(1) The small forest landowner office has been established within the department to be a resource and focal point for small forest landowner concerns and policies. The legislature recognized that the further reduction in harvestable timber owned by small forest landowners would further erode small forest landowners' economic viability and willingness or ability to keep the lands in forestry use, and, therefore, reduced the amount of habitat available for salmon recovery and conservation of other aquatic resources. The legislature has directed that office to assist small forest landowners in preparing alternate plans appropriate to small forest landowners. See RCW 76.13.100 and 76.13.110(3).

(2) Small forest landowners interested in alternate plans are encouraged to contact the small forest landowner office for assistance in preparing an alternate plan. The office may provide technical assistance in understanding and using board manual section 21 for alternate plans, assistance in developing an individualized alternate plan for the small forest landowner, and facilitation of small forest landowner interactions with the department, other state agencies, federal agencies, affected Indian tribes and the interdisciplinary team that may review the small forest landowner's alternate plan.