Pierce County considers timber sale, plans to thin 200 acres | Tacoma News Tribune

The Pierce County Council is discussing an ordinance to thin approximately 200 acres of the Buckley Forest Preserve, a critical step toward enhancing the forest's resilience against climate change and environmental stressors. If approved, the county expects to earn over $131,000 from a public auction of the timber, with funds reinvested into the preserve for improving its health and recreational facilities. The vote has been postponed until December 17 due to concerns about the capacity of 134th Street East to support logging truck traffic. The Buckley Forestland Preserve Management Plan emphasizes the necessity of thinning due to the forest's overly dense tree population, which struggles for essential resources. Historically, the area was clearcut and densely replanted without adequate management, resulting in a forest dominated by a few species.

The council aims to address these ecological issues while managing invasive species like Himalayan blackberry that threaten the understory. This initiative underscores the county's commitment to sustainable forest management and ecological restoration, with the proposed thinning viewed as essential for forest health.