Thanks to one of the largest land exchanges in the state’s history, Washington now has more than 61,000 acres of additional public land—an area larger than the city of Seattle—following a marathon effort by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners.

Negotiated over the past two years, the agreement trades 20,970 acres of state lands scattered in mostly small parcels across 15 counties for 82,548 acres of land belonging to Western Pacific Timber that is commingled in a checkerboard pattern with Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) land between Yakima and Wenatchee. Both are valued at $56.5 million. Washington’s Board of Natural Resources approved the exchange through a unanimous vote.

In addition to providing habitat and public access, WDNR manages its more than 5 million acres of land to support public institutions like schools and universities through sale of timber and other products.  In a continuing effort to consolidate their ownership, WDNR sought this deal with Western Pacific, and asked for assistance from the Elk Foundation in gathering public support and funding the required appraisals and cultural surveys of the WDNR ‘trade’ lands.

“It’s a great deal for wildlife of many species, particularly elk,” said Jeff Tayer, Regional Director for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The pieces that were picked up by the DNR in the exchange are right in the heart of migratory routes and spring and fall range for both the Yakima and Colockum elk herds.” 

As rural land prices have soared, private timber companies across the nation have become real-estate investment trusts, selling lands worth far more for sub-developments and second homes than for growing trees. Such was the concern with Western Pacific’s acreage, which encompasses a critical migration corridor for thousands of elk, yet lies only a 2-hour drive from Seattle.

Sale of Western Pacific’s intermingled ownership would have created a management nightmare for WDNR to the point that department officials say they in turn would have likely been forced to sell all the intermingled state lands. Management of alternating sections works well enough if adjoining lands are also producing timber, but when they are scattered among a checkerboard of private residences and subdevelopments, the department’s ability to maintain a working forest is severely limited.  Completing this exchange allows the WDNR to sustain the area as a working forest that will provide good wildlife habitat and public access.

“The exchange put us back in control of our lands,” said WDNR Assistant Regional Manager George Shelton. “We publicly stated that we basically had to block it up or get out.”

Along with Elk Foundation staff and volunteers, Shelton and his staff put countless weeks of work toward making the exchange possible. Shelton said the Elk Foundation and the partnership of sportsman’s groups played an invaluable role in educating the public about what was at stake and instilling trust of WDNR in a populace often leery of state and federal agencies.

In the end, the WDNR received ten times the usual amount of public comment on the exchange, and 96 percent was favorable.

Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Doug Sutherland says this kind of grassroots support was invaluable. “The Central Cascades Exchange would not have been possible without the support of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and their partners. The exchange enhances WDNR’s forest land management, and helps prevent further fragmentation of these working forestlands.”

All too often, hunters and anglers are slow to engage in public dialog on important issues.  That wasn’t the case when Washington sportsmen and women learned about the proposed land exchange.

“It was a huge effort and a rare opportunity for our volunteers to really get hands-on with a project that they could easily see would make a real difference for generations to come.” says Rance Block, the Elk Foundation’s East Slope Cascades Conservation Initiative Program Manager.  “We presented the concept to the Mule Deer Foundation, the Kittitas County Field and Stream Club, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council and the Central Washington Chapter of Safari Club International and asked for their financial assistance and the support of their membership.  All of them jumped in with both feet. Western Pacific Timber was also willing to pursue a conservation outcome for their lands, and their patience through the lengthy exchange process was greatly appreciated. Something very significant and long lasting has resulted from our collective effort.”