Recognize Progress on Salmon

For more than two decades, Washington Forest Protection Association Members have made significant achievements on salmon recovery under Washington State’s Forests & Fish Law. The active participation of private forest landowners in a science-driven process for forest practices rulemaking has been essential for safeguarding salmon habitat in forested streams subject to State Forest Practices Rules.

The Adaptive Management framework established though Forests & Fish remains our best tool for identifying extreme practices that may pose risks to critical aquatic habitat, and forming a scientific rational for creating the specific forest practice rules necessary to improve those practices.

• Private forest landowners actively participate in the science-driven process of forest practices rulemaking.
  • The Forests & Fish Law set up the science-driven Adaptive Management process with the goal reducing uncertainty in the development of forest practice rules.
  • Adaptive Management has provided predictability in the rulemaking process that has been essential for achieving the goal of Forests & Fish – the restoration and maintenance of salmon habitat on 60,000 miles of streams in working forests, across more than 9 million acres of working forests.
• Forestry affects just one part of the salmon cycle – private forests are about 20% of Washington’s land base.

• Investments in protecting forested streams have improved salmon habitat, agencies should focus on other threats to salmon and clean water that persist downstream.
  • 68% of ‘good voters’ in King County believe water quality and temperatures in upper watersheds near forests is healthier for salmon.
  • 89% believe state govt should make lower watersheds a bigger priority.
• Allowing science to lead promotes innovative solutions.
  • A smarter buffer shifts trees to the sunny side of stream, increasing shade on streams.
  • Forests and Fish riparian buffers of trees are keeping water cool for fish.
  • The Adaptive Management study called “Hardrock” shows that riparian buffers adjacent to Non-fish perennial (Np) streams protect cool temperatures for downstream salmon before, during and after timber harvest.
• The Hardrock study revealed that some harvest practices adjacent to Np streams may result in a measurable change in stream temperature, yet still below temperature conditions considered healthy for downstream fish.
  • The study tested harvest cases which are legal but rare in actual practice.
  • Landowners reviewed more than 500 FPAs to look for cases that resembled the conditions tested in the Hardrock study –100% harvest of an entire Np stream watershed greater than 30 acres – and found 1 case.
  • Private forest landowners propose to lengthen and widen the Np stream buffers if an adjacent harvest consistent with the study cases is proposed.
• Private and state forest landowners have removed more than 8,100 barriers to fish passage.
  • By 2022, 100% of the barriers will be eliminated. 
  • 6,200 miles of historic fish habitat has been reopened.
  • $333 million has been invested by the state, small and large private landowners (private landowners’ portion is $226 million)
• $15+ million per biennium is spent on WA’s Forests & Fish Adaptive Management Program.
  • Nearly 50 science projects have been completed since 2001 – most have resulted in TFW consensus that no-forestry rules need to be changed.
  • Forestry rules will change based on peer-reviewed science and recommended by the stakeholder TFW Policy Committee.
  • Science results reduce uncertainty and supports fish and water goals.
  • Forest practices are in high compliance with state forestry rules.
• Washington’s working forests support more than 100,000 living-wage jobs across the state.
  • Washington’s working forests and wood products sector offsets 12% of our state’s carbon emissions.