Section 79.155.050. Criteria for identification and prioritization of forestlands suitable for potential inclusion in the community forest trust.

(1) The department shall, if it establishes a community forest trust program, develop criteria to be used for the identification and prioritization of forestland that is suitable for potential inclusion in the community forest trust due to its ability to most closely satisfy the goals of the community forest trust outlined in RCW 79.155.030.

(2) In prioritizing forestland for inclusion in the community forest trust, the department shall give priority consideration to lands that are:

(a) The subject of established management and revenue production objectives of potential local community partners;

(b) At greatest risk of conversion;

(c) Helping buffer commercial public or private forestlands from encroaching development;

(d) Helping to block up other community forest assets to be managed consistently with the community forest trust acquisition;

(e) Able to be managed, considering surrounding current or expected future land use, as economically sustainable working forestland either alone or in combination with adjacent and nearby working forestland, including other lands incorporated into a community forest by the department, a local governmental entity, or a not-for-profit conservation organization managing forestlands;

(f) Eligible for trust land transfer capital appropriations;

(g) Available for acquisition through existing or new programs or funding;

(h) Supporting existing or expanded forest product manufacturing infrastructure;

(i) Useful in leveraging funds to match available acquisition moneys;

(j) Positioned to have their development rights extinguished through transfer, purchase, conservation easement, lease, or by some other comparable mechanism; or

(k) Enhancing state fiduciary trust land revenues by repositioning underperforming state trust lands to provide short and long-term revenues to that trust.

[ 2011 c 216 § 5.]

2011 c 216 § 5.