Title 79 — Title 79 PUBLIC LANDS

(1) It shall be the duty of the department to report, and recommend, to each session of the legislature, any changes in the law relating to the methods of handling the public lands of the state that the department may deem advisable.(2) The department shall provide a comprehensiv…

The department is hereby authorized, when in its judgment it appears advisable, to accept on behalf of the state, any grant of land within the state which shall then become a part of the state forests. No grant may be accepted until the title has been examined and approved by the…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the department shall manage and control all lands acquired by the state by escheat or under RCW 79.19.010 through 79.19.110 and all lands acquired by the state by deed of sale or gift or by devise, except such lands which …

Any county, city or town is authorized and empowered to convey to the state of Washington any lands owned by such county, city or town upon the selection of such lands by the department and the department is hereby authorized to select and accept conveyances of lands from such co…

The department is authorized to use such lands for the purposes hereinbefore expressed and to improve said lands and build thereon any necessary structures for the purposes hereinbefore expressed and expend in so doing such funds as may be authorized by law therefor.[ 1988 c 128 …

The department may comply with county or municipal zoning ordinances, laws, rules, or regulations affecting the use of public lands where such regulations are consistent with the treatment of similar private lands.[ 2004 c 199 s 209; 2003 c 334 s 544; 1971 ex.s. c 234 s 13. Forme…

(1) In the management of public lands lying within the limits of any watershed over and through which is derived the water supply of any city or town, the department may alter its land management practices to provide water with qualities exceeding standards established for intras…

When the merchantable timber has been sold and actually removed from any state lands, the department may classify the land, and may reserve from any future sale such portions thereof as may be found suitable for reforestation, and in such case, shall enter such reservation in its…

Periodically at intervals to be determined by the board, the department shall cause an economic analysis to be made of those state lands held in trust, where the nature of the trust makes maximization of the economic return to the beneficiaries of income from state lands the prim…

The legislature hereby directs that a multiple use concept be utilized by the department in the administration of public lands where such a concept is in the best interests of the state and the general welfare of the citizens thereof, and is consistent with the applicable provisi…

"Multiple use" as used in RCW 79.10.070, 79.44.003, and this chapter shall mean the management and administration of state-owned lands under the jurisdiction of the department to provide for several uses simultaneously on a single tract and/or planned rotation of one or more uses…

Multiple uses additional to and compatible with those basic activities necessary to fulfill the financial obligations of trust management may include but are not limited to:(1) Recreational areas;(2) Recreational trails for both vehicular and nonvehicular uses developed or mainta…

All state lands hereafter leased for grazing or agricultural purposes shall be open and available to the public for purposes of hunting and fishing, and for nonconsumptive wildlife activities, as defined by the board of natural resources, unless closed to public entry because of …

(1) The department is hereby authorized to carry out all activities necessary to achieve the purposes of this section and RCW 79.10.060, 79.10.070, 79.10.100 through 79.10.120, 79.10.200 through 79.10.330, 79.44.003, and 79.105.050 including, but not limited to:(a) Planning, cons…

The department is authorized:(1) To construct, operate, and maintain primitive outdoor recreation and conservation facilities on lands under its jurisdiction which are of primitive character when deemed necessary by the department to achieve maximum effective development of such …

The department may adopt a multiple use land resource allocation plan for all or portions of the lands under its jurisdiction providing for the identification and establishment of areas of land uses and identifying those uses which are best suited to achieve the purposes of RCW 7…

For the purpose of providing increased continuity in the management of public lands and of facilitating long range planning by interested agencies, the department is authorized to identify and to withdraw from all conflicting uses at such times and for such periods as it shall de…

The department may confer with other public and private agencies to facilitate the formulation of policies and/or plans providing for multiple use concepts. The department is empowered to hold public hearings from time to time to assist in achieving the purposes of RCW 79.10.060,…

Nothing in RCW 79.10.060, 79.10.070, 79.10.100 through 79.10.120, 79.10.130, 79.10.200 through 79.10.330, 79.44.003, and * 79.90.456 shall be construed to affect or repeal any existing authority or powers of the department in the management or administration of the lands under it…

