The recent announcement that the Florida-based timber company Rayonier has bought Pope Resources, which owns and manages around 45,000 acres of timberland in Jefferson County, may change things for recreational hunters in the county.
While Rayonier Communications Director Alejandro Barbero said it’s too early in the transaction to know for sure if anything will change, the two companies have differing stances on public access to their land.
Pope Resources has an open policy about public access. According to Pope’s website, hunting and fishing by the public is allowed on most lands as long as it is conducted legally under Washington’s official hunting and fishing regulations. The company does prohibit motorized vehicles, target shooting, campfires, littering, firewood cutting, overnight camping and parking in front of gates.
Rayonier allows hunting and fishing, as well as access for hiking, but only by those who purchase a permit.
“We have a number of different access permits that we sell,” Barbero said.
An individual non-hunting recreation permit for access to Rayonier land for one year costs $90 for an individual and $150 for a family, according to Rayonier’s Hunting and Recreation website.
Hunters must purchase a licensing permit for a specific parcel of Rayonier land to hunt on. The cost can vary, and the type of permit needed is site-specific, Barbero said. A 657-acre Rayonier parcel south of Forks is currently available to license for four months for $1,956. The Rayonier Hunting and Recreation website boasts properties available to lease ranging from 20 acres to more than 20,000 acres “perfect for an individual, a family, a small group of friends, or a large hunt club.”
According to County Commissioner Kate Dean, public access isn’t the only thing that will change when Rayonier finalizes the purchase of Pope Resources.
“Pope Resources has been very approachable on any number of issues,” she said. “We work with them on trails, land conservation, aerial spraying and potential development.”
The county has worked with Pope to purchase conservation easements to prevent development on some of Pope’s forestland. On top of that, Pope has been working with the county on easements for the Olympic Discovery Trail.
“All of the easements for the Olympic Discovery Trail have not been obtained,” said Mara Dotson, the Right of Way representative for Jefferson County Public Works. “This work is in progress and we are continuing to move forward with this project. Pope Resources has been supportive of the trail and we hope that Rayonier will also be supportive.”
Dean said she hopes to form the same relationship with Rayonier that the county had with Pope.
“I will certainly miss being able to pick up the phone and call colleagues in Poulsbo to have a conversation on any of these issues,” Dean said. “I hope that Rayonier is as approachable. Perhaps some of the staff will remain with the company and allow for that same level of collegiality.”
Barbero said it is too early in the sale transaction to speculate on what, if anything, will change, including whether or not the staff will remain.
Rayonier is based out of Florida, but it has local roots. The company started in Shelton in 1926.
Rayonier owns 2.6 million acres of timberland worldwide. It announced the purchase of Pope Resources on Jan. 15, but the transaction won’t be finalized until later in the year, Barbero said.
Owners of Pope’s limited partnership units will get around $126.91 per unit in a combination of cash and Rayonier shares, according to a press release.
While some things might change, Pope’s conservation easements will stay the same.
“I have been told that both companies have a similar long-range strategy to keep their lands in forestry, harvesting approximately every 40 years,” Dean said.
Pope Resources has come under fire by activists who oppose the company’s practice of spraying herbicides on clear-cuts to kill brush that competes with young Douglas firs. Rayonier has similar policies on spraying herbicides, Barbero said, as it is an industry standard. Still, before the company evaluates each site, it is too early to say whether or not aerial spraying will occur.
