Dear Commissioner Upthegrove, Members of the Board of Natural Resources, and Skagit County Commissioners,

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We, the undersigned Washington State residents, respectfully call for an immediate moratorium on all timber sales in Blanchard State Forest that contain naturally regenerated and structurally complex stands. These increasingly rare ecosystems warrant special consideration and protection for their long-term recreational, ecological, cultural, and economic value beyond timber production, making a provisional moratorium both timely and necessary. We believe there are opportunities elsewhere for timber sales to meet the revenue needs of the trust beneficiaries.

 

In addition to its panoramic views of the San Juan Islands and rich local history, Blanchard State Forest contains one of the region’s most striking concentrations of coastal legacy forests. These unplanted, biodiverse stands provide outsized benefits including carbon sequestration, wildfire resilience, habitat for imperiled species, and unparalleled recreational and educational value. Alarmingly, the latest version of DNR’s 77,000-acre Forest Forward map fails to designate any of Blanchard State Forest’s structurally complex stands for conservation. While the core of Blanchard is protected by a 1,600-acre Natural Area Reserve, several of the most structurally complex and biodiverse stands lie outside that core boundary and are slated for logging in a series of proposed DNR timber sales: Ladybug Unit 1 (August 2026), Mayfly (FY 2028), Damselfly (FY 2029), Stonefly (FY 2032), Gromflomite (FY 2034), and Chestnut (FY 2050). If allowed to proceed, these sales would erase genetically unique forests that sequester enormous amounts of carbon, resist wildfire, and support endangered species and rare plant communities. (Legacy Forest Defense Coalition staff have already documented at least one globally imperiled plant community in Ladybug Unit 1.)

 

The proposed sales also threaten substantial portions of Blanchard’s very popular trail system and would vastly diminish the scenic character that makes the area unique. Hikers, cyclists, equestrians, birders, photographers and sightseers come from all over Washington State and British Columbia to enjoy these recreational and scenic opportunities. In their current configurations, Ladybug and Gromflomite would require extended closures and reroutes of the British Army Trail, one of the most beautiful segments of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Logging operations in the Mayfly, Damselfly, and Stonefly units would also necessitate closures of the highly trafficked Lily Lizard and Rick Rolled trails.

 

Of particular concern are the “fly” sales, which collectively threaten nearly 125 acres of the most publicly accessible legacy forest on the eastern side of Blanchard Mountain. Much of the resulting clearcuts would be plainly visible from the Upper Trailhead parking lot, dramatically diminishing visitors’ first experience of the forest. For many visitors—especially families and individuals with limited mobility—these stands provide the best opportunity to experience Blanchard’s ecological richness firsthand.

 

In recognition of Blanchard State Forest’s exceptional value beyond board feet, we urge DNR to take the following actions:

 

1. Defer all scheduled timber sales containing naturally regenerated and structurally complex stands in Blanchard State Forest, i.e. Ladybug Unit 1, Mayfly, Damselfly, Stonefly, Gromflomite, and Chestnut. DNR can prevent any sunk costs by suspending work on these plans immediately.

2. Prioritize younger plantations for harvest in order to offset short-term financial impacts to Skagit County and trust beneficiaries. Sales like Nottingham (2027) and Bigfoot (2046) could be accelerated while DNR conducts a thorough assessment of other marketable timber on transfer lands within the Burlington-Edison School District.

3. Explore durable, economically viable mechanisms to safeguard the recreational and ecological integrity of Blanchard’s legacy forests, e.g. inclusion in the 77,000-acre Forest Forward order, Trust Land Transfer, 2025 Natural Climate Solutions conservation funding, expanding Blanchard Mountain’s Natural Area Reserve, carbon credit programs, etc.

4. Engage in meaningful, transparent, and ongoing dialogue with recreation and environmental organizations, tribes, local residents, forest and trail stewards, and other stakeholders when making future management decisions that affect ecological and cultural resources in Blanchard State Forest.

 

Blanchard Mountain’s legacy forests are irreplaceable. Their protection is essential to preserving the ecological integrity, recreational value, cultural heritage, and climate resilience of one of Washington’s most treasured state forests. These forests underpin a robust recreation and tourism economy, provide opportunities for education and research, and hold deep cultural significance for local communities. Protecting them now preserves options for future generations and safeguards natural resources that, once destroyed, cannot be recreated on a human timescale.

 

Thank you for considering this important multi-stakeholder issue. We look forward to solutions that honor not only DNR’s trust obligations, but also the key habitat and environmental niches served by Blanchard State Forest, as well as the broader public interest.