Welcome to the Forest Practices Division. Forest Practices are activities related to the growing, harvesting, or processing of timber. Our division implements and enforces forest practices rules adopted by the Forest Practices Board, according to the Forest Practices Act. We also provide assistance to small forest landowners, and administer the Forests & Fish Adaptive Management Program.
In passing the Forest Practices Act, the legislature declared that: forest resources are among the most valuable of all resources in Washington State; the forest products industry is important to the state's economy; and it is in the public interest for public and private commercial forestlands to be managed with sound policies of natural resource protection. The legislature further declared that it is important to protect forest soils, fisheries, wildlife, water, air quality, recreation, and scenic beauty, while maintaining a viable forest products industry.