June 17, 2026

Washington Forest Protection Association

The Washington Forest Protection Association announced that Jason Cross will serve as its new director of Forest Operations and Environmental Programs, bringing more than two decades of experience in silvicultural science, forest management research, data modeling, and natural resource policy analysis to the organization.

In this role, Cross will provide scientific, technical, and operational leadership on forest management, Washington's forest practices regulatory framework, and related state and federal requirements. And as part of WFPA's commitment to grounding work and policy in science and best-practices, Cross will apply strong technical analysis and help translate applied science into practical policy guidance to support solutions and approaches that protect public resources while maintaining a viable forest products industry. Cross also will help track rulemaking, implementation issues and agency guidelines affecting forest operations.

Cross joins WFPA after serving as a principal with the Stand Management Cooperate at the University of Washington, independent consultant, and researcher. Cross is a University of Washington graduate, earning a MS in Silviculture and Stand Dynamics as well as bachelor's degrees in Forest Management and Mathematics.

Cross joins WFPA as longtime Forest Operations and Environmental Programs leader Doug Hooks remains with the association through 2026 to support a smooth transition.

The Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) represents private forest landowners growing and harvesting trees on about 4 million acres in Washington State.