Local News

Colville National Forest will Assume Administrative Duties for the Tonasket Ranger District


Sep 28, 2020

On October 1, 2020, the Colville National Forest will assume administrative duties for the Tonasket Ranger District, which is currently part of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

The Tonasket Ranger District is a 415,000 acre landscape covering five distinct areas across the eastern half of Okanogan County in North Central Washington. It includes the northeast corner of the Pasayten Wilderness and shares a boundary with the Methow Valley Ranger District, which will stay under administrative control of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The Tonasket Ranger District is dotted with grass and shrubs at the lower elevations, then climbs to ponderosa pine forests at mid-elevations, up into the Douglas-fir/western larch, and culminates in the subalpine and alpine forest at elevations above 6,000 feet.

“We are honored to assume the administrative duties for the Tonasket Ranger District and know they will complement our management approach and strategies,” stated Colville National Forest Supervisor, Rodney Smoldon. “The Tonasket Ranger District has a similar ecology, recreational uses, and character as the rest of the Colville National Forest. We have been working closely with the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and Tonasket Ranger District to ensure a smooth transition.”

Forest visitors and those that are dependent upon the District’s rich resources will continue to receive the exceptional customer service that they have come to expect from the Tonasket Ranger District. Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest Supervisor Kristin Bail notes that, “one of the main reasons we came to this decision is our belief that this change will allow the agency to best serve the needs of our local communities.”

For any additional questions feel free to contact the Colville National Forest online, or call (509) 684-7000.


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