The state Natural Resource Board’s decision to set the 10-year sustainable harvest for state trust lands at an average of 597 million board feet annually did not please North Olympic Peninsula timber industry supporters.
The board’s vote on the lower harvest level was 4-2.
Board members Jefferson County Commissioner Glen Huntingford and Dr. Bruce Bare, acting dean at the University of Washington’s College of Forest Resources, voted for the higher annual harvest of 636 million board feet.
Once the harvest level issue was decided, the entire resolution passed the board unanimously on Tuesday.
“Obviously, we’re not happy,” said Carol Johnson, executive director of the North Olympic Timber Action Committee.
“An annual average of 636 million board feet was our bottom line number.
“I’m disappointed the board did not stay with the 636 million number in the environmental impact statement.”
The state Department of Natural Resources manages 2.1 million acres of timber trust land statewide, including 1.4 million acres in western Washington.
Clallam County has 92,000 timber trust land acres.
Jefferson County has 13,600 acres.
