In a recent public opinion poll of greater Seattle voters in February 2024, results found that voters believe active forest management is important to maintain healthy forests.

Key Findings:

• 82% of voters believe active forest management, which includes commercial timber harvest, is important to maintain healthy forests. (February 2024)
• 83% agree that managed forests are a critical tool for fightingclimate change and preventing catastrophic wildfire. (February 2024)
• A majority (61%) feel that we should maintain the current levels of harvest and sustainable replanting. (February 2024)
• 89% of Washington state voters support managed forests, recognizing their importance in promoting sustainable harvesting for wood products, and keeping forests healthy, including replanting. (June 2023)
• 83% of respondents believe that managing forests significantly reduces the risk of wildfires by thinning dead and dying trees and removal of underbrush. (June 2023)
• Scientific research shows that managed forests are healthier and less likely to burn than unmanaged forests. (June 2023)

Science shows that actively managed forests provide a greater climate benefit than unmanaged forests because they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere nearly twice as fast per acre as unmanaged forests.

Actively managed private forests absorb carbon at a rate of 5 tons of CO2e per acre each year, twice as fast as unmanaged federal forests.

The poll results underscore the significance of the forest products industry’s role in producing climate-friendly wood products and preventing catastrophic wildfires by maintaining forest health and removing damaged trees and excessive underbrush. WFPA, a professional forestry association founded in 1908, emphasizes the urgent need to prioritize sustainable forest management as a crucial strategy for mitigating climate change. Managed forests offer substantial carbon-offsetting benefits and contribute to a healthier ecosystem. To learn more about the carbon benefits of sustainable forest management, please visit www.workingforestscarbonblueprint.

About Washington Forest Protection Association
The Washington Forest Protection Association is a leading professional forestry association, dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management practices and protecting Washington State’s valuable forest resources. WFPA represents private forest landowners growing and harvesting trees on about 4 million acres in Washington State. Members of the 115-year-old association are large and small companies, individuals, and families who practice sustainable forestry in Washington’s private forests. For more information, go to www.wfpa.org.