June 2009

Youth Connect to Wildlife and Safe Passage

 

Animals don't look both ways across roads, but kids do, and what they see is being displayed through July 8 on billboards along Dearborn in Seattle and I-90 in Ellensburg. Two students from elementary schools in North Bend and Cle Elum won the state-wide 5th annual art contest cohosted by the Washington Department of Transportation and the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition–which includes Conservation Northwest.

"Bridging Futures" enlightens young people on the problems surrounding roads and wildlife with a tangible solution close to home–the I-90 Project and wildlife crossings constructed for the freeway. "When presented with the wildlife bridges concept, the usual response from kids was, 'Well, of course! Isn't that just fair?'" said Dan Gemeinhart, Mission View Elementary librarian.

 

 

Protect Oregon Old Growth and Murrelets

 

This month the US Fish and Wildlife Service decided to retain protections that marbled murrelets need to survive. That's great news for this seabird and for the coastal old-growth forests they use to nest and raise their young. It's also another nail in the coffin for the Western Oregon Plan Revisions, but we still need your help to bury this harmful plan.

The Western Oregon Plan Revisions, or WOPR, nearly doubles the logging planned for thousands of acres of publicly owned mature and old-growth forest on Bureau of Land Management lands in western Oregon. The "whopper" of a plan ignores scientific findings that losing this old growth will harm clean water and healthy streams, contribute to climate change, and push fish and other endangered wildlife like the marbled murrelet toward extinction. Please take action by July 6. Urge the Obama administration to withdraw the WOPR and live up to its pledge to uphold sound science and responsible ethics.

 

 

Celebrating Washington's Wolves

 

As residents learn to live with wolves, people are warming up to the news that wolves have returned on their own to live in Washington. Forest Service biologist John Rohrer says that the Lookout pack's alpha female, pregnant at last report, is now in her den, likely raising her litter. By the time the pups are ready to move up into the high country with their parents in late August, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will have released a draft wolf conservation and management plan for public review.

On July 11 Conservation Northwest will be in Tenino in southwestern Washington as Wolf Haven sponsors its 3rd annual wildlife festival, a fun, family event. Join the howling contest! With wolves back in Washington there is plenty to howl about.

 

 

Sasha's Sashay, and a Monitoring Update

 

Results from a wintertime live trapping survey of wolverines in the North Cascades by Forest Service biologists gives firsthand glimpse into the travel patterns of these elusive and solitary creatures. One of the radio collared wolverines, Sasha, since February has ranged from south of Rainy Pass and the upper Twisp drainage to just north of Lake Wenatchee and the upper Entiat. Wolverines are known to be big travelers and very shy of humans.

Our own monitoring project volunteers are moving full force documenting wildlife this season. Volunteers working near proposed crossing structures just east of Snoqualmie Pass have already recorded their first coyote in a forested island between the east and westbound lanes of I-90. Cameras are also in place to catch glimpse of the rare North Cascades grizzly bear. And together with Dagmara Deren from Toulouse, France, our first international intern, we've teamed with the Colville National Forest, deploying hair snares and cameras to detect the presence of lynx. This year, too, we have monitoring volunteers working in BC!

 

 

Explore the Colville National Forest

 

This summer in the Columbia Highlands join us for hiking or for trailwork as we explore areas from Emerald Lake to Columbia Mountain. Follow Highway 20 to the lands where east meets west, featuring a rich interplay of plant and animal wildlife. Learn about this beautiful and rugged part of our state and the ongoing work to balance wilderness protection with jobs in the woods.

Conservation Northwest's hikes are cosponsored by REI and the Spokane Mountaineers, and our invigorating trail work parties are organized with the Washington Trails Association.