FOREST REHABILITATION

RCW 76.14
in effect

RCW 76.14.010 Definitions.

As used in this chapter: (1) "Department" means the department of natural resources; (2) "Forestland" means any lands considered best adapted for the growing of trees; and (3) The term "owner" means and includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, associations, federal land managing agencies, state of Washington, counties, municipalities, and other forestland owners. As used in this chapter: (1) "Department" means the department of natural resources; (2) "Forestland" means any lands considered best adapted for the growing of trees; and (3) The term "owner" means and includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, associations, federal land managing agencies, state of Washington, counties, municipalities, and other forestland owners.

RCW 76.14.020 Yacolt burn designated high hazard area — Rehabilitation required.

The Yacolt burn situated in Clark, Skamania, and Cowlitz counties in townships 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 north, ranges 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7 1/2 and 8 east is hereby designated a high hazard forest area requiring rehabilitation by the establishment of extensive protection facilities and by the restocking of denuded areas artificially to restore the productivity of the land. The Yacolt burn situated in Clark, Skamania, and Cowlitz counties in townships 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 north, ranges 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 7 1/2 and 8 east is hereby designated a high hazard forest area requiring rehabilitation by the establishment of extensive protection facilities and by the restocking of denuded areas artificially to restore the productivity of the land.

RCW 76.14.030 Administration.

This chapter shall be administered by the department. This chapter shall be administered by the department.

RCW 76.14.040 Duties.

The department shall use funds placed at its disposal to map, survey, fell snags, build firebreaks and access roads, increase forest protection activities and do all work deemed necessary to protect forestlands from fire in the rehabilitation zone, and to perform reforestation and do other improvement work on state lands in the rehabilitation zone. The department shall use funds placed at its disposal to map, survey, fell snags, build firebreaks and access roads, increase forest protection activities and do all work deemed necessary to protect forestlands from fire in the rehabilitation zone, and to perform reforestation and do other improvement work on state lands in the rehabilitation zone.

RCW 76.14.050 Firebreaks — Powers of department — Grazing lands.

The department is authorized to cooperate with owners of land located in the area described in RCW 76.14.020 in establishing firebreaks in their most logical position regardless of land ownership. The department may by gift, purchase, condemnation or otherwise acquire easements for road rights-of-way and land or interests therein located in the high hazard forest area described in RCW 76.14.020 for any purpose deemed necessary for access for forest protection, reforestation, development and utilization, and for access to state owned lands within the area described in RCW 76.14.020 for all other purposes, and the department shall have authority to regulate the use thereof. When the landowner is using the land for agricultural grazing purposes the state shall maintain gates or adequate cattle guards at each place the road enters upon the private landowner's fenced lands. The department is authorized to cooperate with owners of land located in the area described in RCW 76.14.020 in establishing firebreaks in their most logical position regardless of land ownership. The department may by gift, purchase, condemnation or otherwise acquire easements for road rights-of-way and land or interests therein located in the high hazard forest area described in RCW 76.14.020 for any purpose deemed necessary for access for forest protection, reforestation, development and utilization, and for access to state owned lands within the area described in RCW 76.14.020 for all other purposes, and the department shall have authority to regulate the use thereof. When the landowner is using the land for agricultural grazing purposes the state shall maintain gates or adequate cattle guards at each place the road enters upon the private landowner's fenced lands.

RCW 76.14.051 Firebreaks — Preexisting agreements not altered.

Nothing in the provisions of RCW 76.14.050 as now or hereafter amended shall be construed to otherwise alter the terms of any existing agreements heretofore entered into by the state and private parties under the authority of RCW 76.14.050 as now or hereafter amended. Nothing in the provisions of RCW 76.14.050 as now or hereafter amended shall be construed to otherwise alter the terms of any existing agreements heretofore entered into by the state and private parties under the authority of RCW 76.14.050 as now or hereafter amended.

RCW 76.14.060 Powers and duties — Private lands.

