1. Forest Land Conversion: Threats and
Opportunities for Rural Western
Communities
A presentation for:
Rural Voices for Conservation
Coalition
November 15, 2007
Stevenson, Washington

2. Forest Land Conversion: Rate
•About 1.5 million acres of private forests lost
each year to development and other non-forest
uses
•More than 20 million additional forested acres
conservatively lost by 2020
•Increased housing densities will impact more
than 44.2 million forested acres by 2030

3. Forest Land Conversion:
Western States
•362 million acres of western forests (including
Pacific Coast and Intermountain regions and
Alaska)
•67% privately owned
•At risk areas include Estes Park CO, Jackson
Hole WY, and Missoula MT
•Most significant conversion losses over next 50
years will be in California and western
Washington
•20% of remaining California forests could
be lost

4. California Forest Loss
• CA lost roughly 40% of its forests between
1700 - 2005: +/- 20 million acres.
• Today, 35,000 to 40,000 acres are lost each year.
Increases projected.

5. Forest Loss and Urban Growth:
Puget Sound
• With new residents flocking to the Seattle metro
area, its urban and suburban neighborhoods are
rapidly expanding (salmon color is residential, urban)
• Between 1988 and 2004, western Washington lost
17% of its non-federal forest land to other uses
Source: Washington Department of Natural Resources, “The Future of Washington
Forests,” 2007.

6. Forest Land Conversion:
Outline
•American Forests
•Rates and Causes
•Impacts
•Federal Policy Developments
•Opportunities to Engage

7. American Forests
American Forests
Cover 1/3 of US; 747 million acres; 430
million acres (58%) privately owned by
close to 10 million private owners

8. Forest Land Conversion
Forest Land Conversion
Causes: Growth Pressures
Causes: Growth
•Population growth, creates
•Increased demands for
housing and commercial
development, creates
•Growing economic
disparity between land
values for timber vs.
development, leads to
•Conversion to non-forest
uses

9. Forest Land Conversion:
Forest Land Conversion:
Other Causes
Other Causes
•Increased costs in
timber industry
•Global competition
•Rapid turnover of
corporate and family QuickTime™ and a
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forest ownership
•“Traditional” TIMOs
giving way to REITs
and real estate
arbitrage

10. Forest Land Conversion:
Forest Forest Land Conversion:
A “Continuum of Loss”
Land Conversion: A
Outright conversion isof Loss
Continuum easiest thetrack, but
to
forest loss is often caused by gradual
erosion of forest values:
•Forest management practices over time
•Fragmentation of ownership
•Parcel size: <10 acres not functional forest
•Influence of neighboring non-forest uses

11. Forest Land Conversion:
Forest Land Conversion:
Impacts
Impacts
•Species biodiversity and habitat loss
•Weakened forest health
•Decreases in timber production and active forest
management
•Increased fire risk
•Increased risks to life and property
•View and recreational losses
•Poorer water quality and hydrologic changes
Source: “Forests on the Edge” (USFS,
2005)

12. Private forest acres
watershed development

13. Private forest % to be
impacted by housing
development

14. Climate
Impacts
of Forest
Land
Loss
• Forest loss is 2nd
biggest source of
global warming
pollution
• Keeping forests
(in addition to
reducing fossil
fuel use) key to
effective climate
change strategy

15. Forest Loss is a
Climate Change
Challenge
• Forests = 1/3 of Earth’s
land base, but 1/2 lost
between 1700-2000
• Forest change currently
contributes 25% of global
CO2 emissions, equivalent
to emissions from 1.4
billion cars annually
• Forest loss contributes
40 - 50% of current excess
CO2 in atmosphere
Source: World Resources Institute

16. But Forests also a Climate Opportunity!
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Forests absorb CO2 as they grow and store
it as woody tissue for centuries/millennia -- if
they aren’t converted to other uses

17. Forest Land Conversion:
Federal Policy Developments
Federal Policy Developments
•Still primarily considered state and local issue
(land use and zoning, “smart growth” initiatives)
•However, conversion worries lie behind many
forest land conservation programs

18. What’s Happening Now:
Farm BillBill
status
2007 Farm
•Current Farm Bill expires in September
•Diverse Forests in Farm Bill Coalition
successful in promoting forests in bill
•Number of Coalition priorities advanced
•House version (H.R. 2419) passed July 27th
•Senate version (S. Amend. 3500) stalled on
Floor over amendments
•If passed, Conference Committee next year
(presidential year)
•Bush Administration has threatened veto

19. 2007 Farm Bill: Forestry
Forestry Title national policy
Title
statement
Includes strong statements that conserving
and managing working forest landscapes is a
national priority, including for carbon
sequestration (House version) and the
protection of forests from threats, including
development (Senate version)

20. 2007 Farm Bill: Forestry
Title
Community Forest and Open
Community Forest and Open Space
Space
Conservation Program
•Senate version only (no funding specified)
•New USDA grant program; local gov’t and
non-profits eligible; acquisitions in fee
•Grants up to 50% of cost
•Lands must be threatened by conversion
or provide environmental or economic
benefits to the community
•Penalties for subsequent
sale/development; but less secure than
permanent easement?

21. Comprehensive Statewide
2007 Farm Bill: Forestry
Title
Forest Planning
Comprehensive Statewide Forest
Planning
•Provides funds and technical assistance to
states developing forest resources
assessment and plans
•Plans to include provisions to achieve
national forest priorities
•$10 million per year in funding in both House
and Senate versions

22. 2007 Farm Bill: Conservation
Environmental Quality
Title
Incentives Program
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP)
•Voluntary working lands program for farmers
and ranchers would be expanded to include
forest landowners
•USDA contracts to implement productivity and
environmental BMPs
•Includes technical assistance, and
•Covers up to 75% of costs for up to 3 years
•House version creates new Regional Water
Enhancement Program

23. 2007 Farm Bill: Conservation
Healthy Forests Reserve
Title
Program
Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP)
•Both versions reauthorize program to restore
private forests, protect under ESA, and enhance
carbon sequestration
•Three options presently: 10-year cost-share; 30-
year easement; or permanent easement
•Federal financial support increases as levels of
protection increase
•Senate version continues permanent easements;
House version does not
•$10 million per year in House version; no specific
appropriation in Senate version

24. 2007 Farm Bill: Conservation
Conservation Reserve
Title
Program; State Tech Comm
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
•Extends program to provide technical and
financial assistance to eligible farmers and
ranchers to address soil, water and environmental
issues on their property
•House version extends program to private forest
landowners
State Technical Committees
•Adds private forest landowner representation

25. Interior: Forest Legacy
Program
Interior: Forest Legacy
•Matching funds to states and landowners
Program
preserve forests from conversion (NGOs still
can’t hold CEs)
•$62.7 in House (up $5.3 million from 07)
•41 states have requested $192 million for 82
forest conservation projects

26. Opportunities to Engage
Opportunities to Engage
•Urge your U.S. Senators to pass the Farm
Bill now
•Federal climate change bills:
•Forests part of the solution…and problem
•Forest landowners benefit from cap and trade
•“Adaptation” funds for conservation
•Regional: Western Climate Initiative
•Support Interior Department funding for
Forest Legacy Program
•Focus also on state and local land use
•Support Rural Voices for Conservation
Coalition

27. Thank You
Thank you!
Kevin Raymond, Washington State Director
Tel 206.547.9249
kevin@pacificforest.org