration date--2004 c 218 §§ 5-8: "Sections 5 through 8 of this act are intended to provide interim tools to the department of natural resources to address forest health issues on state land prior to the completion of the assignment given to the work group in section 4 of this act. As such, sections 5 through 8 of this act expire December 31, 2007." [2004 c 218 § 10.]      Effective date -- 2004 c 218: See note following RCW 76.06.140.