The department shall have authority to acquire the right by purchase, condemnation or otherwise to cause snags on private land to be felled, slash to be disposed of, and to take such other measures on private land necessary to carry out the objectives of this chapter. The department shall have authority to acquire the right by purchase, condemnation or otherwise to cause snags on private land to be felled, slash to be disposed of, and to take such other measures on private land necessary to carry out the objectives of this chapter.

RCW 76.14.070 Powers and duties — Expenditure of public funds.

The department shall have authority to expend public money for the purposes and objectives provided in this chapter. The department shall have authority to expend public money for the purposes and objectives provided in this chapter.

RCW 76.14.080 Fire protection projects — Assessments — Payment.

The department shall develop fire protection projects within the high hazard forest area and shall determine the boundaries thereof in accordance with the lands benefited thereby and shall assess one-sixth of the cost of such projects equally upon all forestlands within the project on an acreage basis. Such assessment shall not, however, exceed twenty-five cents per acre annually nor more than one dollar and fifty cents per acre in the aggregate and shall constitute a lien upon any forest products harvested therefrom. The landowner may by written notice to the department elect to pay his or her assessment on a deferred basis at a rate of ten cents per thousand board feet and/or one cent per Christmas tree when these products are harvested from the lands for commercial use until the assessment plus two percent interest from the date of completion of each project has been paid for each acre. Payments under the deferred plan shall be credited by forty acre tracts and shall be first applied to payment of the assessment against the forty acre tract from which the funds were derived and secondly to other forty acre tracts held and designated by the payor. In the event total ownership is less than forty acres, then payment shall be applied on an undivided basis to the entire areas as to which the assessment remains unpaid. The landowner who elects to pay on deferred basis may pay any unpaid assessment and interest at any time. The department shall develop fire protection projects within the high hazard forest area and shall determine the boundaries thereof in accordance with the lands benefited thereby and shall assess one-sixth of the cost of such projects equally upon all forestlands within the project on an acreage basis. Such assessment shall not, however, exceed twenty-five cents per acre annually nor more than one dollar and fifty cents per acre in the aggregate and shall constitute a lien upon any forest products harvested therefrom. The landowner may by written notice to the department elect to pay his or her assessment on a deferred basis at a rate of ten cents per thousand board feet and/or one cent per Christmas tree when these products are harvested from the lands for commercial use until the assessment plus two percent interest from the date of completion of each project has been paid for each acre. Payments under the deferred plan shall be credited by forty acre tracts and shall be first applied to payment of the assessment against the forty acre tract from which the funds were derived and secondly to other forty acre tracts held and designated by the payor. In the event total ownership is less than forty acres, then payment shall be applied on an undivided basis to the entire areas as to which the assessment remains unpaid. The landowner who elects to pay on deferred basis may pay any unpaid assessment and interest at any time.

RCW 76.14.090 Fire protection projects — Notice — Hearing.

Notice of each project, the estimated assessment per acre, and a description of the boundaries thereof shall be given by publication in a local newspaper of general circulation thirty days in advance of commencing work. Any person owning land within the project may within ten days after publication of notice demand a hearing before the department in Olympia and present any reasons why he or she feels the assessment should not be made upon his or her land. Thereafter, the department may change the boundaries of said project to eliminate land from the project which it determines in its discretion will not be benefited by the project. Notice of each project, the estimated assessment per acre, and a description of the boundaries thereof shall be given by publication in a local newspaper of general circulation thirty days in advance of commencing work. Any person owning land within the project may within ten days after publication of notice demand a hearing before the department in Olympia and present any reasons why he or she feels the assessment should not be made upon his or her land. Thereafter, the department may change the boundaries of said project to eliminate land from the project which it determines in its discretion will not be benefited by the project.

RCW 76.14.100 Fire protection projects — Collection of assessments.

