(1) The board may create a state forestland pool, to be managed in accordance with this section, if the board determines that creation of a land pool is in the best interest of the state or affected trust, based on an analysis prepared by the department under RCW 79.22.150.

(2) A county is eligible to participate in a land pool if the board determines it has existing state forestlands encumbered with timber harvest deferrals, associated with wildlife species listed under the federal endangered species act, more than 30 years in length.

(3) All lands in the land pool are state forestlands and must be managed in the same manner and with the same responsibilities as other state forestlands. Proceeds from the state forestland pool must, except as provided in RCW 79.64.110, be distributed under RCW 79.22.010 and 79.22.040.

(4)(a) A county may participate in the land pool only if it is eligible, as determined under subsection (2) of this section, and the board receives a written request to do so by the legislative authority of that county.

(b) The board shall end any further participation of a county in the land pool if it receives a written request to do so by the legislative authority of that county. If the board receives such a request, that county's interest in the land pool as a beneficiary remains, but no new contributions of asset value may be made to the land pool on behalf of the county and no new lands may be purchased in that county for the land pool.

(5)(a) If a land pool is created by the board, the department and the participating counties must develop a funding strategy for acquiring land to include in the land pool.

(b) The department and participating counties may pursue funding for the transfer of state forestland encumbered by long-term wildlife-related harvest deferrals within the participating counties into status as a natural area preserve under chapter 79.70 RCW or a natural resources conservation area under chapter 79.71 RCW, and use the value of the transferred land to acquire working forestlands to include in the land pool.

(c) The department and participating counties may pursue other land acquisition funding strategies.

(6) The department may acquire replacement state forestland located outside of counties participating in a state forestland pool when the department has transferred some or all of the encumbered state forestlands of the counties to natural area status under chapter 79.70 or 79.71 RCW.

(a) Counties participating in a state forestland pool that desire to have the department acquire replacement lands in a designated county not included in the state forestland pool shall provide the department an agreement entered with the designated county that meets the following requirements:

(i) The designated county shall not object to forest practices undertaken on the replacement state forestland in conformity with all applicable laws and rules;

(ii) The counties participating in the state forestland pool acknowledge that they shall pass through the payment in lieu of taxes to which they are entitled, under RCW 79.70.130 or 79.71.130, to the designated county in which replacement lands are purchased, on an acre for acre basis;

(iii) If the designated county desires to terminate the agreement, the designated county shall be required to pay the department the fair market value of the replacement forestlands, including the value of valuable materials attached to the lands, at the time of termination based on an appraisal accepted by the department and approved by the board; and

(iv) The board of county commissioners for the designated county and each county participating in the state forestland pool approves the agreement in the manner provided by RCW 42.30.060.

(b) When the department receives an agreement meeting the requirements of (a) of this subsection, the department shall make reasonable efforts to acquire working forestlands within the designated county to include in the state forestland pool.

(c) The counties participating in the state forestland pool shall pass through the payment in lieu of taxes to which they are entitled under RCW 79.70.130 or 79.71.130, based on the encumbered state forestlands within their counties transferred to natural area status, to the designated county in which the replacement state forestlands are located, on an acre for acre basis.

(d) Whenever the board of county commissioners of the county in which the replacement state forestlands are located determines to terminate the agreement described in (a) of this subsection, the board of county commissioners shall notify the department and the counties participating in the state forestland pool. The department shall transfer the replacement state forestlands to the county upon receipt of the fair market value of the lands, including the value of valuable materials attached to the lands, as determined by appraisal and approved by the board. The proceeds shall be placed in the parkland trust revolving fund and be solely used by the department to buy replacement land within the counties participating in the subject state forestland pool or another county with which the participating counties have entered an agreement under (a) of this subsection.

(e) The authority provided by this subsection to acquire replacement state forestlands located outside of the counties participating in a state forestland pool does not preclude the department from acquiring replacement lands within the counties participating in the state forestland pool as necessary to fully replace the encumbered state forestlands transferred under RCW 79.22.060(1)(b).

Findings—2023 c 383: See note following RCW 79.17.300.

Findings—Intent—2012 c 166: See note following RCW 79.02.010.