Broad-brush regulatory approaches such as the current implementation of the Forests and Fish Agreement have a disproportionate impact on family forests due to the small scale of their individual ownerships. This burden along with the fear of additional regulation has led to a sense of regulatory uncertainty among many family forest owners. As a result of this and other pressures such as our rapidly increasing population, western Washington State is losing family forestlands at the rate of 36,500 acres per year through conversion to non-forest uses. If landowners can achieve a sense of regulatory stability under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Clean Water Act and the Washington State Forest Practices Act it will serve as a critical incentive for them to continue to contribute to healthy watersheds and local economies.