Except when the owner has notified the department in writing that he or she will make payment on the deferred plan, the assessment shall be collected by the department reporting the same to the county assessor of the county in which the property is situated upon completion of the work in that project and the assessor shall annually extend the amounts upon the tax rolls covering the property, and the amounts shall be collected in the same manner, by the same procedure, and with the same penalties attached as the next general state and county taxes on the same property are collected. Errors in assessments may be corrected at any time by the department by certifying them to the treasurer of the county in which the land involved is situated. Upon the collection of such assessments, the county treasurer shall transmit them to the department. Payment on the deferred plan shall be made directly to the department. Such payment must be made by January 31st for any timber or Christmas trees harvested during the previous calendar year and must be accompanied by a statement of the amount of timber or number of Christmas trees harvested and the legal description of the property from which they were harvested. Whenever an owner paying on the deferred plan desires to pay any unpaid balance or portion thereof, he or she may make direct payment to the department. Except when the owner has notified the department in writing that he or she will make payment on the deferred plan, the assessment shall be collected by the department reporting the same to the county assessor of the county in which the property is situated upon completion of the work in that project and the assessor shall annually extend the amounts upon the tax rolls covering the property, and the amounts shall be collected in the same manner, by the same procedure, and with the same penalties attached as the next general state and county taxes on the same property are collected. Errors in assessments may be corrected at any time by the department by certifying them to the treasurer of the county in which the land involved is situated. Upon the collection of such assessments, the county treasurer shall transmit them to the department. Payment on the deferred plan shall be made directly to the department. Such payment must be made by January 31st for any timber or Christmas trees harvested during the previous calendar year and must be accompanied by a statement of the amount of timber or number of Christmas trees harvested and the legal description of the property from which they were harvested. Whenever an owner paying on the deferred plan desires to pay any unpaid balance or portion thereof, he or she may make direct payment to the department.

RCW 76.14.110 Fire protection projects — Credit on assessment for private expenditure.

Where the department finds that a portion of the work in any project, except road building, has been done by private expenditures for fire protection purposes only and that the work was not required by other forestry laws having general application, then the department shall appraise the work on the basis of what it would have cost the state and shall credit the amount of the appraisal toward payment of any sums assessed against lands contained in the project and owned by the person or his or her predecessors in title making the expenditure. Such appraisal shall be added to the cost of the project for purposes of determining the general assessment. Where the department finds that a portion of the work in any project, except road building, has been done by private expenditures for fire protection purposes only and that the work was not required by other forestry laws having general application, then the department shall appraise the work on the basis of what it would have cost the state and shall credit the amount of the appraisal toward payment of any sums assessed against lands contained in the project and owned by the person or his or her predecessors in title making the expenditure. Such appraisal shall be added to the cost of the project for purposes of determining the general assessment.

RCW 76.14.120 Landowner's responsibility under other laws.

This chapter shall not relieve the landowner of providing adequate fire protection for forestland pursuant to RCW 76.04.610 or, in lieu thereof, of paying the forest fire protection assessment specified, but shall be deemed as providing solely for extra fire protection needed in the extrahazardous fire area. This chapter shall not relieve the landowner of providing adequate fire protection for forestland pursuant to RCW 76.04.610 or, in lieu thereof, of paying the forest fire protection assessment specified, but shall be deemed as providing solely for extra fire protection needed in the extrahazardous fire area.

RCW 76.14.130 Lands not to be included in project.

