Forest policy and planning
in King County, Washington Forest policy
The Forestry Program is guided by the King County Comprehensive Plan, which establishes policies on the management of rural land and the uses that are suitable to the rural area. The Comprehensive Plan directs that strategies be developed to maintain forest cover and the practice of sustainable forestry. Actions Required for King County to Conserve Rural Forests
In 2009 the county's Rural Forest Commission released its recommendations for conserving the forest land base in King County. The report encourages the County to promote active stewardship of private and public forests to avoid further deterioration of the quality of forests and to capture the ecological, recreational and other values of forests. Executive Order: Implementation of Forestry Policies
A directive issued March 15, 2002 ordering the Department of Natural Resources and Parks to implement forestry-related policies of the Comprehensive Plan with specific programs and activities. Farm and Forest Report, 1996
Strategies for preserving working farms and forests to promote health and stability of the rural and regional economy in King County, based on a study of resource areas identified while preparing King County's 1994 Comprehensive Plan. Rural economic strategies
King County's Office of Business Relations and Economic Development produces a Rural Economic Strategies Report each year. The purpose of the strategies is to support and maintain the character of rural King County while advancing the long term economic viability of local farming and forestry. King County ranks seventh among counties of Washington in revenue generated from timber harvest, with an approximate value of $50 million per year. King County has an interest in retaining a sustainable local source of wood products and non-timber forest products along with jobs in forest industries. Monitoring
The Forestry program conducts a monitoring program that assesses the loss of forestland and number of forest stewardship plans filed each year. Current statistics are reported in KingStat, the annual report of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and Aims High, the annual counywide indicators and performance measure report. Forestry program reports from 1996 -2003 can be viewed in Acrobat PDF format with the following links: 2003 Forest Monitoring Report 2001 Forest Monitoring Report 1999 Forest Monitoring Report 1998 Forest Monitoring Report 1997 Forest Monitoring Report 1996 Baseline Forest Monitoring Report Research
The Forestry Program contracted the University of Washington College of Forest Resources in 2002 to conduct a study estimating the amount of sequestered carbon in King County forests. (Acrobat pdf format). In 1999, the Forestry program worked with a graduate student at the College of Forest Resources to conduct a study about the factors affecting forestland conversion and the feasibility of cooperative land management efforts (Acrobat pdf format) at King County's urban/rural interface. These documents are provided by the King County Forestry Program. |