Nothing in RCW 79.10.060, 79.10.070, 79.10.100 through 79.10.120, 79.10.130, 79.10.200 through 79.10.330, 79.44.003, and * 79.90.456 shall be construed to affect, amend, or repeal any existing withdrawal of public lands for state park or state game purposes.[ 2003 c 334 s 547; 19…

(1) The department shall design expansion of its land use data bank to include additional information that will assist in the formulation, evaluation, and updating of intermediate and long-range goals and policies for land use, population growth and distribution, urban expansion,…

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise the definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 79.10.310, 79.10.320, and 79.10.330.(1) "Arrearage" means the summation of the annual sustainable harvest timber volume since July 1, 1979, less the sum of state timber sales contra…

"Sustained yield plans" as used in RCW 79.10.070, 79.44.003, and this chapter shall mean management of the forest to provide harvesting on a continuing basis without major prolonged curtailment or cessation of harvest.[ 2003 c 334 s 536; 1971 ex.s. c 234 s 3. Formerly RCW 79.68.0…

The department shall manage the state-owned lands under its jurisdiction which are primarily valuable for the purpose of growing forest crops on a sustained yield basis insofar as compatible with other statutory directives. To this end, the department shall periodically adjust th…

If an arrearage exists at the end of any planning decade, the department shall conduct an analysis of alternatives to determine the course of action regarding the arrearage which provides the greatest return to the trusts based upon economic conditions then existing and forecast,…

The board of natural resources shall offer for sale the sustainable harvest as identified in the 1984-1993 forestland management program, or as subsequently revised. In the event that decisions made by entities other than the department cause a decrease in the sustainable harvest…

The department with regard to state forestlands and state lands is hereby authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the United States of America, Indian tribes, and private owners of timberland providing for coordinated forest management, including time, rate, and meth…

The department is hereby authorized and directed to determine, define, and declare informally the establishment of a sustained yield unit, comprising the land area to be covered by any such cooperative agreement and include therein such other lands as may be later acquired by the…

The department shall agree that the cutting from combined national forestlands, state forestlands, and state lands will be limited to the sustained yield capacity of these lands in the management unit as determined by the contracting parties and approved by the board for state fo…

The private contracting party or parties shall enjoy the right of easement over state forestlands and state lands included under said cooperative agreement for railway, road, and other uses necessary to the carrying out of the agreement. This easement shall be only for the life o…

During the period when any such cooperative agreement is in effect, the timber on the state forestlands and state lands which the department determines shall be included in the sustained yield unit may, from time to time, be sold at not less than its appraised value as approved b…

The sale of timber upon state forestland and state land within such sustained yield unit or units shall be made for not less than the appraised value thereof as heretofore provided for the sale of timber on state lands. However, if in the judgment of the department, it is to the …

A written contract shall be entered into with the successful bidder which shall fix the time when logging operations shall be commenced and concluded and require monthly payments for timber removed as soon as scale sheets have been tabulated and the amount of timber removed durin…

No transfer or assignment by the purchaser shall be valid unless the transferee or assignee is acceptable to the department and the transfer or assignment approved by it in writing.[ 2003 c 334 s 517; 1988 c 128 s 73; 1941 c 123 s 3; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 7879-16a. Formerly RCW 79.60…

The purchaser shall, at the time of executing the contract, deliver a performance bond or sureties acceptable in regard to terms and amount to the department, but such performance bond or sureties shall not exceed ten percent of the estimated value of the timber purchased compute…

(1) The department must develop and implement, through an inclusive stakeholder process managed by the department, an official recreational trail policy that is consistent with this section and the management mandate of the department.(2)(a) The recreational trail policy develope…

The department should work with representatives of local governments to find efficiencies in gaining local government permits for the development and maintenance of recreational facilities and trails. If barriers to permitting efficiencies require legislative action to overcome, …

(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall, to the extent feasible given all applicable trust responsibilities, develop and implement a policy for prioritizing investments on forest health treatments to protect state…

(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, consistent with the prioritization policy developed pursuant to RCW 79.10.520, and to the extent feasible given all applicable trust responsibilities, the department must identify areas of state…

(1) Before entering into any contract for the construction of or replacement of any bridge on department controlled land, the commissioner must consider whether to require the installation of informational signs that address the hazard of diving or jumping off the bridge as part …