Enroute to a new Lake Whatcom forest preserve park
A new forest preserve park for the Lake Whatcom watershed protects the lake's drinking water from logging and landslides and provides diverse recreation opportunities.
Protecting forests and drinking water
Fall 2011: Email Whatcom County Council, asking them to formally request reconveyance of state lands to create Lake Whatcom Forest Preserve.
Talking points and information to send your own letter.
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Looking into the Lake Whatcom watershed from Bellingham
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Creation of a new Lake Whatcom forest preserve park, through reconveyance (transfer) of lands from state to county management, will protect forests on nearly 28% of the Lake Whatcom watershed for drinking water, wildlife, and local recreation. Watershed history
- The proposed preserve will protect forests, wildlife habitat, and drinking water in the watershed
- It will provide a wild and natural recreation experience
- It will protect nearby residents, homes, and water quality from landslides that can be triggered by logging
- A new preserve will restore old-growth forests in the watershed and safeguard wildlife diversity for future generations
Preserve Q & A, as well as other details, including great resources on the county's site. Why the Bellingham Herald supports the preserve.
The reconveyance would transfer 8,700 acres of county forest board lands from state to county management, replacing commercial logging with forest restoration on two key parcels: Stewart Mountain above the lake's Northshore Trail to the north and Lookout Mountain to the south above Sudden Valley (and near Galbraith Mountain, popular for its mountain biking trails).
Clean water for Lake Whatcom
Lake Whatcom is drinking water source for 90,000 people, nearly half the population of Whatcom County.
The watershed harbors diverse wildlife, from rare marbled murrelets to bald eagle, osprey, tailed frog, and Salish sucker (a small native fish). The north shore parcel features remnant old growth on its steeper slopes.
Forests stabilize the naturally unconsolidated soils and prevent landslides into the lake.
History of Lake Whatcom protection
Conservation Northwest has worked long and hard protecting state lands in the Lake Whatcom watershed. We were part of a stakeholder review panel convened in 2008 by County Executive Pete Kremen to assess the feasibility and desirability of the proposed preserve and the potential environmental, recreational, financial, and other impacts of the proposed reconveyance.
Ultimately, the panel recommended creation of the new preserve. In October 2008 Whatcom County approved steps to create the preserve and in November 2009, the County and the DNR signed a MOU for the preserve. A final Whatcom County Council vote on the new preserve is expected sometime in 2011.
