Port Blakely

OUR STORY

Built on legacy, growing for the future.

At Port Blakely, we manage forests with the future in mind by advancing sustainable land management, supporting thriving communities, and operating our business with integrity.

With operations in Washington, Oregon, and New Zealand, we grow timber using practices that balance production with stewardship of the land.

Spanning six generations of family ownership, our legacy guides us to act with purpose, care for forests and ecosystems, and build strong relationships with the communities connected to our forestlands.

For us, it’s about more than growing timber; it’s about cultivating a healthier world.

Our History

It began in 1864, when Captain William Renton built a sawmill at Blakely Harbor on Bainbridge Island, Washington. With its deep-water port, abundant freshwater, and rich timber resources, the mill quickly thrived. By the late 1800s, Port Blakely was home to the largest sawmill in the world under one roof. The bustling harbor also became known for shipbuilding, further cementing Port Blakely’s role as a center of Pacific Northwest industry.

In 1923, brothers John, James, and Robert Eddy, together with their family, acquired the Port Blakely Mill Company and its forestlands. They shifted the company’s focus from milling to timberland ownership and forest management, marking the beginning of Port Blakely’s transformation into a leader in sustainable forestry. 

Today, Port Blakely remains a family-owned company, managing forests in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and New Zealand. As we look ahead, we continue to innovate, steward our forests responsibly, and expand opportunities while honoring more than 150 years of history, stewardship and family leadership. 

Explore our history in the timeline below.

2023

LONG-TERM CONSERVATION PLAN SUPPORTS FISH & WILDLIFE IN OREGON

LONG-TERM CONSERVATION PLAN SUPPORTS FISH & WILDLIFE IN OREGON

NOAA & U.S. Fish & Wildlife approved a 50-year conservation plan for 30,000 acres in Oregon's Clackamas and Willamette River sub-basins. The plan permits sustainable timber harvest while requiring protections such as preserving legacy features, safeguarding streams and unstable slopes, and restoring habitat elements like snags, wood piles, and large woody debris to support wildlife. 

2021

RESTORING ANCESTRAL LANDS: PORT BLAKELY AND SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE

RESTORING ANCESTRAL LANDS: PORT BLAKELY AND SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE

Port Blakely and the Squaxin Island Tribe reached historic agreements to return nearly 1,000 acres of ancestral timberland on the Little Skookum Inlet in Mason County. The Tribe purchased about 875 acres of working forest, and Port Blakely ceded at no cost, adjacent shoreline and 125 acres of tidelands.

2021

EXPANDING OUR TIMBERLAND LEGACY

EXPANDING OUR TIMBERLAND LEGACY

The U.S. estate grows with the acquisition of 13,522 acres of timberland, including the 12,000-acre Riffe Lake property, helping replace timber lost to natural disasters.

2021

PURE NEW ZEALAND: LAUNCH OF DOUGLAS-FIR ESSENTIAL OIL

PURE NEW ZEALAND: LAUNCH OF DOUGLAS-FIR ESSENTIAL OIL

Port Blakely New Zealand Essential Oils (PBNZEO) is launched to produce Douglas-fir essential oil, bringing the fresh scent of New Zealand forests to customers in the fine fragrance, cosmetics, and aromatherapy markets.

2020

COMMITMENT TO OUR OREGON FORESTS

COMMITMENT TO OUR OREGON FORESTS

Port Blakely signs an agreement with the Oregon of Department of Forestry committing to protect wildlife habitat over 30,000 acres in Clackamas County.

2019

INVESTING IN OUR KIWI TIMBERLANDS

INVESTING IN OUR KIWI TIMBERLANDS

Acquisition of the 3,000-hectare Clutha property in the Otago region brings the New Zealand forestry portfolio to more than 30,000 hectares.

2018

U.S. CARBON FORESTRY

U.S. CARBON FORESTRY 

The 10,000-acre Winston Creek Carbon Project in Lewis County, Washington, is certified by the American Carbon Registry, showing how actively managed working forests can both supply sustainable timber and participate in carbon markets.

2014

150 YEARS

150 YEARS

The company celebrates 150 years of managing forests in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and supplying quality timber products worldwide.

2010

NEW ZEALAND CARBON FORESTRY

NEW ZEALAND CARBON FORESTRY 

As part of the New Zealand government’s response to climate change, Port Blakely participates in the Emissions Trading Scheme by offering carbon credits for sale.

2009

CREATING A SAFE HARBOR

CREATING A SAFE HARBOR

Port Blakely enters into a Safe Harbor Agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, committing to enhance wildlife habitat on over 45,000 acres in Lewis and Skamania counties in Washington.

2009

EXPANDING MARKETS IN NEW ZEALAND

EXPANDING MARKETS IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand forestry operations expand into third-party wood sales, serving both international and domestic markets.

