State transfers forestland to conservation areas

A large plot of state-owned forestland near Westport will be transfered into conservation status.

The state Board of Natural Resources approved the transfer of 194 acres on Wednesday from the state Department of Natural Resources into a Natural Resources Conservation Area (NRCA).

The Elk River NRCA will receive the land, and the $1.6 million timber value will benefit public school construction statewide.

“There were two goals in that transfer — to expand Elk River and to help the Common School Trust get out of that land because it wasn’t going to produce revenue,” said Bob Redling, DNR senior communications manager.

“We can’t get access to it but we still own it — this is a way we can dispose of the land without leaving the schools short-changed.”

The DNR will receive an additional $349,000 to purchase replacement working forestland.

Elk River, at 5,413 acres, contains the largest intact estuarine system in Washington or Oregon.

The transfer is part of the Common School Trust, an act from the Legislature benefiting public schools through timber harvesting.

Two other counties saw parcels of land transfered to NRCAs on Tuesday.

Those parcels, located in Pacific and Wahkiakum counties, were affected by harvest restrictions related to the marbled murrelet — an endangered seabird which relies on old-growth forests for nesting.

The management and transfer of those parcels was part of the State Forest Trust Land Replacement Program.

Both counties directly will receive funds from the transfers.

“Those transfers were different,” Redling said. “Those parcels were land managed by DNR with funds going to the county. Most counties funded their schools, as well as their fire departments and other services.”

Pacific County will receive $356,000 for the timber value of about 17 acres when the land is transfered into Naselle Highlands NRCA.

The DNR will receive an additional $25,000 to purchase replacement working forestland.

In a separate action through the same program, Wahkiakum will receive $320,000 for 49 acres when the land is transfered into the Skamokawa Creek NRCA.

The DNR will receive an additional $73,000 for replacement forestland through that transfer.

The board also authorized the DNR to offer $217,000 for a 40-acre parcel of private property in Snohomish County. The parcel will add land to Roesiger State Forest.

DNR also was authorized to purchase a 130-acre parcel of Douglas fir and red alder adjacent to state trust forest in Pacific County for $495,000.