The 2024 election is coming right up and I’m asking that you consider a vote for Dave Upthegrove for Commissioner of Public Lands.

The Commissioner runs the Department of Natural Resources, which oversees 6 million acres of public land, including 3 million acres of state “trust lands” that produce revenue, mostly from logging, for schools, counties and other essential services.

One of Upthegrove’s signature plans is to defer harvest of nearly 77,000 acres of mature (legacy) forests within the trust lands in lieu of harvesting younger parcels in the short term and buying, over the long term, private timber lands at risk of conversion. That would help satisfy part of the state’s mission of restoring 10-15% of its legacy forests over the next                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         50 years. It would also help secure a sustainable climate. And he’s committed to funding for essential services, especially in rural communities.

As head of DNR, the state’s lead wildland firefighting agency, Dave will protect our communities and keep our forests healthy and fire resistant. He has the endorsement of the Washington Firefighters.

Upthegrove is not accepting campaign contributions from the timber industry. Herrera Beutler certainly is, and she made the Washington Conservation Action ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of the worst candidates for conservation and environmental justice on the 2024 ballot. She is strongly anti-choice and opposes our state’s Climate Commitment Act.

Dave is a true public servant, demonstrated by his service as chair of the King County Council for the past 10 years and before that in the Legislature for 12 years, where he chaired the House Environment Committee. He plans to work together with tribes, workers, environmental scientists, businesses, governments and citizens to find solutions that protect our public lands and climate, and support our economic future. Dave will manage our forests for All the People.

Cyndy Bratz

Port Townsend