Senator Murray Tours Timber Thinning Sites Near Darrington, Discusses Ecologically Sustainable Timber Practices

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Darrington, WA - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, met with Darrington Mayor Dan Rankin and members of the Darrington Collaborative to tour several timber sales and timber thinning sites. The Darrington Collaborative is a partnership between diverse interests such as major conservation organizations, local STEM education programs, the local timber industry, and the community of Darrington, with the goal of increasing ecologically sustainable timber harvests in the Darrington region, creating jobs, and improving and restoring the health of forests and watersheds.

The Darrington Collaborative was established in 2015 and is the result of leaders from different sectors of timber, conservation and government coming together to work towards common goals for the health of the forest and community. Senator Murray helped convene this collaborative process in the aftermath of the Oso landslide.

"It was great to meet with a few members of the Darrington Collaborative in the beautiful Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to hear about the work they do to create a more resilient forest," said Senator Murray. "The Collaborative has been instrumental in preserving our forests while protecting jobs and even establishing local STEM education programs. As Senate Appropriations Chair, I'll continue to fight for the strongest possible investments to protect our forests and our public lands."

Senator Murray has been a longtime champion of protecting Washington's public lands and natural resources. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murray secured crucial investments in the U.S. Forest Service, wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts, and more in last year's spending package. It included over $4 billion for wildfire preparedness and suppression, over $6 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, as well as millions in Congressionally Directed Spending for Washington state conservation projects.

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