Residents Urge Clark County to Press DNR on Legacy-forest Sales as Trust-lands Visit Is Planned

Public commenters asked the Clark County Council on June 25 to formally oppose a proposed state timber sale and to push the Washington Department of Natural Resources to include local advocates in planning as the agency prepares a new policy for older, structurally complex forests.

The most detailed public remarks came from Mary Goody, a board member of Friends of Clark County, who said Friends of Clark County and the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition litigated in an attempt to block what Goody described as a clearcut in the Dabbler timber sale. “We were unsuccessful in that litigation as the court gave the timber company approval to clear cut while there was still active litigation underway,” Goody said, and she repeated the group’s request that the council “get on the record with the proposed Turnover sale now and be proactive in watching the status of the other three units.”

Why it matters: Commenters framed the issue as protecting some of Clark County’s remaining older forests and public access to them. Sierra Club and other speakers told the council they want the county to secure community representation in DNR meetings, invite the press to site visits and follow through on prior council requests that DNR pause certain sales and provide a public work session.

Sierra Club member Theresa Hardy told the council that DNR removed winter restrictions and proceeded with logging and with expedited operations for the Dabbler sale, and that the timing deprived appellants of a complete administrative record during a preliminary injunction hearing. “This forced LFDDC and FOCC to pull out of the litigation … As a result, our beloved Dabbler is forever gone,” Hardy said.

Several speakers repeated requests in a Friends of Clark County letter: publicly oppose or comment on the Turnover sale, monitor units called Turnover, Dendrophobia, Copperhead and Looking Lens, invite community advocates and local media to DNR site tours, and include at least one community representative when county leaders meet with DNR and timber-industry representatives.

Staff update and next steps: Jordan Bogie, the county policy analyst, told the council he had spoken with DNR staff and that DNR has proposed two potential windows for a county tour of trust lands — a half‑ or full‑day visit on Aug. 8 or on Sept. 11–12. Bogie said DNR indicated that a six‑month pause enacted by the new commissioner on “maturation 2” sales does not apply retroactively to sales already approved under a prior commissioner, but that the pause appears likely to remain in place for certain future sales while DNR develops a framework to conserve structurally complex forests. Bogie said Turnover is currently in the SEPA process and “it sounds like it’s very unlikely that [auction] would happen in September,” though he said a sale later in the fall remains possible.

Council direction and public participation: Councilors asked staff to follow up with DNR and to clarify whether community members could attend site tours and meetings. Bogie said he would return to DNR with the council’s questions, would monitor the upcoming Board of Natural Resources meeting, and would report back to council within a week or two with additional details. He also said staff would work with DNR to scope how a county visit could be noticed and conducted if a quorum attends.

What was not decided: The council did not take a formal vote during the discussion on trust lands. Several councilors expressed support for public involvement in future site visits and directed staff to gather more information; no formal ordinance, resolution, or county letter was adopted at the meeting.

Looking ahead: Staff said it will follow up with DNR on the Turnover sale, other units cited by commenters and on how DNR’s conservation framework and mapping might affect future sales. Members of Friends of Clark County, Sierra Club and other advocates said they expect the council to consider a public statement or letter once staff returns with more information.