DNR briefs committee on implementation, funding and results of Forest and Fish program

Saboor Jawad, Forest Practices Division Manager at the Department of Natural Resources, and Katie Allen, Deputy Supervisor for Forest Practices and Aquatic Resources, gave the committee an implementation-focused presentation on the Forest and Fish program.

Jawad summarized the program's four stated goals: compliance with the Endangered Species Act, restoration and maintenance of riparian habitat to support a harvestable fish supply, meeting Clean Water Act obligations, and maintaining a viable timber industry. He described the Forest Practices Board as the rulemaking authority and explained three mechanisms to change aquatic-resource rules: adaptive-management science recommendations, legislative direction, and final court orders.

Jawad also highlighted accomplishments and operational data: DNR processes roughly 8,000 permits per biennium, issued about 85 notices to comply, 41 stop-work orders and roughly eight civil penalties in the last biennium, and administers a programmatic Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that provides incidental-take coverage so long as rules are implemented.

Katie Allen described program achievements and resource programs: the Roads Maintenance and Abandonment Program (RMAP) led to correction of up to 8,000 fish barriers, reopening about 5,000 miles of fish habitat and improving roughly 31,000 miles of forest roads; the Family Forest Fish Passage program has invested nearly $50 million since 2003 to remove nearly 500 additional fish barriers and open about 1,300 miles of habitat; the Forest Riparian Easement Program (FREP) has invested nearly $50 million to acquire roughly 575 easements covering about 8,000 acres.

Allen said annual compliance-monitoring ratings exceed 93% across measured metrics and noted the adaptive management program has completed 57 scientific projects, with 17 active projects and 43 in the queue. She told lawmakers the program is resource intensive — in time, staff and money — and that some program costs are rising (she cited FREP easement cost per acre roughly doubling from about $5,000 to nearly $10,000).

Why it matters: DNR emphasized that adaptive management produces the science that can lead to rule changes, but the process is lengthy and requires sustained funding and cross-party participation. Jawad and Allen asked the legislature to consider predictable, long-term resourcing for the program.

The committee paused this block for member questions and to invite other panels back for implementation-related Q&A.