Natural Resources

Forest Products Campus

Forest Products Campus

 

Current Progress: Forest Products Campus Summit

On Nov. 30, 2023, about 70 people interested in decreasing wildfire risk, improving forest health and building the local economy gathered to learn the results of a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a Forest Products Campus within Chelan County. Presentations were given by leading experts from industry, government, economic development and community organizations.

Key outcomes of the summit include:

  • Comprehensive wood supply assessment conducted by Mason, Bruce, & Girard, Inc., found that at least 153 million to 448 million board feet of timber is accessible in Chelan, Kittitas and Okanogan counties over the next 20 years.
  • Site feasibility assessment conducted by private consultancy, Perteet, found that there are numerous industrial sites suitable for a forest products campus under existing zoning and land use laws in Chelan County.
  • Public agencies, including the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, are committed to sustaining available wood supply.

The presentations are available below:

Resilient Landscapes: USDA Forest Service

Potential Timber Supply: Manson, Bruce & Girard

Feasibility of Small Diameter Biomass: The Beck Group

Site Assessment: Perteet

Forest Products & Forest Health in Central Washington: Washington State DNR

Forest to Farms: Vaagen Timbers

 

Background: 'Chelan County is highest risk community in state for potential wildfire damage'

Chelan County encompasses a mosaic of forests, mountains and waterways. It also has been identified in numerous risk assessments as facing disproportionately more wildfire risk than nearly all of Washington state and the western United States.

"Chelan County is the highest risk community in the state for potential wildfire damage. This has been a problem in the making for a century, and reducing that risk is costly. A local forest products campus would increase the pace and scale of forest health treatment activity while reducing fire risk and creating jobs and economic activity in our community.” – Mike Kaputa, director of Chelan County Natural Resources

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest was recently designated a National Priority Landscape, one of only 21 in the United States, underlining the heightened risk in the area. In recognition of this risk, and as a result of the recent designation, federal and state partners have pledged more than $100,000,000 investment in fuels reduction and wildfire risk mitigation projects over the next decade through the Central Washington Initiative.

Chelan County is working to attract new forest products businesses and biomass utilization infrastructure to North Central Washington. Establishing wood products infrastructure is a pivotal step in ensuring the infusion of public funds today will translate into long-term stewardship of these fire-dependent forest ecosystems for generations to come.

Under a grant from the U. Forest Service, Natural Resources and a team of consultants is developing a comprehensive design for an engineered sawmill, biomass and mass timber facility that would process small dimension logs thinned from the local forest.

 

Posted: 01/03/2024 05:10 PM
Last Updated: 01/04/2024 10:54 AM

Chelan County Calendar

Upcoming events and schedules at the county!

  • 08
    Jan 2025
    01:00 PM - 02:00 PM

    Hearing Examiner - January 8, 2025

    Posted by: Community Development

    By Zoom Video Conference or in person at 400 Douglas St.
  • 18
    Dec 2024
    06:00 PM - 09:00 PM

    Planning Commission - December 18, 2024

    Posted by: Community Development

    400 Douglas Street
  • 18
    Dec 2024
    01:00 PM - 03:00 PM

    Hearing Examiner - December 18, 2024

    Posted by: Community Development

    By Zoom Video Conference or in person
  • 11
    Dec 2024
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Chelan County Civil Service Commission

    Posted by: Human Resources

    The Chelan County Civil Service Commission will be meeting on December 11, 2024.

    Chelan County Commissioners Office, CM Conference Room 1