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Board approves timber sales including Tonal and Chai after public pleas to spare CHI Unit 3
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Summary
After more than an hour of public comment urging the removal of CHI Unit 3 and other legacy stands, the Board of Natural Resources approved multiple timber sales including Tonal and Chai; an amendment to remove Unit 3 failed 2–4.
The Board of Natural Resources voted on Feb. 3 to approve a package of timber sales — including Tiger Stripes, Biscuits, Maple Grounds, Synergized, Q Crown Creek salvage, Chai and Atonal — after extended public comment urging the agency to withdraw or reconfigure some units.
Hundreds of public comments were tallied on the meeting record. Speakers representing tribal interests, local counties, conservation groups, recreation users and private residents urged DNR to remove CHI Unit 3 from the Chai sale and to delay other sales pending corrected mapping, fuller SEPA review and government‑to‑government consultation. Sherry Dysart read a Skokomish Tribal Council SEPA letter and asked for cancellation of the Bayou Stomp sale and formal consultation. Heather Penns asked why corrected maps had not been released and pleaded, “Please do not sell Chai Unit 3.”
Staff described the sales and conservation set-asides during the presentation. Amanda Taylor (acting assistant division manager for product sales) said the seven proposed sales represent about 40.6 million board feet with a minimum appraised delivered value of roughly $8.4 million; field inspections led staff to conserve portions of evaluated acres to protect unstable slopes, cultural resources and riparian areas.
During board action, members first approved the set of sales with the exception of Atonal and Chai, then separately considered the two contested sales. A motion to direct staff to reconfigure the Chai sale without Unit 3 (to bring back a re‑configured sale) was made and seconded but failed in the board vote (the amendment did not pass, 2 in favor, 4 opposed). The underlying motion to approve Atonal and Chai then passed; the transcript records two board members (Raj Khosla and Chris Reykdal) voting no.
Staff said natural-heritage reviews did not find rare plant communities in Unit 3 and that the units conform with existing policy and HCP requirements; staff also noted that some parcels in Thurston County had previously been deferred for alternate management and that the department is exploring landscape-level policy changes through the SHC process.
What it means: Timber sales will proceed as approved, including Chai and Atonal, but the public record and board discussion make clear there remains strong local and tribal opposition to harvesting certain legacy stands in Capitol Forest. The failed amendment shows the board divided on sale‑by‑sale changes versus pursuing broader policy reforms via the SHC.
Next steps: Staff will proceed with the approved sales according to timber sale procedures; the board asked staff to continue SHC work and policy-level conversations to explore alternative management and funding tools for legacy forests.
