November 2007 brought exciting news for the Northwest's national forests and fish, wildlife, and old growth.

Thanks to a recent federal court ruling, the administration is at last abandoning its years'-long effort to dilute Aquatic Conservation Strategy protections for westside Cascades watersheds and salmon. That means a better future for fish, amphibians, and other wildlife in national forests.

That's not all. According to another federal court decision from spring of 2007, the government must now also "Survey and Manage" for rare old-growth wildlife before logging, as required by the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan. The ruling put on hold 100 scheduled mature and old-growth timber sales–mostly in Oregon's Cascades–protecting ancient trees and wildlife habitat.

The reinstated protections result from two lawsuits advanced by Conservation Northwest.