Washington state's forests are facing major health threats, according to an environmental forum sponsored by the UW College of Forest Resources (CFR).

Diminishing ecosystem health, urbanization of farmland and dwindling timber supply were the top three environmental concerns of forum participants.

Without resolution, all three have the potential to hurt the state's ability to compete in the global timber market.

The third annual Northwest Environmental Forum hosted 90 representatives from the state Legislature, nonprofit organizations and environmental groups to discuss possible solutions to these issues.

"What can we do as a state to keep forests on the land base?" was the question of the evening, said CFR Dean Bruce Bare.

The CFR has conducted five studies on the future of state forestry during the past two years, funded by a $1 million grant from the Legislature in early 2005.

According to the forum's Web site, members used the results of these studies as their primary source in deciding on an appropriate course of action against environmental threats.

"We are not advocating that we roll back any [current] regulations," said Bare of the group's plans. "We are advocating market-based, economical solutions instead of more regulations."

In order to understand the great need for change, Washington residents must first understand why each of the three issues is in fact a cause of concern.

The health status of the state's forests has been on a steady decline for a number of years, Bare explained.

While Smokey the Bear has always told us that only we can prevent forest fires, natural forest fires actually increase forest health, burning off underbrush and small trees in low-intensity fires and regulating forest growth.

With an excess of small trees and brush competing with older trees for sunlight and nutrients, wooded areas become susceptible to insect infestations capable of killing off entire forests.

This overstocking of woodland areas with dead trees and trees too small to be marketable is like adding lighter fuel to a burning flame, warned Bare.

"When a fire does start from lightning, there is tremendous fuel there," he said.

In response to such problems, the forum supported a plan to fund the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop thinning projects for forests on private and public land, as well as for studying how dead or deteriorating trees could be used as a source of biofuel.

While there are tree farms in the state where quality wood can be hand-grown, landowners are given little incentive to replant each crop, even though the state requires them to do so.

Provided with no tax break or financial help from the government when re-seeding their land, landowners find it is more advantageous to sell the acreage to a development company.

As wooded areas are then lost to urban development, older forests that are home to a diverse range of wildlife are lost as well, forcing these animals out of their natural habitat.

In order to keep these private forests intact and sustain biodiversity, the forum proposed strengthening the small-landowner assistance program through DNR, as well as conservation easements or possible tax relief, said Bare.

Reach reporter Brittany Rogers at brittanyrogers@thedaily.washington.edu.