Washington state has made an extraordinary commitment to the future by creating 77,000 acres of “legacy forests” that will be protected from logging for generations to come. These carefully selected young forests will be allowed to grow undisturbed for centuries, eventually becoming the old-growth giants that future generations will inherit. The groundbreaking initiative recognizes that today’s small trees hold the potential to become tomorrow’s cathedral forests, complete with towering canopies and rich ecosystems.
This visionary approach to conservation means that children born today will one day walk among ancient trees that their ancestors helped protect. The designated legacy forests span diverse landscapes across the state, from coastal rainforests to mountain slopes, ensuring that Washington’s natural heritage will continue to thrive long after current leaders are gone. By thinking in centuries rather than decades, Washington has created a living gift that will provide clean air, wildlife habitat, and natural wonder for countless future generations. This bold conservation effort proves that sometimes the greatest acts of leadership involve planting seeds we’ll never see grow into forests.