Colville Wild Happy Hours: Spokane 8/27, Chewelah 8/28

Join us for a happy hour about wilderness protections and forest restoration in northeast Washington! We’ll be at Iron Goat Brewing in Spokane on August 27th, and Quartzite Brewing in Chewelah on August 28th.

For our 30^th Anniversary, we are holding happy hours across the state to connect with our supporters throughout the Northwest and share updates on our regional conservation work. For the month of August, we’re thrilled to have our next events in eastern Washington!

Northeast Washington has some of the most beautiful and ecologically important country in our region. Here, the mystique of the American West lives on. And if you’re part of the vibrant local communities in this part of the state, you know that we take pride in our connection with the land, whether it be through hiking, ranching, forestry, fishing, hunting, horseback riding or wildlife viewing.

So we hope you’ll join us in either Spokane at Iron Goat Brewing on August 27th at 6:30 p.m. or in Chewelah at Quartzite Brewing on August 28th at 6:30 p.m. to have a beer and learn more about our collaborative work for forest and watershed restoration and permanent wilderness protections on the Colville National Forest (CNF).

After refreshments and mingling, you’ll hear from our Colville Forest Field staffer Tiana Luke about our work to conserve this region’s natural heritage and community values. Through our Columbia Highlands Initiative, Forest Field Program and partnership with the Northeast Washington Forest Coalition, we’re collaborating with local stakeholders to implement ecological forest restoration and promote permanent protections that are badly needed on the CNF.

Read more background in this recent update: Colville Forest Plan still needs improvement for wilderness, ecological forest management!

Both events will be FREE, with appetizers provided. Please RSVP on Facebook for either the Spokane or Chewelah event, or via email to outreach (at) conservationnw.org!

Protecting wilderness on the Colville National Forest

The Colville National Forest contains more than 220,000 acres of wilderness-quality lands but less than three percent is currently designated Wilderness, the smallest amount of any National Forest in the Pacific Northwest!

Yet, despite broad public support for wilderness or other permanent protections, the final ten-year Forest Plan still comes up short, only recommending a measly 62,000 acres recommended for wilderness designation. There’s a huge demand and opportunity for wilderness recreation and experience, from hiking and wildlife watching to trail running and backcountry hunting, and we think both the community and ecosystem deserve better.

Through our local staff and partners, including the Northeast Washington Forest Coalition, we’ll continue to advocate for permanent wilderness protections from our Congressional leaders, and through our Forest Field Program, we’ll be on-the-ground working to implement collaborative efforts to forest health, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities.

we’re ACTIVELY working to make our conservation community more INCLUSIVE. All identities are welcome and encouraged to join us at this event. We love seeing new faces!