About Forestry Collaboratives

Collaboration on public land management came into practice in the late 90’s when the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) was adopted. The goal of the NWFP was to create a common ground for conservation and timber groups to come together and manage public land responsibly.

Where it all started…

The Darrington Collaborative, launched on July 10, 2015, is a partnership between diverse interests such as major conservation organizations, local STEM education programs, the local timber industry, and the community of Darrington, with the goal of increasing ecologically sustainable timber harvests in the Darrington region, creating jobs, and improving and restoring the health of forests and watersheds. 

The partnership grew out of the tragic Oso slide on March 22, 2014, which killed 43 people, destroyed homes, damaged public infrastructure including a main highway, and blocked the Stillaguamish River, causing significant environmental and economic damage. Conservation and recreation organizations worked with local community leaders to promote the incredible outdoor recreation opportunities near the scenic town of Darrington and to support the establishment of local STEM education efforts that have evolved into the Glacier Peak Institute. 

“The Darrington Collaborative has been a unique and rewarding experience for the community of Darrington to build trust with industry, environmentalists and local leaders to provide economic benefits to our community through sustainable logging, forest restoration and STEM education.”

    Dan Rankin, owner of Dan Rankin Milling and lifelong Darrington resident

Our Mission

The Darrington Collaborative will bring together stakeholders from the community of Darrington, WA, the environmental community, members of the local Darrington timber industry, Darrington STEM youth education programs and representatives from federal, state and local government around shared goals of increasing ecologically sustainable timber harvest under the Northwest Forest Plan on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in the Darrington vicinity while improving the ecological functioning of our forests and watersheds. The Darrington Collaborative will work together and with federal officials to address issues that stand in the way of achieving the stated goals.

Ultimately, the purpose is to show we can simultaneously create a more ecologically resilient forest, provide for increased, sustainable timber harvests on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near Darrington, and provide economic benefits to the community of Darrington and educational opportunities for Darrington’s youth through the STEM program.