Projects pursuant to RCW 76.14.080 shall not be developed to include lands outside the following described boundary within the high hazard forest areas: Beginning at a point on the east boundary of section 24, township 4 north, range 4 east 1/4 mile south of the northeast corner; thence west 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 3/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/2 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1 3/4 miles to the west quarter corner of section 19, township 4 north, range 4 east. Thence north 1/4 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/16 mile; north 1/4 mile; west 1/16 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 2 3/16 miles; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 3/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 3/16 mile; south 7/16 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 15/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 3/4 mile; to the southwest corner of section 36, township 4 north, range 3 east. Thence west 3/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 3/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 3/8 mile; south 7/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/2 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 7/16 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 9/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 5/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 3/16 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 11/16 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 15/16 mile, being 1/16 mile north of the southeast corner of section 36, township 3 north, range 3 east. Thence east 1 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 7/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 7/16 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 5/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/2 mile; north 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile being the southeast corner of section 1, township 2 north, range 3 east. Thence south 1/4 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; east 3/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/16 mile; north 1/4 mile; east 7/16 mile; north 1/8 mile; east 9/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 5/16 mile; to the center of section 17, township 2 north, range 4 east. Thence east 1 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 2 miles; north 1/16 mile; east 1 1/2 miles; to the east quarter corner of section 13, township 2 north, range 4 east. Thence easterly 9 miles following Bonneville Power Administration's power transmission line through sections 18, 17, 16, 15, 14 and 13, township 2 north, range 5 east and sections 18, 17 and 16, township 2 north, range 6 east to the southeast corner of section 16, township 2 north, range 6 east. Thence easterly 3 3/4 miles; north 1 1/4 miles; east 1/4 mile; north 2 1/4 miles; west 3/4 mile; north 1 1/2 miles; east 3/4 mile; north 1/2 mile; east 1 mile; north 1/2 mile; east 1 mile; north 1 mile; east 2 miles; south 1 mile; east 1 mile; north 3 miles; to the northeast corner of section 1, township 3 north, range 7 east. Thence west 4 miles; south 1 mile; west 2 miles; north 1/2 mile; west 2 miles; south 1/2 mile; west 1 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 2 miles; north 1 1/2 miles; west 1 mile; south 1 mile; west 2 miles; south 1 1/2 miles; east 1 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 3 1/2 miles to the northwest corner of section 30, township 3 north, range 5 east. Thence north along Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary to the point of beginning. Projects pursuant to RCW 76.14.080 shall not be developed to include lands outside the following described boundary within the high hazard forest areas: Beginning at a point on the east boundary of section 24, township 4 north, range 4 east 1/4 mile south of the northeast corner; thence west 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 3/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/2 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/16 mile; west 1 3/4 miles to the west quarter corner of section 19, township 4 north, range 4 east. Thence north 1/4 mile; west 1/4 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/16 mile; north 1/4 mile; west 1/16 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 2 3/16 miles; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 3/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 3/16 mile; south 7/16 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 15/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 3/4 mile; to the southwest corner of section 36, township 4 north, range 3 east. Thence west 3/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 3/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 3/8 mile; south 7/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/2 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 7/16 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 9/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; east 1/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 5/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/8 mile; south 3/16 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 11/16 mile; south 3/16 mile; east 15/16 mile, being 1/16 mile north of the southeast corner of section 36, township 3 north, range 3 east. Thence east 1 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 7/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 7/16 mile; north 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 5/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 3/16 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/2 mile; north 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile being the southeast corner of section 1, township 2 north, range 3 east. Thence south 1/4 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 1/4 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/8 mile; north 1/8 mile; east 3/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; east 1/16 mile; north 1/4 mile; east 7/16 mile; north 1/8 mile; east 9/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 1/4 mile; west 1/16 mile; south 1/8 mile; west 1/8 mile; south 1/16 mile; west 1/4 mile; south 5/16 mile; to the center of section 17, township 2 north, range 4 east. Thence east 1 mile; south 1/16 mile; east 2 miles; north 1/16 mile; east 1 1/2 miles; to the east quarter corner of section 13, township 2 north, range 4 east. Thence easterly 9 miles following Bonneville Power Administration's power transmission line through sections 18, 17, 16, 15, 14 and 13, township 2 north, range 5 east and sections 18, 17 and 16, township 2 north, range 6 east to the southeast corner of section 16, township 2 north, range 6 east. Thence easterly 3 3/4 miles; north 1 1/4 miles; east 1/4 mile; north 2 1/4 miles; west 3/4 mile; north 1 1/2 miles; east 3/4 mile; north 1/2 mile; east 1 mile; north 1/2 mile; east 1 mile; north 1 mile; east 2 miles; south 1 mile; east 1 mile; north 3 miles; to the northeast corner of section 1, township 3 north, range 7 east. Thence west 4 miles; south 1 mile; west 2 miles; north 1/2 mile; west 2 miles; south 1/2 mile; west 1 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 2 miles; north 1 1/2 miles; west 1 mile; south 1 mile; west 2 miles; south 1 1/2 miles; east 1 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 1/2 mile; south 1/2 mile; west 3 1/2 miles to the northwest corner of section 30, township 3 north, range 5 east. Thence north along Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary to the point of beginning.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=76.14&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026

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