Thanks to the many islanders who have contacted the Vashon Forest Stewards and made land proposals for where our mill yard might find a new home. It is really encouraging.

Like the round peg trying to fit into the square hole, our industrial yard is challenging to site. Portable mills can pull into an empty lot, cut green lumber and move on. To survive as a sustainable business, we need to add value to that green lumber: by kiln drying, by processing tongue and groove flooring and finishing trim wood. This requires infrastructure. First off, we’ll need to put down an acre or more of gravel and erect buildings to house the mill and processing equipment.

And that means permanency or at least a long-term arrangement. The offers give us hope we will work this out — it’s just a matter of finding the right spot.

Thank you, Vashon.

— David Warren