Forest products workforce

WHEREAS, Washington's forests are an essential part of the 1
state's history, culture, economy, and environment, covering 22 2
million acres of the state; and 3
WHEREAS, Forests purify the air we breathe and provide clean 4
water to our communities by absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, and 5
they provide countless other benefits, including fish and wildlife 6
habitat, recreation, scenic beauty, local renewable energy, and wood, 7
an energy efficient green building material; and 8
WHEREAS, Forests products play a critical role in combating 9
climate change due to the natural process of photosynthesis where 10
trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, release oxygen into 11
the atmosphere and capture carbon which is stored in wood products 12
for the life of the product; and 13
WHEREAS, From 2001 to 2021, state and private forest landowners 14
in Washington removed nearly 9,200 fish passage barriers and opened 15
up nearly 6,500 miles of historic fish habitat as part of their 16
commitment to implementing the Forest and Fish Law; and17
WHEREAS, The production of wood, paper, and energy products from 18
the forest supports more than 42,000 direct jobs and another 60,000 19
forest sector related jobs, paying wages of nearly $6 billion each 20
year; which provide family-wage employment opportunities, sustain 21
rural economies, and strengthen local communities; and22
SENATE RESOLUTION
8633
By Senators Chapman, Krishnadasan, Saldaña, Shewmake, Valdez, Warnick, J. Wilson,
King, MacEwen, Muzzall, Short, Torres, Schoesler, Boehnke, Harris, Lovelett,
Wagoner, Fortunato, and Hasegawa
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WHEREAS, Products harvested from sustainably managed forests 1
are renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, and sustainable, an 2
essential part of our green economy that continues to grow and 3
innovate through a skilled workforce dedicated to responsible 4
forestry practices and advanced manufacturing; and 5
WHEREAS, In the face of increased threats to our forests 6
including diseases, insects, droughts, and wildfires, we need to 7
increase the resilience and health of our state's forests and 8
preserve their key role in mitigating climate change; and9
WHEREAS, Washington's integrated forest products sector and 10
the workers, mills, logging contractors, and forestry 11
professionals are essential to efforts to restore and maintain 12
the health of forests, reduce the risk of catastrophic 13
wildfires, and make forests more resilient to drought and 14
climate change; and 15
WHEREAS, Washington's pulp and paper mills are state and 16
federally recognized essential businesses that keep vital paper 17
products available in the Pacific Northwest across the United 18
States and globally. Washington's mills provide approximately 19
7,500 predominantly union-backed, family-wage jobs in some of 20
Washington's more rural, economically distressed communities 21
providing a 3:1 job multiplier. Mills are often the single 22
largest employers and taxpayers in these counties, providing 23
critical tax funding for police, fire, and emergency medical 24
services, as well as funding for local school districts; and25
WHEREAS, Washington Forest Products Day at the legislature 26
takes place on April 9, 2025, when legislators will visit with 27
individuals from across the state representing the diverse 28
nature of Washington's forest products industry, including 29
workers who help drive the economy forward while advocating for 30
responsible policies that protect both jobs and the environment;31
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate acknowledge 32
and honor the workforce and industry professionals whose work 33
within this important industry has contributed much 34
to the strength and vitality of our economy, our environment, 35
the character of our communities, and the general well-being of 36
our citizens. 37
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I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate, 1
do hereby certify that this is a true and 2
correct copy of Senate Resolution 8633, 3
adopted by the Senate 4
April 9, 2025 5
SARAH BANNISTER 6
Secretary of the Senate 7
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