Fort Lewis timber gets ``green certification'' seal of approval

FORT LEWIS, WASHINGTON - Fort Lewis, Washington, is the first U.S. Army base to get ``green certification&#39;&#39; for its timber-cutting practices. <br> <br> The Army base south of Tacoma owns 40,000 acres of forest and sold four million dollars worth of timber last year. Of that, $876,000 went to local schools and road projects in Pierce and Thurston counties. <br> <br> Independent experts analyzed Fort Lewis&#39; timber harvesting and bestowed the ``green certified&#39;&#39; label, meaning the Army is cutting trees in an environmentally friendly way. Forest Stewardship Council officials say they hope other military bases will follow Fort Lewis&#39; lead and get certified. <br> <br> Fort Lewis officials hope the council certification will help their timber fetch higher prices. The base is one of the military&#39;s top timber producers, along with Fort Stewart in Georgia and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. <br> <br> Fort Lewis will be the largest local supplier of green certified wood, which is in high demand. Home Depot and Lowe&#39;s both have policies preferring certified wood.