David Nunes, president and CEO of timber company Pope Resources, is leaving the company to join Rayonier Inc.

Nunes plans to depart Pope at the end of the month, according to a Monday news release. He led Pope for 12 years.

The Pope board of directors has already begun a search for Nunes’ replacement. Longtime CFO Thomas Ringo will serve as interim CEO.

“We are tremendously appreciative of the job Dave has done in his 12 years as CEO of the Partnership,” lead director Douglas Norberg said in the release. “We wish him the best as he embarks on his new responsibilities at Rayonier.

Pope Resources is based in Poulsbo. It owns the town of Port Gamble and large swaths of forestland in North Kitsap. Pope and its subsidiaries, Olympic Resource Management and Olympic Property Group, own or manage a total of 204,000 acres of timberland and development property in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Florida-based Rayonier owns or manages 2.6 million acres of timberland and produces wood fiber products.