• The state of Washington uses public lands in a wide variety of ways, including conservation, green energy and other public services. State and local governments hold responsibility for the creation and enforcement of zoning laws within Washington state, as well. The Washington State Growth Management Act grants the state government authority to list areas as "rural" or "resource," which limits the amount of allowed logging and other development.
  
  

Conservation

• Conservation serves a major role in the use of state land by the Washington state government. Several state parks sit less than 100 miles from Seattle, surrounding the most populous area of the state with undisturbed wilderness. Many of these areas eventually became federally recognized parks, such as Olympic National Park, Mount Baker National Forest and Mount Rainier National Park. Smaller parks in towns and cities are also kept up by local governments to provide adequate areas for play and recreation.
  
  

Green Energy Development

• Clean energy, also commonly referred to as "green energy," remains a major part of Washington's plans when it comes to using and developing land. Giant windmills that collect wind energy and convert it to clean electricity can be seen not only on hills and throughout fields, but also around some parks and even offshore. Washington has taken an active role in developing environmentally friendly energy.
  
  

Zoning Enforcement

• While landowners enjoy a wide range of rights over how to develop private land they own, the state of Washington reserves the occasional right to step in. Especially in city or urban areas, court cases have upheld that land owners cannot sell off parcels of their land or use the land for purposes it was not zoned for. Residential areas cannot have land used for commercial buildings, and vice versa.