Proposed rule changes and forest management improvements will fulfill the rigorous requirements of both the federal Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. New forested buffers along streambanks in private forests will address critical needs for healthy fish. Although most new buffers will be well over 100 feet in width, in some places in western Washington they can be as wide as 200 feet - on both sides of a stream. Restricted management, mostly thinning, will be allowed in a middle zone away from the stream. Finally, an outer zone will contain 20 trees per acre.
Buffers create cooling shade for the stream.
Buffers also encourage large trees to fall into the stream, creating pools that fish use for rest and feeding. Cool, clean water is what fish need and these new stream buffer restrictions are designed to keep it that way. The plan will take care of one part of the salmon cycle in our state, covering 60,000 miles of streams on some 8 million acres of private forest lands. Forest landowners are encouraged that other sectors in the salmon cycle are beginning to work on their own solutions to salmon and water quality needs. The legislation was introduced as part of Governor Locke's request measures.