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Protecting Key Habitat Areas of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]From old-growth forests to snow-covered alpine areas, Washington’s South Cascades are home to a variety of habitat types that support unique plant and animal populations. Connectivity throughout the landscape allows wildlife to move between habitat areas, enabling populations to be more resilient to a changing climate. Cascade Forest Conservancy has identified some of the key areas in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that, with increased protections, would improve the ability of wildlife populations to move between patches of habitat and be more resilient to climate change impacts.
Read more in our blog : https://cascadeforest.org/protecting-key-habitat-areas-of-the-gifford-pinchot-national-forest/[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

Mount St. Helens Mine Update 

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CFC’s Annual Auction and Banquet a Success!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]The board, staff, and volunteers of CFC wish to thank everyone who attended the 2017 Annual Auction and Banquet.  This year’s event was held at the Melody Ballroom, and was a lovely evening.  An array of silent auction items, the Wall of Beverages, the popular Heads & Tails bead game, the live auction, and the Dessert Dash were all a big hit with the crowd!  This year’s Special Appeal, focusing on the Mt. St Helen’s mine campaign, was a great chance to support the important work that CFC does to protect the Gifford Pinchot National Forest from environmental degradation.
Matt Little’s presentation and video on CFC’s successes and upcoming challenges was very inspiring. Matt also presented this year’s Big Foot Volunteer of the Year Award to Steve Jones for his ongoing work in conservation. It was accepted in his absence by John Bohrnsen, President of the Clark-Skamania Fly fishers.
The strong show of support from members and guests in attendance raised over $40,000 for conservation. Thank you![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

Young Friends of the Forest!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Evergreen High School and Heritage High School in Vancouver, WA and Robert Gray Middle School in Portland, OR participated in our Young Friends of the Forest program this October. Evergreen’s Environmental Science Class embarked on a wildlife camera survey where they helped set up the cameras and learned about animal track and scat identification. Classes from Robert Gray Middle School and Heritage High School assisted with the first stages of our beaver reintroduction project by assessing habitat suitability in wetlands and riparian areas. Each class also planted around 80 trees to improve aquatic habitat, increase bank stability and biodiversity, and create future forage for newly reintroduced beavers. A huge thank you to all the teachers and students involved with the projects this semester![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

Comings and Goings

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]A big thank you goes out to our accountant, Mona Lindsey, who recently moved to California. In her absence, Amy Wheeler has joined our team, coming to us with extensive experience in financial management for nonprofits. We also wished bon voyage to Michal Orczyk, who recently traveled to Europe to climb and explore. A warm welcome goes out to Carolyn Candela and Lauren Jarrett, who are serving important roles for CFC in development, membership, and marketing.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

All of Us at Cascade Forest Conservancy
Wish You a Wonderful Holiday Season!

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Big Tree Hunting in the Gifford Pinchot Nat’l Forest

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Brothers Darryl and Darvel Lloyd, both CFC members, recently wrote a guest blog post for us highlighting some giant trees in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. They’ve been searching for and tracking these trees for years and are local experts. Did you know, for example, that the GPNF contains the largest known Noble Fir?
Check out their post here (with plenty of photos). We also want to thank Darryl and Darvel as well as Friends of Mount Adams for supporting the Cascade Forest Conservancy’s conservation programs.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

Northwest Old-Growth Forest: Carbon Storage Stars

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Lush, old-growth, conifer forests are an iconic feature of the Pacific Northwest. Large, magnificent trees and brilliant shades of green bring people from near and far to these forests to recreate. Pacific Northwest old-growth forests are beautiful backdrops for recreation, but they also have an important role in mitigating climate change impacts. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which has several areas of low elevation mature and old growth forests, is ranked fourth in the nation for carbon storage. Old forests absorb more carbon than young forests because there is a complex ecosystem, with each plant, animal, and fungi playing a role in carbon storage. As part of our climate resilience blog series, we are highlighting information on old-growth forests and carbon storage presented in our Wildlife and Climate and Resilience Guidebook. Check out the full article here:
https://cascadeforest.org/northwest-old-growth-forests-carbon-storage-stars/[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

Green River one of America’s “Most Endangered”

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]CFC’s Policy and Campaign Manager, Nicole Budine, recently wrote a guest blog post for American Rivers, who just this year designated the Green River as one of the nation’s most endangered rivers. This special place is under threat from a mining proposal and we need your help to stop it: www.cascadeforest.org/nomine
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Alert – Help Us Stop the Clearcutting Bill!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]If you like trees, we need your help. Congress is about to pass the worst forestry bill we have ever seen; a bill that would theoretically allow clearcutting of areas up to 50 square miles and exempt these decisions from almost all public and environmental review. If this makes you angry, please tell your U.S. House Representative what you think about this irresponsible and misnamed bill, HR 2936, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017.

