Washington Department of Natural Resources
Compiled by Lori Price, State Lands Assistant Region Manager, Recreation & Conservation, Department of Natural Resources, South Puget Sound Region
Just prior to statehood, a cash-poor, land-rich federal government provided Washington with more than 3 million acres of land to build schools and other vital public institutions. Free public education was seen then, as it is now, as essential to American freedom, prosperity, and happiness. Two square miles of every 36-square "township" were given to the young state of Washington to generate revenue for education.
In 1957, the legislature created the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to manage state trust lands for the people of Washington. Under the elected leadership of the Commissioner of Public Lands, DNR manages seven specific trusts to generate revenue and preserve forests, water, and habitat. DNR now manages 5.6 million acres of forest, range, agricultural, aquatic, and commercial lands for more than $200 million in annual financial benefit for public schools, state institutions, and county services.
Our mission: Manage, sustain, and protect the health and productivity of Washington’s lands and waters to meet the needs of present and future generations.
Funding Schools and Services
TRUST LANDS SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND COUNTY SERVICES
What are state trust lands?
The Department of Natural Resources manages 3 million acres of state trust lands in Washington. State trust lands are distinctive in that they are managed to produce non-tax revenue for specific beneficiaries.
Just before Washington became a state, Congress passed the Omnibus Enabling Act of 1889, which granted the new state millions of acres of land to support public institutions. Today, these trust lands are an ongoing source of land-based financial support to the various beneficiaries, including public kindergarten through Grade 12 (K-12) schools, state universities, buildings on the capitol campus, and correctional facilities. By far the largest of these federally granted trusts is the Common School trust with approximately 1.8 million acres of forestland, agricultural lands and other properties. Revenue generated on these lands helps fund K-12 school construction projects across the state.
State Forest trust lands are another category of state trust lands managed by the department. Most State Forest trust lands were originally privately owned forest lands forfeited to counties in the 1920s and 1930s due to unpaid property taxes. These lands were subsequently turned over to the state and today DNR manages State Forest trust lands for the benefit of the county where the lands are located. Most State Forest trust lands are in Western Washington.
Who are the beneficiaries?
DNR manages several trusts with different beneficiaries. The chart below illustrates the proportional acreage of the major trusts, followed by a description of the beneficiaries for each.
Photo courtersy of DNR.
Major Trusts Managed by DNR, by Acreage
K-12 Common School trust: These trust lands benefit K-12 schools by provide funding for school construction projects throughout the state.
State Forest Land trust: State Forest trust lands (Transfer and Purchase) benefit counties and junior taxing districts. They provide revenue that supports local and state schools as well as county services including roads, libraries, fire districts, ports, hospitals and emergency management.
Scientific School trust: These lands benefit Washington State University.
Agricultural School trust: These lands provide funding for Washington State University.
Normal School trust: These lands generate revenue for Eastern Washington, Western Washington and Central Washington universities, and The Evergreen State College.
Capitol Building trust: These lands produce funding for the state buildings at the Capitol in Olympia.
Charitable, Educational, Penal and Reformatory Institutions trust: These lands support institutions managed by the state departments of Corrections and Social and Health Services.
University trust: These lands produce revenue for the University of Washington.
Two Types of Natural Areas
DNR manages two different kinds of natural areas to conserve and restore special state-managed lands.
Tiger Mountain. Photo courtesy of WA DNR.
Natural Area Preserves
Natural Area Preserves protect the best remaining examples of many ecological communities including rare plant and animal habitat. The DNR Natural Heritage Program identifies the highest quality, most ecologically important sites for protection as natural area preserves. The resulting network of preserves represents a legacy for future generations and helps ensure that blueprints of the state's natural ecosystems are protected forever. The preserve system presently includes more than 41,483 acres in 58 sites throughout the state. In eastern Washington, habitats protected on preserves include outstanding examples of arid land shrub-steppe, grasslands, vernal ponds, oak woodlands, subalpine meadows and forest, ponderosa pine forests and rare plant habitats. Western Washington preserves include several large coastal preserves supporting high quality wetlands, salt marshes and forested buffers. Other westside habitats include mounded prairies, sphagnum bogs, natural late-successional forests and grassland balds.
Natural Resources Conservation Areas
Natural Resources Conservation Areas protect outstanding examples of native ecosystems, habitat for endangered, threatened and sensitive plants and animals, and scenic landscapes. Environmental education and low-impact public use are appropriate on conservation areas where they do not impair the protected features. Critical habitat is conserved in NRCAs for many plant and animal species, including rare species. NRCAs include coastal and high elevation forests, alpine lakes, wetlands, scenic vistas, nesting birds of prey, rocky headlands and high-quality native plant communities. Conservation areas also protect geologic, cultural, historical, and archeological sites. More than 127,981 acres are conserved in 39 Washington State NRCAs.
Tiger Mountain. Photo courtesy of WA DNR.
Access Facilities at DNR Natural Areas
Many natural areas include access facilities such as trails or day use areas. Use DNR's statewide interactive recreation map to explore low-impact recreation and environmental education opportunities on DNR-managed natural resources conservation areas and natural area preserves. All DNR natural areas are available for approved scientific research and other environmental education activities. For more information about research and educational uses of DNR natural areas, contact the natural areas land managers or ecologists.
Our Working Forests
From IATC photo archives, c. 1981.
Want to take a closer look at the opportunities available on our 3.3 million acres of state trust lands? Click through our working forests below to learn more about their recreation sites, tips for your trip, and everything you need to know before you head out.
Tiger Mountain. Photo courtesy of WA DNR.
Learn more about the Washington State Department of Natural Resources here.