The Washington Tree Farm Program announced that three brothers, Don, Ken and Mike Lentz, have been named the 2025 Washington State Tree Farmers of the Year for their exemplary management of 997 acres of forest land in Grays Harbor County

The Lentz family roots in the Grays Harbor area go back to the early 1900s. Don Sr. and his brother Bob followed their father into the flower business. In the late 1940s they began purchasing pieces of forest land north of Aberdeen that are collectively now owned by Lentz Brothers Tree Farm LLC. They have been a part of the American Tree Farm System since 1988.

All three are now retired from careers in the forest industry, giving them time to tend the needs of their tree farm. Their collective backgrounds and ability to work well together make for an exceptional tree farm.

“Our business operation is driven by the desire to keep all members happy and to get the highest value for our products. This has been accomplished by being open and transparent, honest and forthright,” they stated in a news release.

Once a harvest has been completed, they replant within a year with Douglas fir, Western hemlock, and Western redcedar. They regularly consult with the DNR and the conservation district.

As their inspecting forester Paul Graves put it, “you can see a landowner get excited when they are doing good things and are really happy with their tree farm. So, it’s really rewarding for me to work with them.”

For recreation the family regularly hunts and fishes on their various parcels. They also find pleasure in just watching their trees grow.

The Washington Tree Farm Program administers the certification of over 340,000 acres of forestland under The American Tree Farm System, a program of the American Forest Foundation. The American Tree Farm System is the largest and oldest sustainable woodland system in the United States, internationally recognized, meeting strict third-party certification standards.