Forests & community

National forest old growth in Washington State. Photo Brett Baunton

Safeguarding a Northwest heritage

Mature and old-growth forests are the heart of the Northwest, and communities - and wildlife - thrive when forests thrive.

Healthy watersheds and older forests go hand-in-hand with healthy, prosperous communities. Conservation Northwest was one of the first conservation groups to recognize the power of community collaboration and ecological forest restoration, tools that help protect our forests.

We protect old-growth forests and help younger forests on their way to becoming old growth. We keep a watchful eye on publicly owned forests in the Northwest, particularly our national forests, while supporting efforts to conserve habitat and working forests on private lands.

Founder Mitch Friedman on working together

Ecological restoration

We encourage the Forest Service to adopt responsible management and ecological restoration driven by vigorous science to add resilience to vast expanses of even-aged, plantation conifer forests in the Northwest. Our main focus today is ecological restoration on the Okanogan-Wenatchee and Colville National Forests.

National forests and old growth

Conservation Northwest protects the old-growth forest that remains around the state, both on the national forests and off. Old-growth forests offer people of all walks of life opportunities for recreation, enjoyment, and enrichment. National forests harbor most of the quality, large expanses of forest remaining in the West and also some of the richest wildlife habitat.

Mature and old-growth forests support a diversity of plant and animal life. Downed and standing dead trees provide birds and mammals nests, dens, and protective cover. Healthy wild forests and their rivers are a source of healthy trout and salmon and pure drinking water.

Fishers were reintroduced into the Olympics in 2008

State forests and old growth

State-lands old growth is especially important. Low-elevation forests are generally richer in wildlife and more diverse than colder, higher elevation forests. Some cut-over forests contain legacy, or remnant, old growth trees important to the forest wildlife. Overall, Washington is still losing older forests. Only about 6% of old growth remains today on westside Washington state-owned forests. But ecological restoration helps revitalize plantation forests, making them resilient to fire and disease, and moving them toward old-growth conditions.

Forests and rivers

Forests maintain and restore healthy watersheds. Older trees supply shade for fish and large wood to our streams. Removal and restoration of unused road beds improves rivers, wildlife habitat, and healthy watersheds and drinking water.

We're working regionally with partners to provide funding and guidance on forest management for watershed health, road decommissioning and floodplain restoration. For example, we are involved in promoting forest preserve park in the Lake Whatcom watershed, helping ensure clear, clean water for wildlife and people.