$6 million grant is green light for Darrington timber center

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

DARRINGTON — A 94-acre campus for developing cutting-edge timber technology is a go, after Darrington received a $6 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration this week.

The Darrington Wood Innovation Center will bring roughly 150 timber industry jobs to the town. It will also produce enough cross-laminated timber — a material heralded as the future of environmentally sustainable construction — to build 1,000 affordable housing units per year.

The federal grant was the last piece of funding necessary to start construction on the center next door to the Darrington Cemetery, Mayor Dan Rankin said. He started dreaming about the center during the aftermath of the devastating 2014 Oso mudslide.

-snip-

Rankin worked with county and state officials alongside environmental nonprofit Forterra to develop the project. It will house advanced wood manufacturers and promote education and conservation.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/6-million-grant-is-green-light-for-darrington-timber-center/

[rickyhall]

1. I know jobs are needed but are cutting down more trees a good thing?

[Wounded Bear]

2. Sustainable forestry is a win-win...

As long as they use modern concepts of farming the trees, it's a good tradeoff.

Wood is still the primary building material for housing. Having a center in Darrington is better than shipping the raw wood to China for processing and returning as finished lumber.

[rickyhall]

3. I've seen Arkansas before and after.

[Wounded Bear]

4. The point being, the after doesn't have to look that way...

The Evergreen State is still very green.

Forestry here in WA state (where Darrington is BTW) is fairly well controlled. Clear cutting is discouraged in large areas and waterways are protected. We've had some hard lessons over the years.

[rickyhall]

5. True.