House Republicans already passed HR 2936 through committee, and they are expected to vote this through any day now. We need our Republicans, like Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler, to reject their party’s ill-advised plans, and we must make sure no Democrats end up supporting this bill. Please contact your Representative directly today (phone numbers listed at www.contactingcongress.org), and consider writing a letter to the editor in your local paper, directly naming your Representative – so that your message about HR 2936 ends up directly on his or her desk. Talking points and more info at https://cascadeforest.org/defend-public-lands-from-lawless-logging/

Thank you — we need everyone to pitch in to save the future of our national forests![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

We’re on Instagram!

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CFC Gala is Coming Up: Join Us Nov. 2

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Did you know that our fall banquet on November 2 is our biggest and most exciting event of the year? Come celebrate a year of challenges and successes with us on November 2 at the Melody Ballroom in Portland! You’ll enjoy delicious food and drink, great deals and pleasant company – all while supporting CFC’s important conservation work. Check out the event website here for details and to sign up.
We’ll start things with a cocktail reception (open bar!) and silent auction at 5:30, followed by a dinner and live auction around 7:00. The auction is not to be missed. We have dozens of items and our guests are always going home with great deals on outdoor gear, artwork, wine and spirits, vacations, sports and theater tickets, and much more. The proceeds from this event are essential to our conservation programs — if you care about the forests, rivers, wildlife and communities of the Cascades, please consider joining us for this fun evening.
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Drink a beer, stop a mine!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Come join us next Wednesday at 6:30pm at Base Camp Brewing to hear the latest on the Mount St. Helens mine proposal and win a $100 Columbia Sportswear gift certificate and cool outdoor gear.  We expect a final decision on exploratory drilling permits for this pristine river valley any day now, so please join us as we mobilize local, state, and national opposition to this terrible idea.  So far, we have sent tens of thousands of your petitions and postcards to the Forest Service and our senators, asking to stop this permit.  We also worked with the Trust for Public Land, who originally owned the land, and other partners to argue for the protection of the unique ecological and recreational values of the valley, and the integrity of the Land and Water Conservation Fund — which funded the private land transfer to the Forest Service.  Come learn more about this, and how you can help stop this mine.
Join the Facebook event by clicking here.  See you next Wednesday![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

Road Restoration in the Gifford Pinchot

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Road restoration can offer many benefits for wildlife and ecosystems. People also benefit from an improved and simplified national forest road system! Road restoration can include everything from updating and repairing roads to closing or fully decommissioning them.
Presently, there are over 4,000 miles of roads in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, enough to go to Texas and halfway back. Many of these are not used or needed but remain on the system, impacting wildlife in a variety of ways. Roads can fragment habitat, increase sediment in streams, block stream connectivity, and increase the spread of invasive plants. Also, when there are too many roads to maintain, they can end up washing out, which can affect fish and wildlife populations, water quality and access to our favorite places in the forest.
Climate change is likely to exacerbate many of the negative impacts from roads, especially by increasing the amount and severity of high streamflow events. We need to work to ensure that our road network is resilient to these projected changes.
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Upcoming Citizen Science Trips with CFC!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Join Cascade Forest Conservancy on one of our upcoming trips into the Gifford Pinchot!  It is a chance to get out into the forest and do some good, as well as meet great people and explore our natural world.
Our planned trips for July include:

• July 8 (Sat): Survey of Streams and Forest Roads – Tour remote forest roads and streams near Wind River and Trapper Creek Wilderness to collect important field data on stream culverts, forest road conditions, erosion, and fish passage.
• July 15-16 (Sat-Sun): Timber Sale Survey – Help us collect on-the-ground information for upcoming sales that will increase our understanding of the ecological effects. This trip will take place in the timber sale units south of Packwood, WA, near Spirit Lake and Iron Creek.

To sign up for a trip, visit https://cascadeforest.org/get-involved/trip-sign-up/![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

CFC Favorite Hikes: Falls Creek Falls

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Hiking along Falls Creek Falls trail to the base of a waterfall is a great way to spend a hot summer day. This family-friendly hike crosses a suspension bridge and ends with fantastic views of Falls Creek Falls. Look closely for wildlife like otters and elk. If you want to see more waterfalls, consider visiting nearby Panther Creek Falls. Distance: 3-7 miles roundtrip, depending on route. Location: Mt. Adams Ranger District – Oldman Pass How to get there: Take I-84 to Exit #44/Cascade Locks. Cross the Bridge of the Gods ($2 toll) and turn right toward Stevenson. Turn left onto the Wind River Highway toward Carson. A little after milepost 14, look for the Falls Creek Falls sign and turn right onto road #3062. Drive on this gravel road for about 2 miles until you reach a parking area and the trailhead. [needs picture – we don’t have any on file but could just google]

© Bryan Swan

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Welcome New Staff!

