Careful management of the state’s working forests to earn money for Washington public education is a key responsibility for DNR under the state constitution.  The agency’s sensitive stewardship has also earned globally recognized certification under the Forest Stewardship Council® Forest Management Standard and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® program Forest Management Standard.

 

These certification systems, using outside experts, set the standard for responsible forest management.  Certification is only awarded if forest management protects fish and wildlife and maintains the forest’s biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes.

 

All forested state trust lands are certified under SFI®, and some 172,000 acres are also certified under FSC®.   Wood harvested under these standards is made into furniture and building materials sought after by consumers who prize environmentally sound products.

 

Wood represents one of the most energy-efficient building materials in the world, using far less energy than concrete or steel. Wood products and forests store large amounts of carbon, which can offset some of the greenhouse gasses emitted by transportation and industry.

 

DNR is committed to maintaining third-party forest certification across all DNR-managed forested state trust lands.