The next timber sale ‘auction day’ is set for 10AM on Wednesday, January 29th. In Clallam County, the problematic ‘Dungeness & Dragons’ is DNR’s offering to timber interests.

DNR proposes to spend MORE on roads then they will accept in revenues, if one bidder posts at minimum bid ($319K in road costs versus $311K minimum bid, and commonly only one or two bids are submitted). All this while wiping out mature forest and excellent wildlife habitat, and destroying a great opportunity to develop an ideal hiking asset in the gorge section of the Dungeness River.

Much can be learned by studying the DNR documents. Here are a few links:

• Even though the records show DNR could lose $8,300 awarding this contract, DNR also claims they will provide $187K in revenues. That translates to $195K DNR will pull out of … ??Where?? Check out the ‘Fact Sheet‘ DNR published in the weeks ahead of BNR’s 12/3/24 meeting.
• An analysis of the timber cruise data.
• A letter to DNR Region Director Bill Wells, emailed 1/22/25; no reply has been returned as of 1/28.
• An alternative proposal: no logging; develop a hiking trailhead approximately a mile south of the fish hatchery; engage the community to design, build, and maintain a trail system with a loop, including access to the river and to USFS lands on the south boundary (for further connection to the Dungeness Forks trails).

Given that this sale is designed to lose money, the PEOPLE should be allowed to buy the timber (or at least buy a ‘reprieve’ of 50 years?) and engage the community to preserve this area for habitat and hiking.