WA State Tree Policies

WMTP Tree Protection

Improving Washington State Tree Policies

Protecting Local Trees/Forests by Improving Washington State Tree Policies and Selected Federal Policies

Introduction

WMTP advocates at a state level when Washington state policymakers introduce bills, codes or other actions that may positively or negatively impact tree canopy within Whatcom County. We hold personal meetings with policymakers, monitor relevant legislative bills, testify at public hearings, build or support potent petition drives and email campaigns when needed, and use other advocacy methods to improve Washington state tree policies.

We’ve had a few notable successes with Washingtaon state tree policies and have more pending. They are summarized below:

1. Improving Landscape Defensible Space Codes for Home Wildfire Resiliency

Our wildfire-related advocacy success described below, if maintained long-term as Washington state tree policy, will save tens of thousands of trees in our high-growth state over many years. (Note: We do not include this in our ongoing metric of trees protected since the number of trees cannot be more accurately estimated.)

Read further for the story of our success:

The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) periodically updates the state’s building code. In 2018, SBCC was directed by the Legislature to address community wildfire resiliency. The focus of that direction was to revise building code standards.

Unfortunately, the SBCC wandered into landscape issues without calling in wildfire resiliency experts for advice. Their insular process led to proposed “landscape defensible space” rules that would have required the clearing of most trees up to 100′ from any new (or expanded) development, home or ancillary structure built within “wildfire urban interface areas” in the state.

Source: National Fire Protection Association

Compounding the problem was reliance on inaccurate wildland urban interface mapping by the WA Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Their faulty map meant most of coastal Washington — including within many dense urban areas (see image below) — would be subject to massive amounts of unwarranted tree removal around new developments and other construction.

The SBCC’s proposed landscape code was not supported by the latest wildfire resiliency science. The new code also would have conflicted with numerous other WA tree policies and laws for climate change, environmental protection, biodiversity support, etc..

Poor landscape buffer code may re-surface, however. Certain officials within the SBCC still aim to create WA tree policies that would force more tree clearing around homes — to supposedly help wildfire resilience. Their attitude reflects a deep misunderstanding of how wildfire resiliency truly works. Hot wildfire ashes can blow in fire-generated high winds for miles from a fire. The key is what happens when a hot ash lands on a house or immediately next to a home. Small, affordable home hardening steps (see box below) are much more effective for home wildfire survivability.

How we stopped the faulty SBCC draft code: Through tireless advocacy and participation in public hearings, WMTP and its Olympia nonprofit partner Restoring Earth Connection prevented the SBCC’s ill-conceived landscape defensible space code from being adopted. (We supported the building hardening portions of their code.) Our work in 2024 led to near-unanimous passing of SB 6120 which was then signed by the Governor on March 15, 2024. This bill prohibited the SBCC’s landscape code from moving forward and directed DNR to develop a more accurate fuel-based map of wildland urban interface areas in Washington. (That new mapping effort is currently in progress.)

During the 2025 legislative session, the SBCC and certain legislators attempted to resurrect a process that would have allowed the faulty defensible space code. WMTP and Restoring Earth Connection again helped to defeat that effort.

2. Stopping Tree Banks As A Primary Development Option

A “tree bank” is a simple concept. It is a remote open area that is planted with tree seedlings to offset trees removed from a development site. Some see it as a feasible way to increase density and design flexibility within a development site while still compensating for tree canopy loss created by the project.

During 2025’s legislative session, WMTP and its Olympia partner Restoring Earth Connection helped to defeat draft bill HB 1153 that called for remote tree banks to become a primary way for new developments to offset removed mature trees without restriction.

Why did we do this? We view tree banks as a too easy “out” for developers. Tree bank plantings are best to allow only as a last resort when mindful nature-integrated site planning cannot retain most or all mature trees at a development site.

Also, the reality of tree banks is not favorable when examined more closely (see box below). WMTP will continue to monitor future legislative sessions to for tree bank bills.

3. Achieving a Statewide English Ivy Sales Ban

English ivy (and its related variant Boston/Atlantic ivy) causes millions of dollars of damage in Washington, negatively impacting virtually every community’s climate resilience by killing trees, degrading forests, and creating vast monoculture understory areas that do not support biodiversity. Yet most nurseries STILL sell English ivy while many other invasives cannot be sold.

Please click here to learn about WMTP’s push to secure a  statewide English ivy sales ban and our other ivy reduction efforts.

4. Other State and Federal Tree Policies

By signing as an organization, Whatcom Million Trees Project has supported several petitions developed by other environmental non-profits aimed at improving federal and WA state tree policies. Examples include the preservation of local legacy forests from DNR clear-cuts, improving the U.S. Forest Service NW Forest Plan, and advocacy to prevent federal policy changes that would allow expanded logging of national forests and old-growth tree groves.

We also support the Washington Green Amendment, which would add an amendment to the Bill of Rights section of the WA Tree Constitution which recognizes and protects the rights of all people, including future generations, to experience the health, quality of life, education, joy and economic prosperity provided by pure water, clean air, a stable climate, and healthy ecosystems and environments.

We consider such advocacy efforts based on its relevance to Whatcom County trees/forests and biodiversity, how well the petition is written, and the desired outcomes.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Want to help with our state advocacy efforts? Please contact us! It can be very interesting and engaging work with major positive impacts for our communities. Just a few hours per month of your time is typically what’s needed.

Related Links/Resources

• WA State Bill SB 6120
• Elemental: Reimagining Wildfire film
• WMTP Ivy Ban Petition
• WA State Prohibited Plants and Seeds List
• Washington Green Amendment website
• Washington Green Amendment Petition