From Purchase to Plan

Fri, May 30, 2025

 

 

Motivated by a desire to continue a family legacy of outdoor recreation and land stewardship, Fallen Madrona LLC purchased a 19.85-acre forested property on the Olympic Peninsula. Located in a unique area, this property is a stone’s throw from Olympic National Park, a Forest of Recognized Importance (FORI). The property was last harvested in the mid-1990s and is composed of two forest types: red alder and mixed conifer-hardwood. Below is a photo of the property and its surrounding land use post-harvest in 1994, and one of the property today. Note the proximity to the Olympic National Forest at the bottom of the photos.

Many landowners purchase forested land with the intent of recreating and enjoying the natural beauty associated with PNW forests. To encourage forest management, Washington state offers tax breaks under the Current Use Taxation program for landowners who manage their forests for timber production. A Forest Management Plan and subsequent classification as Designated Forest Land is an option to achieve eligibility for the current use taxation program. In the case of Fallen Madrona LLC, the property they purchased was already designated as forested land. As with Fallen Madrona LLC, landowners who wish to continue their forest land designation are typically required to submit a Forest Management Plan written by a professional forester, and a signed letter of continuance within 60 days of closing. Fallen Madrona LLC reached out to Resilient Forestry before their closing to write a timber management plan for submission within that 60-day time frame.

When hired, we schedule a meeting with the landowners to identify their goals and objectives. During the meeting we also discuss anything of note discovered during our initial geospatial survey. Although Designated Forest Land is assessed as forest land primarily used for timber growth, landowners typically have additional goals and objectives for their property. We aim to integrate those visions into a holistic management plan that meets landowners’ goals as well as those put forth by the state for the Current Use Taxation program. In our meeting with Fallen Madrona LLC, we learned their main objectives were as follows:

• Maintain designation as forest land (RCW 84.33.035)
• Provide high-quality wildlife habitat and enhance biodiversity.
• Manage for a forest resilient to climate change.
• Maintain a forest that is resilient and resistant to wildfire.

After the initial meeting, we scheduled a field visit to assess the forest conditions. Inventory efforts are focused on collecting data on overstory and understory tree size and density and cataloging native and invasive plant species. During site assessments we also confirm the quality and quantity of water features, roads, and trails. This collection of data culminates in a final report (Forest Management Plan) outlining resource conditions and relevant management recommendations based on landowners’ objectives. For the Fallen Madrona LLC property, we identified that all stands were lacking wildlife habitat such as coarse woody debris and standing snags. In addition, there was low tree recruitment across all stands. The following management actions are some that were recommended to increase wildlife habitat and forest resilience:

• Create gaps and openings in forested stands for tree regeneration.
• Increase logs and standing snags per acre during gap creation.
• Underplant Douglas fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce, and western redcedar in gaps and openings.
• Plant native shrubs in unforested areas and install bird boxes to promote wildlife habitat.
• Control non-native plant populations.
• Maintain property access via the driveway connecting both access points of the property.

Developing a Forest Management Plan for Fallen Madrona LLC is a vital step toward intentional land stewardship. Our primary focus is balancing the landowner’s goals and objectives while meeting requirements put forth by the County and the State. Another benefit of a Forest Management Plan is that it is typically required for cost-share programs offered by local conservation districts and the Washington Department of Natural Resources. With their Forest Management Plan guiding the way, Fallen Madrona LLC can ensure their property stays on a path toward becoming a healthy, mature Pacific Northwest forest—one that provides valuable wildlife habitat and remains resilient to pests and pathogens.

Reach out to Resilient Forestry if you are a new or existing small private landowner interested in classifying your property as Designated Forest Land or simply want to re-envision a roadmap for forest management on your property.