2005

ACQUIRES PACIFIC LUMBER & SHIPPING; PLS INTERNATIONAL

ACQUIRES PACIFIC LUMBER & SHIPPING; PLS INTERNATIONAL

Acquisition of export log-trading firm Pacific Lumber & Shipping, later known as PLS International. The division wound down operations in 2020 due to shifts in the log export market and the global economy.

2003

FSC® CERTIFICATION

FSC® CERTIFICATION

Port Blakely's New Zealand forestlands are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability. This global certification ensures forests are managed in ways that are environmentally sound, socially responsible, and economically viable.

2002

SFI® CERTIFICATION

SFI® CERTIFICATION

In the U.S., Port Blakely forestlands are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), a certification we’ve maintained every year since it was first earned. It’s one way we demonstrate our commitment to responsible and sustainable forest management.

2002

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EDDY FAMILY COUNCIL

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EDDY FAMILY COUNCIL 

In 1999, a task force was formed to keep current and future family owners engaged in the business and connected to one another. By 2002, this effort led to the creation of the Eddy Family Council, a forum designed to unite generations and strengthen commitment to the company. The council later became the subject of a Harvard Business School case study on family business governance.

1999

COLLABORATING TO PROTECT SALMON

COLLABORATING TO PROTECT SALMON

Port Blakely plays a key role in shaping Washington State’s Forests & Fish Law, a landmark agreement that brought industry and environmental partners together to safeguard salmon streams and forest habitat.

1996

HABITAT CONSERVATION

HABITAT CONSERVATION

Port Blakely enters into its first Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, covering 7,500 acres in Pacific County, Washington. The plan has since been expanded twice and now protects roughly 10,000 acres.

1994

GOING GLOBAL

GOING GLOBAL

New Zealand forestry operations are launched with the acquisition of productive forestland on Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty, establishing the company’s first presence in the region.

1991

INSPIRING FUTURE FORESTERS

INSPIRING FUTURE FORESTERS

Port Blakely establishes its Environmental Education program to give elementary students in Washington and Oregon a hands-on introduction to working forests, a program that today has reached more than 100,000 students, teachers, and chaperones.

1990

CREATING A COMMUNITY

CREATING A COMMUNITY

Port Blakely’s Communities division launches with Issaquah Highlands, an innovative urban village that blends community, smart growth, and sustainability. The real estate division began winding down in 2013, and Port Blakely completed its involvement 2021.

1987

MOLALLA TREE FARM ACQUISITION

MOLALLA TREE FARM ACQUISITION

Acquisition of forestland in Molalla, Oregon, marks an expansion of U.S. operations. The property is later named the John W. Eddy Tree Farm.

1986

FROM MILL COMPANY TO TREE FARMS

FROM MILL COMPANY TO TREE FARMS

Port Blakely changes its name from Port Blakely Mill Company to Port Blakely Tree Farms, underscoring its transition from its milling origins to a focus on forest management.

1973

WASHINGTON STRENGTHENS FOREST PROTECTIONS

WASHINGTON STRENGTHENS FOREST PROTECTIONS

The federal Endangered Species Act is enacted. The following year, Washington passes the Forest Practices Act, creating an 11-member board to regulate logging and protect natural resources.

1969

ACQUISITION OF PACIFIC AND GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY LANDS

ACQUISITION OF PACIFIC AND GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY LANDS

7,000 acres in Pacific and Grays Harbor counties are acquired from the Saginaw Timber Company. The tract is later named the Robert B. Eddy Tree Farm.

1946

MODERN FORESTRY PRACTICES

MODERN FORESTRY PRACTICES

By the end of WWII, infrastructure and technological improvements make investing in growing forests from seedlings to harvest more feasible. The company begins acquiring more land and practicing forest management on a sustainable-yield basis.

1925

PIONEERS IN FORESTRY RESEARCH

PIONEERS IN FORESTRY RESEARCH

As part of his work improving reforestation science, James G. Eddy, a businessman and forest geneticist, establishes what is now known as the U.S. Forest Service’s Institute of Forest Genetics; laying the groundwork for scientific innovation in forestry.

1924

END OF MILL OPERATIONS

END OF MILL OPERATIONS

The Eddy family closes the outdated mill to focus the company on its timber investments.

1923

COMPANY TRANSITIONS TO EDDY FAMILY OWNERSHIP

COMPANY TRANSITIONS TO EDDY FAMILY OWNERSHIP

Skinner and Eddy end their partnership and divide the assets. Brothers John, James, and Robert Eddy, along with their family, acquire the Port Blakely Mill Company and its forestlands. 

1916

EXPANSION INTO SHIPBUILDING

EXPANSION INTO SHIPBUILDING

Eddy and Skinner establish the Skinner & Eddy Corporation on Seattle’s Elliott Bay, where the shipyards became vital to the WWI effort, producing more vessels for the U.S. than any other American yard.

1903

A PARTNERSHIP FORMS

A PARTNERSHIP FORMS

Captain Renton’s heirs sell the Port Blakely Mill Company to John W. Eddy and his partner Ned Skinner.

