Environmental groups challenge 'misguided' sale of Clark County timberland

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – One hundred and forty acres of Clark County timberland could face an uncertain future after two nonprofits filed a lawsuit against a Washington State agency in an effort to halt the sale and future clearcutting of the land.

The lawsuit -- which was first reported by The Columbian -- was filed December 23 in Clark County Superior Court by the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition and Friends of Clark County.

The lawsuit is challenging the Dabbler timber sale, which would authorize the land, in the Siouxon region of Eastern Clark County, to be clearcut by commercial logging companies.

The nonprofits allege that the Washington State Department of Natural Resouces, the DNR Board, and Commissioner Hilary Franz, violated the Public Lands Act and the state Environmental Policy Act and is asking the court to invalidate the Board's approval of the sale.

The forests in the Dabbler sale are "close to becoming old growth," LFDC told KOIN 6 News in a statement on Friday, noting the forests are naturally regenerated stands from the Yacolt burn in 1902.

"This misguided timber sale is at odds with DNR‘s own Habitat Conservation Plan which requires them to restore 10 to 15 percent of the Columbia planning unit to old growth conditions by the end of the century. DNR is not on track to achieve these targets, with just 2 percent of the planning unit containing protected structurally complex forests. Targeting structurally complex forests like those contained within the Dabbler timber sale for commercial logging will make it impossible to meet these targets," LFDC said in a statement.

The organizations noted that mature forests such as the Dabbler play a critical role in carbon sequestration, along with watershed health, and argue that proposed logging could endanger critical species such as the Northern Spotted Owl.

“This sale is a direct assault on the ecological heritage of Clark County,” said Ann Foster of Friends of Clark County. “It is irresponsible to sacrifice these forests for short-term revenue, especially when DNR has not fulfilled its mandate to protect our legacy forests for future generations. The importance of legacy trees for carbon sequestration can’t be understated—we need legacy trees to meet our new climate goals.”

A spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources said the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.