On July 21, 2022, the Washington State Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Conservation Northwest v. Franz affirming the trust mandate that applies to Department of Natural Resources (DNR) state trust lands. This is a major legal victory for DNR, public schools, counties, and many other community service providers, and the forest products sector. […]
Press Releases
Washington State Supreme Court Affirms DNR Management of State Trust Forest Lands
The American Forest Resource Council today joined beneficiaries of Washington state trust lands in applauding the Washington State Supreme Court’s opinion in Conservation Northwest v. Hilary Franz, a case where Conservation Northwest attempted to undermine the Washington Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) fiduciary duty to manage these working forests, known as state trust lands. The […]
AFRC Responds to ‘Climate Forests Campaign’ Report
AFRC has the following to say regarding a report by the “Climate Forests Campaign,” an anti-forestry effort to halt forest management throughout the nation: Old and mature trees are not “worth more standing” if they are dead and emitting carbon. This “report” by anti-forestry lobbyists was released at the same time firefighters are working […]
Why timber is essential to the Biden Administration’s wildfire strategy
By Travis Joseph, AFRC President The Forest Service and BLM timber sale programs are essential to preserving and growing the physical and human forest infrastructure that is not only critical to providing carbon-friendly wood products to meet society’s needs but is essential to helping the Forest Service and BLM accomplish their respective federal forest management […]
AFRC Statement on Secretary Vilsack Memorandum on ‘Bold Action’ to Restore Forests, Improve Resilience, and Curb Climate Change
The American Forest Resource Council had the following to say regarding U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s memorandum directing the U.S. Forest Service to take “bold actions to restore forests, improve resilience, and address the climate crisis.” “Wildfires are converting overstocked federal forests in the West from carbon sinks to carbon sources. The U.S. Forest […]
Washington DNR ‘Carbon Project’ Undercuts Washington’s Climate Goals
American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) President Travis Joseph had the following to say regarding the Washington Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) ‘carbon project’ on public working forests known as state trust lands: “DNR should follow the recommendations of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that the best way to mitigate climate change is through […]
AFRC comments on Ninth Circuit decision regarding Cuddy Valley and Tecuya Ridge Projects on the Los Padres National Forest
AFRC General Counsel Sara Ghafouri had the following to say regarding the Ninth Circuit’s decision today on the Cuddy Valley Forest Health/Fuels Reduction and Tecuya Ridge Shaded Fuel Break Projects on the Los Padres National Forest: “We are pleased with aspects of the Ninth Circuit’s ruling that support reducing wildfire risks and protecting nearby communities, […]
AFRC Joins Kootenai Forest Stakeholders Coalition, Lincoln County to Defend Ripley Project
The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) has formally joined the Kootenai Forest Stakeholders Coalition (KFSC) and Lincoln County in defending the Ripley Project on the Kootenai National Forest. On November 22, U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto granted the entities’ joint motion to intervene in litigation against the project to reduce wildfire risks near Libby. […]
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Northern Spotted Owl Critical Habitat Designation Fails Our Forests, Communities and the Species Itself
The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC) today said the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s (FWS) critical habitat designation for the Northern Spotted Owl (NSO) illegally designates over a million acres of federal land that are not NSO habitat. This designation restricts active forest management and fuels activities designed to mitigate risk of catastrophic wildfire. In […]
Diverse Groups, Counties Defend Timber Management on State Trust Lands in Washington State Supreme Court Case
Counties, educators, labor and business groups and others are defending timber management on state-owned working forests against a legal attack in the Washington State Supreme Court. The entities filed separate amicus curiae briefs in Conservation Northwest v. Hilary Franz, a case that would undermine the Washington Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) fiduciary duty to manage […]