News

The next generation of cross-laminated timber could further establish Washington state as a leader in mass timber. Washington State University recently announced that its researchers at the Composite Materials and Engineering Center(CMEC) are partnering with the Composite Recycling Technology Center(CRTC), a Port Angeles-based nonprofit organization, to develop a longer lasting and… Read more

Younger forests play a vital role in reducing greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, according to a new study out of England. A University of Birmingham analysis found relatively young forests, where trees are less than 140 years old, sequester more metric tons of carbon per year than old-growth forests. Using 29… Read more

Plans for two engineered wood products factories in Eastern Washington could help establish Washington state as the national hub of the tall, wooden building movement. The Spokesman-Review reports that Menlo Park-based Katerra Inc. and Colville-based Vaagen Timbers will open mass timber factories this spring to meet the growing demand for cross-laminated timber… Read more

A provocative Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) report suggesting that Canada’s forestlands emit more carbon than they absorb is stirring controversy. The CBC article contends that assuming the nation’s forested lands are an “immense carbon sink” that absorb more greenhouse gas emissions than the country produces is false. Though sensational in its… Read more

Private forest landowners have an opportunity to gain skills and training in managing their woodlands later this month. The Washington State University Forestry and Wildlife Extension program will host its 2019 Western Washington Forest Owners Winter School on Feb. 23rdat Green River College in Auburn, WA. The one-day course, which aims to… Read more

Washington state says it plans to increase the number of intentional, low-intensity burns to better manage forest lands and prevent devastating wildfires, the Daily World reports. The plan comes on the heels of a report released by the Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils and the Washington State Department of Natural Resource’s… Read more

Salmon are struggling to survive in six of the state’s designated salmon recovery regions despite efforts to prevent extinction, according to a comprehensive report from the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office. While the report sites promising outcomes with Snake River fall Chinook and Hood Canal summer chum nearing recovery goals, salmon numbers… Read more

The Washington State Legislature marked the 20thanniversary of the passage of House Bill 2091 and companion Senate Bill 5896, more commonly referred to as the Forests & Fish Law, this week. The House Rural Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee began its first full committee meeting of the 2019 legislative… Read more

The effects of Washington’s booming population over the past decade has been impossible to miss or ignore. By whatever measure you choose, the result is clear: a lot of people have been moving to Washington and will continue to do so. The exploding population has created stress for almost all… Read more