- Pack Forest is a 4,374 acre research and experimental forest operated by the University of Washington with a $900,000 annual budget. It generates revenue through timber harvesting, a conference center, cell towers, and other means. - Staffing levels have been reduced through layoffs. The organizational structure and harvest levels have also changed in recent years. - Due to past overharvesting, standing timber volumes are lower than expected. Future harvest plans aim to balance revenue generation with sustainable yields over decades-long rotations. - Options to revitalize Pack Forest include increasing state support, bringing in more students and research, pursuing grants, or potentially divesting land assets.

1. Pack Forest Update
10-15-10
Gregory J Ettl
Associated Professor and Director
Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forest

2. Pack Forest
 UW’s Research and Experimental Forest
– 4374 acres
– Working forest (harvest 40 ac/yr)
– 56,000 ft2 Conference Center
– $900,000 annual operating budget
– $38,790 state support, 15-25 UW employees
 Self-sustaining
– Private goods: timber, conference center revenue, grants
and contracts, cell phone tower leases, state support, salal
and firewood
– Potential sale of development rights or property
– Potential sale of ecosystem services—conservation
easements

3. SO WHAT HAS CHANGED?

4. Interim Director,
School of Forest
Resources
Tom Hinckley
CSF-PF Director
Greg Ettl
Forest Manager
½ vacant
Woods Utility Lead
0.6 FTE
Outreach Specialist
Vacant
Woods Worker
Vacant
Trail Maintenance
Vacant-lay-off
Woods Worker
Vacant
CSF-PF Program
Manager
Vacant
Conference Manager
Terri McCauley
Lead Custodian
Diane Harris
Dining Hall Supervisor
Georgainne Crouchet
Program Assistant
Maintenance
Mechanic
0.8 FTE
Assistant to the
Director
Pat Saunders
2 Research
Assistantships
4 summer interns
Utility Worker
Vacant-lay-off
10 Dining Hall Staff
Organizational Structure
15-25 Employees
13 students and
volunteers this
summer
Layoffs
Added Students

5. SO WHY THE CHANGE?

6. Forest Resources
 4374 total acres
– 461 ac in ecological reserves
– 118 ac adjacent to the main campus
buildings
– 78 ac of forest adjacent to the main
entrance, and the junction of state HWY
7 and 161
– 3717 ac of production forest are
available to support operations

7. Harvest History: Sorry but we cut too much
Total land
base (timber
production
land) in acres
Total acres
harvested
Total land
base
harvested (%
of 4374 ac)
Land
production %
of what we
owned at time
harvested
1970’s 2880 (2200?) 644 14.7% 29.3%
1980’s 4073 (3400?) 1105 25.3% 32.5%
1990’s 4374 (3717) 720.7 16.4% 19.4%
2000’s 4374 (3717) 462 10.5% 12.4%
Total 1970-2008 4374 (3717) 2932 67.0% 78.9%
•Note that under a 35-year rotation we would expect to harvest
1/35th of 3717 ac (106 ac) each year
• On a 65-year rotation (57 ac/year)
•2932/28 years=104.7 ac/year

8. Projected harvest and revenue in a good
(2007) timber market
5-year
harvest
period
*Standing
Initial
Volume
MMBF
Harvested
Volume
MMBF
Stand
volume
gained in
period
MMBF
Residual
volume at
end of period
MMBF
2010-2015 32.33 7.26 2.14 27.21
2015-2020 27.21 6.29 1.17 32.09
2020-2025 32.09 7.24 6.78 31.63
2025-2030 31.63 7.11 13.34 37.86
2030-2035 37.86 7.72 15.86 46.00

9. Harvest Plan under good timber market

10. Projected harvest under poor
timber market
5-year harvest
period
*Standing
Volume
Beginning
MMBF
Harvested
Volume
MMBF
Stand volume
gained in
period
MMBF
Residual
volume at end
of period
MMBF
2010-2015 26.2 9.90 1.51 14.79
2015-2020 14.79 11.79 10.34 13.34
2020-2025 13.34 12.17 2.47 3.64
2025-2030 3.64 ††9.27 14.46 8.83
2030-2035 8.83 8.83 15.86 10.20
2035-2040 10.20 10.20 12.85 12.85
Stands enter production-sized sorts around 50 years post harvest and therefore volumes increase as
stands planted post 1970’s-1980’s harvests mature stand volumes increase.
†Assumed net timber revenue: $250/MBF for Douglas-fir, $250/MBF for red alder, $600/MBF for
western redcedar, and $3/ton pulp.
††Additional timber volume comes from cutting campus and road buffers.

11. NOW WHAT?

12. Steps to Revitalize Pack Forest
 Increased State Support?
 More students (classes and research)
 Grant and contract revenue
 Mount Rainier Institute?
 Divest of land?
 ECOSEL Auction of Management
– Looking to hold a stakeholder meeting
– It would be great to have support of
Nisqually River Council

13. THANK YOU