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DNR projects about $1.2M timber revenue for Skamania County in 2025; more possible depending on fall sales
Summary
DNR district and regional managers told Skamania County commissioners they expect about $1.26 million in timber revenue for calendar 2025 from state trust-land sales already under contract, with additional receipts possible if planned sales proceed this fall.
Department of Natural Resources officials briefed Skamania County commissioners on April 22 on timber-sale revenue projections and the trust-land management process.
Scott Sargent, DNR Pacific Cascade region manager, said, “We have 4 sales under contract. They represent about $3,500,000 in timber revenue to the county,” and that roughly $456,000 had been wired to the county already in the calendar year. Sargent said DNR expects an additional $692,000 from those contracts this year, putting a conservative projection for the county at about $1.26 million for 2025. He cautioned that last year’s nearly $5 million in revenue reflected unusual timing and that year-to-year totals fluctuate with market timing and contract activity.
DNR district manager Bridal Bowling explained the sale-to-revenue timeline and the constraints that affect when purchasers remove timber and pay: “The purchasers…have that 2 to 3 year window to deliver their product, and the revenue comes in as they remove the timber.” Commissioners asked about new sales in the pipeline; Bowling and Sargent said the sale known as Ricochet was scheduled to be offered in September 2025 and could add substantial revenue if harvested within the contract window, but litigation and market timing make future receipts uncertain.
DNR staff described the county’s trust-land portfolio and management priorities: generating permanent revenue for local taxing districts, maintaining forest health, and conserving habitat. Sargent said DNR aims for a sustainable annual harvest volume for Skamania County on the order of 6–7 million board feet, and added the department balances revenue objectives with ecological and legal trust obligations.
Commissioners and DNR discussed pauses and policy reviews the state has placed on certain harvests to consider complex-forest conditions; Bowling said some planned sales affecting that classification are on hold pending policy decisions and analysis.
Ending: DNR officials will provide maps and follow-up materials on the location and status of county trust lands and scheduled sales; commissioners asked staff to track receipts and any effects of pending policy reviews on the county’s projected timber revenue.
