Headlines
Commissioner Upthegrove Calls “Timeout” on Harvesting Older State Forests
Six-month Pause will Develop Criteria for Conserving Older, Structurally Complex Forests
In his first action as Commissioner of Public Lands, newly-inaugurated Dave Upthegrove announced today an approximately six-month pause on Washington State Department of Natural... More...
Date: January 17, 2025
Upthegrove Inaugurated as Washington’s Commissioner of Public Lands
Washington’s 15th Lands Commissioner Makes History as State’s First Openly LGBTQ+ Executive
Dave Upthegrove was sworn in today as Washington’s 15th Commissioner of Public Lands, making history as the state’s first openly LGBTQ+ statewide executive.
“I... More...
Date: January 15, 2025
DNR Forest Legacy Program reaches 200,000 acre milestone in conserving threatened private forests
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently reached a milestone of protecting more than 200,000 acres of private forests threatened by development through the U.S. Forest Service Forest Legacy Program.
Over the last year, DNR almost doubled... More...
Date: January 13, 2025
Commissioner Franz Announces Another Agreement to Create Affordable Housing on Public Lands in King County
New partnership will provide affordable and workforce housing on 15 acres of state land in Maple Valley
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has signed a Land Use License with the Shyan Selah Foundation for 15 acres in Maple Valley. The... More...
Date: January 10, 2025
Traditional Names Restored to Mountain Peaks Near Wenatchee
Board of Natural Resources Votes to Remove Names of Problematic Army Officers, Restore Indigenous Titles
The state Board of Natural Resources has voted to restore traditional names to two mountain peaks near Wenatchee. The mountains in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of... More...
Date: January 10, 2025
Board of Natural Resources Ends Open Sea Net Pen Salmon Farms in Washington Waters
Washington’s public aquatic lands will no longer be home to commercial finfish net pen aquaculture. The Washington State Board of Natural Resources Tuesday adopted a rule to prohibit commercial finfish net pen aquaculture on state-owned aquatic lands managed by the Washington... More...
Date: January 9, 2025
Board of Natural Resources Approves Spokane County Land Exchange
192 Acres of State Trust Land to be Improved for Housing, Parks
The state Board of Natural Resources has approved a land exchange to increase revenue for K-12 education funding and provide new housing options in Spokane County.
The Department of Natural... More...
Date: January 8, 2025
DNR Releases Final Outdoor Access and Responsible Recreation Strategic Plan
The agency’s first statewide recreation plan will guide recreation management and funding requests for the next decade.
The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released the final version of its first statewide recreation strategic plan. The Outdoor... More...
Date: January 8, 2025
Broad Partnership Keeps 49 Vessels from Being Abandoned or Derelict in Skagit County
Abandoned and derelict vessels in Skagit County can pose an immediate threat to public health and the environment. Thanks to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Vessel Turn in Program (VTIP), local boat owners turned in 49 vessels to be safely recycled. Launched in La... More...
Date: December 19, 2024
New Data Show DNR Leading the Way in Directing Funding to Overburdened Communities
Interactive HEAL Act dashboard highlights agency progress in first year of reporting
The recently released Healthy Environmental for All (HEAL) Act dashboard shows that the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has made genuine progress in... More...
Date: December 19, 2024
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz Visits Site of Future Habitat for Humanity Development
Franz Discusses Innovative Solutions to the Affordable Housing Crisis with Tri-Cities Leaders
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz visited Pasco Thursday with city leaders to tour the site of a future Habitat for Humanity project that will help address the... More...
Date: December 6, 2024
DNR Removing Toxic Remnants of Dickman Mill to Improve Tacoma Waterfront
The removal of the 1,200 pilings is now underway at the highly visible site on Ruston Way.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Aquatic Derelict Structures Program is cleaning up the toxic remnants of the historic Dickman Mill along the Tacoma waterfront... More...
Date: November 26, 2024
DNR Starts New Project to Remove Tens of Thousands of Polluting Tires from Puget Sound
The agency kicked off the large-scale cleanup with a pilot project off Tolmie State Park.
One more threat to the health of Puget Sound is being removed, as the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has begun the first removal of makeshift... More...
Date: October 24, 2024
DNR Seeks Public Comment on First Statewide Recreation Strategic Plan
Public comment period is open until November 21 on DNR’s Outdoor Access and Responsible Recreation Strategic Plan
The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is asking Washingtonians to comment on its first statewide recreation strategic plan. The Outdoor... More...
Date: October 21, 2024
Ahead of Great Washington Shakeout, DNR Releases New Maps Detailing Routes to Safety from Olympic Peninsula Tsunami
Maps detail how long it would take to get to safety
Just ahead of the Great Washington Shakeout, geologists at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have published new evacuation walk time maps for communities along the North Olympic... More...
Date: October 16, 2024
DNR to Host Public Meetings for Outdoor Access and Responsible Recreation Strategic Plan
Three public meetings in October 2024 will allow members of the public to weigh in on the agency’s first statewide recreation strategic plan.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting three public meetings in fall 2024 to accept... More...
Date: October 14, 2024
Commissioner Franz Announces Approval to Transfer DNR Lands to Pierce County for Affordable Housing
Board of Natural Resources has Unanimously Approved Transfer of Approximately Four Acres for Affordable Housing
The Washington State Board of Natural Resources has unanimously approved a transfer of approximately four acres of state trust land to Pierce County for... More...
Date: October 3, 2024
Dabob Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area to Expand 3,943 Acres
Expansion will allow DNR to conserve even more ecologically important habitat in Jefferson County in the NRCA
The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will expand the Dabob Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area (NRCA) by approximately 3,943 acres, per... More...
Date: October 2, 2024
DNR Launches Evergreen Community Recognition Program for Urban and Community Forestry
Program made possible by 2021 Evergreen Communities Act will recognize and incentivize proactive and ongoing urban forest management across Washington.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources marked the start of Washington Urban and... More...
Date: October 1, 2024
DNR Rolls Out Initiative To Bolster Tribal Wildland Firefighters’ Access To Training
The agency will use some $800,000 in funding from the Legislature to cover the training costs, travel and other expenses of tribal members working to pursue necessary wildfire qualifications
The Department of Natural Resources has launched an initiative to... More...
Date: September 30, 2024
