New Washington Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove halted 23 timber sales, saying the Department of Natural Resources needs time to study the condition of state’s older forests.

The order, Upthegrove’s first action as lands commissioner, will delay for at least six months timber sales totaling 28% of the acres DNR plans to sell in 2025. DNR announced the pause Jan. 17.

Some sales could be reconfigured once criteria to exclude structurally complex forests are developed, according to DNR.

“I want to ensure that our forests will continue to work sustainably for the people of Washington for generations to come. This timeout will help us make that a reality,” Upthegrove, a Seattle Democrat, said in a statement.

The pause was expected based on Upthegrove’s campaign, American Forest Resource Council spokesman Nick Smith said. The pause will make the supply of timber and revenue to the state less predictable, he said.

“We’re curious about how a six-month pause works in the context of a budget crisis,” Smith said.

Older forests support biodiverse habitats, provide recreation and store carbon, an important tool to address climate change, according to DNR.

Upthegrove said he knows timber is essential to Washington. “But with so much contention regarding recent timber sales, it’s apparent we need to stop, take a breath and revisit how to meet the targets laid out in the agency’s timber management plans,” he said.

“This pause does not mean Washington will harvest less. It will simply lead to a change to where we harvest and the type of forests we conserve,” he said.

The pause on sales applies to forests defined as Maturation II. The forests have an understory with diverse species beneath the canopy, according to DNR.