1888

FIRE LEVELS WORLD’S LARGEST SAWMILL

FIRE LEVELS WORLD’S LARGEST SAWMILL

A devastating fire destroys much of the Port Blakely Mill, which at the time was the world’s largest sawmill under one roof. The company rebuilds, and operations resume at scale.

1882

BUILDING A RAILROAD

BUILDING A RAILROAD

The mill is turning out 200,000 board feet a day, the most on the West Coast. But getting enough logs is a challenge. To reach the forests to the south, the company builds the Blakely Line railroad to haul logs from Mason County to Kamilche Point on the southern Puget Sound. The logs are then towed to Blakely Harbor.

1864

CAPTAIN RENTON

CAPTAIN RENTON

Nova Scotia sea captain William Renton builds a sawmill on Bainbridge Island's Blakely Harbor. Over the next four decades, the Port Blakely Mill Company flourishes.

Keep Exploring

A Letter on Forest Stewardship and Wildfire Resilience

In a recent letter to The Oregonian/OregonLive, Port Blakely CEO Mike Warjone and Sustainable Northwest President Dylan Kruse highlight bipartisan legislation that would incentivize forest thinning and expand proactive forest management across the West. These policies can help create healthier, more resilient forests while reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire.

Aug 4, 2026
Port Blakely Announces 2026 Environmental Education Grant Recipients

Port Blakely's Environmental Education Grants support creative, hands on projects that connect students with the natural world. Learn more about this year's recipients and the innovative ideas they'll bring to their classrooms.

Jul 14, 2026
Seattle Times Highlights Collaborative Conservation Effort

A Seattle Times story highlights the partnerships helping improve wildlife connectivity across Washington and the important role working forests play in supporting healthy, connected landscapes.

Jul 8, 2026
Port Blakely welcomed STEM students for a day of hands-on forestry learning

Port Blakely hosted high school students from the Southwest Washington STEM Career Academy for a day of hands-on learning about sustainable forestry and careers in the industry. Students toured an active logging operation, practiced field forestry techniques and met with employees to explore career opportunities in natural resources.

Jun 30, 2026
Port Blakely Brings the Wood is Good Programme to Fairlie Primary

Port Blakely visited Fairlie Primary School as part of the Wood is Good initiative, teaching students about sustainable forestry, wood products, and road safety around log trucks.

Jun 2, 2026
Pink Shirt Day Brings Port Blakely Together Across the Pacific

Port Blakely employees across New Zealand and the U.S. came together to recognize Pink Shirt Day, promoting kindness, inclusion, and standing up against bullying. Through wearing pink and supporting mental health and antibullying organizations, employees showed their commitment to creating a culture where everyone feels supported and included.

May 18, 2026
In the News: Leadership Transition in New Zealand

A recent Scoop article highlights Port Blakely’s New Zealand leadership transition. It recognizes Phil Taylor’s legacy and Andrew Cocking’s continued leadership and board appointment.

Mar 25, 2026
Mill Creek Project Restores Habitat for Salmon and Wildlife

Volunteers and Port Blakely staff joined the Lewis Conservation District to plant 6,000 trees along Mill Creek near Adna, part of a multi-year effort to restore salmon habitat. The project will establish more than 20,000 native trees and shrubs to replace invasive grass, improve stream conditions, and support wildlife that helps create healthy salmon ecosystems.

Mar 9, 2026
Andrew Cocking Named to Lead Port Blakely’s New Zealand Operations

Andrew Cocking has been named Managing Director of Port Blakely Ltd., New Zealand Forestry, effective July 1, 2026, succeeding Phil Taylor upon his retirement after 20 years of leadership. A 28-year company veteran, Andrew brings deep operational expertise and strong industry relationships to guide the next chapter of the New Zealand business.

Feb 24, 2026
Stepping Up: Port Blakely’s Nick Henderson Joins Australian Wildfire Response

Nick Henderson, Production/Protection Forester for Port Blakely’s South Island operations, joined Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Bravo contingent in Victoria, Australia, to support post-containment bushfire recovery during an intense 2026 fire season. Selected for his advanced forestry and tree-felling expertise, he helped remove hazardous trees, strengthen containment lines, and restore access to fire-affected areas.

Feb 13, 2026
Port Blakely CEO Mike Warjone Featured in Puget Sound Business Journal

Port Blakely CEO Mike Warjone was featured in the January/February issue of the Puget Sound Business Journal, where he shared his perspective on forestry, leadership, and the future of working forests. That early connection to the woods shaped his career and continues to influence how he leads today.

Feb 3, 2026
Celebrating Excellence: Barry Wells Recognized in New Zealand’s MVC Awards

Port Blakely is proud to celebrate South Island Regional Manager Barry Wells, who was named a runner-up in the 2025 Most Valuable Coach (MVC) Awards presented by Competenz, New Zealand’s industry training organization. The MVC Awards recognize outstanding workplace coaches and mentors across the country who are making a meaningful impact in workforce training and skills development.

Jan 13, 2026