Invasive Species on the Run

 

Thanks to hard work by the Washington Invasive Species Coalition, invasive species were put on red alert this month when the Washington State legislature passed a bill creating a statewide Invasive Species Council. The bill now goes to Governor Christine Gregoire for her signature.

The council is a great stride forward for protecting our native Northwest lands and wildlife. Invasive species are one of the leading threats to global biodiversity, second only to habitat fragmentation. By coordinating existing programs and developing a Washington State Invasive Species Management Plan, the council plans to detect invasives early and respond to them quickly.

Mitch Friedman in the Daily Grist

 

Conservation Northwest's Mitch Friedman triggers much needed thought around the future of our public forests in a story on collaboration and forest restoration in the Daily Grist soapbox. "Biodiversity is threatened less today by the prospect of new roads and clear-cuts in wild country than by the ailing condition of old roads and tree plantations....The conservation movement is reinventing itself to partner with old nemeses, the timber industry and rural Western communities, to give the Forest Service new life and a new mission to face the challenge of the next 30 years. That mission is restoring to ecological health America's federal forestlands."

169 Scientists Urge Natural Recovery

 

Scientists from around the country have sent a letter to Congress expressing their concerns about the Walden and Smith logging bills, which expedite logging in forests after natural disturbances to "promote ecological recovery." The scientists rebuke that idea. "Although logging and replanting may seem like a reasonable way to clean up and restore forests after disturbances like wildland fires, such activity would actually slow the natural recovery of forests and of streams and creatures within them."

Governor Supports Roadless Forests

 

Conservation Northwest commends Governor Gregoire for taking action in February to sue the Bush Administration for its dismantling of a landmark rule that protected roadless areas in Washington and around the nation. Not only was the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule in the best interest of our national forest wild areas, including those in the Columbia Highlands, but it also received more public response (over 95% of it in favor of protection!) than any other single federal action in the history of the U.S. Conservation Northwest is working with others to protect wild forests and reinstate the Roadless Rule.

March: Membership & Website Madness

 

Our new and improved website, just launched, is another reason you’ll want to join us in keeping the Northwest wild. Easy to use and clearly written: like what you see or have comments? Please visit us on-line. We also invite you to help recruit new members this month during our March Membership Madness. You can help us gain new supporters through April 5. Friends, family, coworkers: all aboard for conservation!

Take a Blanchard Hike

 

Every Sunday this spring Conservation Northwest leads a hike at Blanchard Mountain in the Chuckanuts near Bellingham. Blanchard Mountain is currently slated for significant road-building and logging amid trails that thousands of people in Whatcom and Skagit Counties know and love. Join Conservation Northwest and local experts to explore the many delights of Blanchard Mountain–and learn what you can do to protect it!