The Pals of Clark County and the Legacy Forest Protection Coalition are suing the state Division of Pure Assets to cease the deliberate sale and clear-cutting of 140 acres of timberland.
The 5 parcels throughout the historic Yacolt Burn space, collectively known as the Dabbler sale, are scheduled for public sale in January.
The swimsuit, filed in Clark County Superior Courtroom on Dec. 23, alleges the state didn’t “identify, account for, and prevent or mitigate the known environmental impacts” that may outcome from the sale.
Officers from the Division of Pure Assets weren’t accessible for touch upon Tuesday.
The timber public sale was initially scheduled for September however was delayed a number of occasions earlier than touchdown on the January schedule. As a result of the Dabbler sale would require an estimated 1,600 toes of street development, 7,500 toes of street reconstruction and 25,550 toes of pre-haul upkeep, DNR was required to finish a full environmental evaluation of the challenge.
Foster stated the essential function legacy timber have in carbon sequestration can’t be overstated.
“We need legacy trees to meet our new climate goals,” Foster stated.
The lawsuit claims DNR has not created a forest land plan, a panorama evaluation that determines what proportion of structurally complicated lands could be thought of for harvest, as required.
“DNR failed to consider the direct and indirect impacts of logging structurally complex forests located within the boundaries of the Dabbler timber sale, including … harm to wildlife and plant species, loss of habitat for sensitive or at-risk species, and loss of biodiversity,” the swimsuit states.
A listening to date for the lawsuit has not been scheduled.