FINAL BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2762

                         C 264 L 96

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Ensuring that the community and technical college forest reserve is managed like other state forests for sustainable commercial forestry and potential multiple use.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Sehlin, Ogden, Cooke and Silver).

House Committee on Natural Resources

Senate Committee on Natural Resources

Background: In 1990, the Legislature appropriated $7 million dollars to the Department of Natural Resources for the following purpose:

"The appropriation is provided solely for the purchase, including related administrative costs, of forest lands suitable for sustainable commercial forestry in areas: (a) in danger of being parceled or converted to nonforest uses; (b) where state acquisition is the most prudent means of retaining such lands in forest uses; and (c) where there is potential for multiple use of the lands consistent with RCW 79.68.050"  (SSB 6407, Section 310).

The legislation also provided that up to 25 percent of the revenue from the lands could be deposited in the Forest Development Account to reimburse that account for expenditures made from that account for the management of these lands.  The remainder of the revenue from these lands was to be deposited in a new account created by the legislation, the Community College Forest Reserve Account.  The Legislature could appropriate the moneys in this new account exclusively for the capital construction needs of the state's community colleges.  The department used the appropriation to purchase 3,233 acres of land in Snohomish County.

The Legislature has not codified a management direction and structure for these forest lands, and technically the quoted budget language expired with the end of that biennium.  The department has suggested investing funds on silvicultural practices on the property, and, although timber harvest is still some years away, there have been proposals for gravel extraction.  Decisions about what would constitute appropriate management of the property are complicated by the lack of statutory direction.

Summary:  A new section is added to statute directing the management of the community and technical college forest reserve land base.  The land base is forever removed from sale; however, timber and other products may be sold or the land may be leased in the same manner and for the same purposes as authorized for the state's granted lands.  The lands are to be managed for sustainable commercial forestry and for multiple use.  The lands are also to be managed to provide an outdoor education and experience area for organized groups.  Although the land base is reserved from sale, the department may exchange and otherwise reposition the land base in the same way that county forest board lands may be repositioned.

The department may use funds in the Forest Development Account for management of these forest lands.  Up to 25 percent of the revenues from the lands will be deposited in the Forest Development Account to reimburse the account for management expenditures.  The remainder of the revenues from the lands will be deposited in the re-named Community and Technical College Forest Reserve Account.  The Legislature may appropriate the funds for community and technical college capital improvement needs or to acquire additional forest reserve lands.

Votes on Final Passage:

House     93 0

Senate    47 0 (Senate amended)

House     94 0 (House concurred)

Effective:  June 6, 1996