BILL REQ. #:  S-0167.2 

Read first time 01/13/09.   Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation.

     AN ACT Relating to the institute of forest resources; amending RCW 76.44.030; adding a new section to chapter 76.44 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that there are many issues facing the forest sector, such as climate change, forest health and fire, carbon accounting, habitat and diversity, timber and water supplies, and the economic health of forest dependent communities. These forest issues, and the approaches taken to address them, transcend the expertise and missions of the current University of Washington centers and cooperatives. While each center and cooperative contributes important expertise and resources, the structure and continuity for the integrated, interdisciplinary approach to address these complex issues is lacking. The institute of forest resources would provide this structure and continuity by drawing contributions from the centers and cooperatives into a more consolidated, collaborative, interdisciplinary, and integrated process that is responsive to the critical issues confronting the forest sector.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The head of the college of forest resources of the University of Washington must coordinate the existing college of forest resource's cooperatives and centers to promote a more holistic, efficient, and integrated approach to broaden its research program to address the issues facing the forest section.

Sec. 3   RCW 76.44.030 and 1979 c 50 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The institute of forest resources ((shall)) must pursue coordinated research and education related to the forest ((resource)) sector and its multiple uses including: Its conservation, sustainable management, and utilization; its economic, ecological, and societal value; evaluation of forest land ((use and the maintenance of its rural environment)); the manufacture and marketing of forest products, including timber, nontimber, and environmental services; and the provision of recreation and aesthetic values.
     (2) The institute of forest resources must also seek to provide a framework to identify, prioritize, fund, and conduct interdisciplinary research critical to the forest sector and to develop integrated, synthesized information and decision support tools to improve understanding of these complex issues for policymakers and others.
     (3) In pursuit of these objectives, the institute of forest resources is authorized to cooperate with other entities, including, but not limited to, universities, state and federal agencies, industrial institutions, domestic or foreign, where such cooperation advances these objectives.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 76.44 RCW to read as follows:
     The head of the college of forest resources of the University of Washington must appoint a policy advisory board consisting of eleven members to advise the head of the college of forest resources of the University of Washington on policies for the institute of forest resources that are consistent with the purposes of the institute. Membership on the policy advisory board must broadly represent the various interests concerned with the purposes of the institute of forest resources, including the state and federal governments, environmental organizations, local communities, the timber industry, and tribes.
     Members of the policy advisory committee must be compensated as provided in RCW 43.03.220 and must be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   The institute of forest resources shall provide progress reports to the appropriate committees of the legislature by July 1, 2010, and July 1, 2011, on the coordination required by section 2 of this act and the implementation of this act.