State park areas are of statewide natural, cultural and/or recreational significance and/or outstanding scenic beauty. They provide varied facilities serving low-intensity, medium-intensity, and high-intensity outdoor recreation activities, areas reserved for preservation, scientific research, education, public assembly, and/or environmental interpretation, and support facilities. They may be classified in whole or part as follows:

(1) Recreation areas are suited and/or developed for high-intensity outdoor recreational use, conference, cultural and/or educational centers, or other uses serving large numbers of people.

(2) Resource recreation areas are suited and/or developed for natural and/or cultural resource-based medium-intensity and low-intensity outdoor recreational use.

(3) Natural areas are designated for preservation, restoration, and interpretation of natural processes and/or features of significant ecological, geological or paleontological value while providing for low-intensity outdoor recreation activities as subordinate uses.

(4) Heritage areas are designated for preservation, restoration, and interpretation of unique or unusual archaeological, historical, scientific, and/or cultural features, and traditional cultural properties, which are of statewide or national significance.

(5) Natural forest areas are designated for preservation, restoration, and interpretation of natural forest processes while providing for low-intensity outdoor recreation activities as subordinate uses, and which contain:

(a) Old-growth forest communities that have developed for one hundred fifty years or longer and have the following structural characteristics: Large old-growth trees, large snags, large logs on land, and large logs in streams; or

(b) Mature forest communities that have developed for ninety years or longer; or

(c) Unusual forest communities and/or interrelated vegetative communities of significant ecological value.

(6) Natural area preserves are designated for preservation of rare or vanishing flora, fauna, geological, natural historical or similar features of scientific or educational value and which are registered and committed as a natural area preserve through a cooperative agreement with an appropriate natural resource agency pursuant to chapter 79.70 RCW and chapter 332-60 WAC.