(1) The department may:

(a) Inquire into the production, quality, and quantity of second growth timber to ascertain conditions for reforestation; and

(b) Publish information pertaining to forestry and forest products which it considers of benefit to the people of the state.

(2) The department shall:

(a) Collect information through investigation by its employees, on forestlands owned by the state, including:

(i) Condition of the lands;

(ii) Forest fire damage;

(iii) Illegal cutting, trespassing, or thefts; and

(iv) The number of acres and the value of the timber that is cut and removed each year, to determine which state lands are valuable chiefly for growing timber;

(b) Prepare maps of each timbered county showing state land therein; and

(c) Protect forested public land, as defined in RCW 79.02.010, as much as is practical and feasible from fire, trespass, theft, and the illegal cutting of timber.

(3) When the department considers it to be in the best interest of the state, it may cooperate with any agency of another state, the United States or any agency thereof, the Dominion of Canada or any agency or province thereof, and any county, town, corporation, individual, or Indian tribe within the state of Washington in:

(a) Forest surveys;

(b) Forest studies;

(c) Forest products studies; and

(d) Preparation of plans for the protection, management, and replacement of trees, wood lots, and timber tracts.

Part headings not law—2004 c 199: See note following RCW 79.02.010.

Study—1989 c 424: "The department of natural resources shall conduct a study of state-owned hardwood forests. The study shall include, but is not limited to: A comprehensive inventory of state-owned hardwood forests and a qualitative assessment of those stands, research into reforestation of hardwoods on state lands, and an analysis of management policies for increasing the supply of commercially harvestable hardwoods on state lands." [ 1989 c 424 s 5.]

Report to legislature—1989 c 424: "If by October 1, 1989, the United States congress makes an appropriation to the United States forest service for a Washington state forest inventory and timber supply study, the department of natural resources shall conduct an inventory and prepare a report on the timber supply in Washington state. The report shall identify the quantity of timber present now and the quantity of timber that may be available from forestlands in the future using various assumptions of landowner management, including changes in the forestland base, amount of capital invested in timber management, and expected harvest age. This report shall categorize the results according to region of the state, land ownership, land productivity, and according to major timber species.

The report shall contain an estimate of the acreage and volume of old growth and other timber on lands restricted from commercial timber harvesting due to state or federal decisions, such as national parks, wilderness areas, national recreation areas, scenic river designations, natural areas, geologic areas, or other land allocations which restrict or limit timber harvesting activities. The department shall determine the definition of old growth for the purposes of this section.

State appropriations for these purposes in the 1989-91 budget may be expended if needed for project planning and design. The report shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of the senate and the house of representatives by June 1, 1991." [ 1989 c 424 s 8.]