HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 91-4689, by Representatives Sheldon, Bowman, Wynne, Hargrove, Morris, Riley, Rasmussen, Heavey, Morton, Padden, Ballard, Brumsickle, Fuhrman, P. Johnson, Beck, Basich, Jones, Fraser and Haugen.

     WHEREAS, Washington's ten million acres of private forest lands support a large and diversified timber economy and provide extensive outdoor recreational opportunities, while protecting fish and wildlife habitat; and

     WHEREAS, The American Tree Farm Program was established to promote reforestation of America's forest lands, good land stewardship, and innovative management practices; and

     WHEREAS, There are over seventy thousand certified tree farms in the United States covering ninety million acres; and

     WHEREAS, The first tree farm certified in the United States was the Clemons Tree Farm owned by Weyerhaeuser Company in Montesano, Washington; and

     WHEREAS, The Washington Tree Farm Program is sponsored jointly by the American Forest Council and the Washington Forest Protection Association and is guided by a Tree Farm Committee consisting of public agencies, professional foresters, woodland owners, and environmental organizations; and

     WHEREAS, The American Tree Farm Program is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in 1991;

     NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend the American Tree Farm Program and the Washington Tree Farm Program on this, the fiftieth anniversary of tree farming, for their contributions to reforestation of America's forest lands, promotion of responsible land stewardship, and innovations in forest management.