By: Graham Taylor
The Sierra Club’s Our Wild America Campaign worked successfully to add new wilderness areas in the Alpine Lakes, as well as permanent protection for three rivers: the Middle Fork Snoqualmie, Pratt, and Illabot Creek!
The National Park Service has kicked off a long-awaited process to augment the grizzly bear population in Washington’s North Cascades National Park. The Forest Service has invited conservation groups and the public to examine the Northwest Forest Plan–a peace treaty that ended the spotted owl wars in the 1990’s. All of these successes are working to protect wild places for generations to come.
For more information about Our Wild America, please see the national campaign page: http://content.sierraclub.org/ourwildamerica/
Keep Your Hands Off Our National Monuments: 27 Under Attack
By: Alex Craven, Organizer Our Wild America Campaign
President Trump has taken his first step to dismantle or shrink National Monuments across the country as his administration pushes to open up more federal land for drilling, mining, logging, and grazing. Trump issued an executive order directing the Department of the Interior to review National Monuments that were designated under theAntiquities Act by Presidents Obama, George W. Bush and Clinton.
Washington’s Hanford Reach Monument is threatened here in Washington State, the Hanford Reach National Monument is one of the monuments under review. For many years, long before it was designated a National Monument, local people had been committed to protecting the Hanford Reach area. The land is an important cultural resource to the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Wanapum Band of Priest Rapids. The 195,000-acre Monument is home to dozens of mammal and bird species; it contains the last major free-flowing section of the Columbia River, which is a critical spawning area for Chinook salmon. Moreover, many visitors come to the Hanford Reach every year to enjoy bountiful opportunities for hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, and other outdoor activities that bolster Washington’s outdoor recreation industry. [A public comment period was open] until July 10 to flood the Department of Interior with as much public input as possible to make certain that this Administration knows that the Hanford Reach, as well as all other monuments under review, is highly valued public land. Our monuments have a long history of public support and we intend to continue to protect them. [The Sierra Club urged its member and supporters to] demand that Secretary Zinke and the Department of the Interior preserve Hanford Reach National Monument and all of the other National Monuments under review. We need to leave their designation as National Monuments entirely intact.
Legislative Champions
In February, conservation groups hosted a grand event, thanking Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Suzan DelBene for their painstaking work to pass new legislation in Congress. While the final package contained some difficult measures, our leaders made sure that Washington received additional conservation in the nick of time before the control of the senate shifted.
A ray of light continues to be the dogged support offered by Rep. Dave Reichert who remains dedicated to protecting the forests and headwaters in the North Cascades. Sierra Club applauds his efforts and has scheduled an event to honor him. We encourage folks to thank their representatives and enjoy these newly protected rivers and the lands that will be protected as wilderness for generations to come.
Welcoming Grizzlies Back to Washington
The ghost bear of the North Cascades is finally getting some help from our federal government agencies who are eager to find ways to bring the great grizzly back to Washington State. While many have searched for the elusive grizzly, it has been many years since a verified record of their presence in our state. The grizzly has been part of Washington’s ecosystem for generations, before being wiped out by habitat loss and devastated by the historic fur trade. Sierra Club supports the effort to protect and recover this keystone species, which digs for insects, roots, and tubers, causing natural aeration of the soil, which is critical for the meadows and beautiful wild flowers we all enjoy.
Read more about the effort to save Washington's Grizzlies in the 2016 Winter issue of The Crest
The Northwest Forest Plan
As the 20-year anniversary of the Northwest Forest Plan passes, we look back gratefully on the first ecosystem-wide management plan in our history. Steeply reducing the clear-cutting in Northern California, Oregon and Washington, the Northwest Forest Plan dramatically changed our priorities, placing value on biodiversity, recreation, and clean water. Sierra Club was a big part in bringing about the Northwest Forest Plan and continues to be committed to its values. Looking toward the next 20 years, we will advocate in defense of this remarkably effective plan.
If you love big trees, big bears, or big new wilderness areas, 2015 has been a year for you. We at the Wild Campaign are excited for the many opportunities ahead. We can work together to keep Washington State green.