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Amanda Keasberry

We’d like to welcome Amanda Keasberry to the Cascade Forest Conservancy team!  Amanda will be joining as our Fieldwork Coordinator, bringing with her a strong background in forest research and spatial analysis.  She’ll be working on the huckleberry monitoring project, leading riparian planting trips, and coordinating some of our citizen science work.

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Save Our Public Lands!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Public lands are treasured places to reconnect with nature and with each other. These lands, owned by all Americans, provide essential fish and wildlife habitat as well as incredible places to enjoy camping, hiking fishing, and other recreational activities. Unfortunately these lands are under threat by legislation, backed by corporate interests, which would loosen environmental protections and even transfer public lands to state ownership. Transferring public lands to states would lead to many of these lands being sold to private interests as the expenses to maintain these lands would overwhelm state governments.
The Cascade Forest Conservancy believes that public lands, and the irreplaceable benefits they provide, should remain in public ownership for future generations to enjoy. Join us in our efforts to protect our public lands by signing our petition to Congresswoman Herrera-Beutler. https://cascadeforest.org/get-involved/take-action/
We need your help to pass these important reforms![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

Mine Update: Green River Listed As Endangered!

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The Green River valley near Mount St. Helens is still under threat from a risky hardrock mining proposal. Due to this ongoing threat, the Green River was listed as #6 on America’s Most Endangered Rivers® 2017 by American Rivers. This mine would risk polluting public lands intended for conservation and recreation, and pristine waters providing important habitat for wild steelhead. We need your help to protect the Green River valley from mining! Read more about our listing and take action here.
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CFC Favorite Hikes for 2017

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Spring is arriving in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, and it’s time to hike! Cascade Forest Conservancy staff, board, and friends have compiled a list of our favorite hikes to share some of the forest’s special places. With mountain views, waterfalls, big trees, and volcanic landscapes, there is a hike for everyone to enjoy. We hope you experience the beautiful and diverse landscapes of the GPNF, and find a new reason to love the forest. https://cascadeforest.org/get-involved/favorite-hikes/[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

The Science Behind Conservation: Habitat Connectivity in the Cascades

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Connectivity is the ability of wildlife to move throughout the landscape and to access important patches of habitat. Connectivity can be impacted by roads, logging, development, changes in habitat type, and climate impacts on forests, streams, or species. Fragmentation of wildlife habitat and shifting plant and animal populations as a result of climate change will put the wildlife of the Pacific Northwest at risk. Understanding habitat connectivity and planning conservation actions accordingly is one of our goals at the Cascade Forest Conservancy, and can help mitigate climate impacts and help local ecosystems adapt. CFC’s Wildlife and Climate Resilience Guidebook (found here) outlines connectivity needs and highlights strategies for improving ecosystem resilience.

Connectivity represents the critical arteries sustaining the ecosystem. Robust connectivity throughout the landscape makes wildlife populations more resilient to climate impacts by allowing movement to alternate habitat areas and decreasing the degree to which disturbance in a particular habitat patch affects the overall viability of the population. As forest ecosystems move due to climate change, oftentimes shifting to higher elevations and northward, this forces species migrations and population shifts. These changes will be exacerbated and sometimes caused by local disturbances like wildlife or drought, and by the decoupling of species relationships. For example, as certain wetland vegetation disappears, the bird and insect species that depend on them also suffer and become scattered in distant patches. We must provide room to allow species and population movements to occur and not be hindered by geographic bottlenecks.
CFC designed a region-wide connectivity analysis to assist in conservation planning and to help prioritize resilience-building efforts for species that live in old forest habitats. Our analysis identified core habitat areas and potential connectivity corridors. The parameters we set are broad enough to encompass many species yet focused enough to be effective for the individual conservation needs of each one. The species we considered for this connectivity analysis included: fisher, northern spotted owl, marten, northern flying squirrel, and pileated woodpecker. While the particular habitat needs and preferences of each species varies, there are commonalities and it is in this area of common ground where we focused our analysis.
Mapping these patterns is an important step in understanding the need for and placement of habitat corridors and the areas where efforts are needed to protect, sustain, and improve connectivity. Although not explicitly modeled, this connectivity analysis should also provide connectivity for plants, insects, and other wildlife that depend on mature forest habitat. Moreover, the species we focused on often serve as dispersers of seeds and can therefore support plant populations and improve resilience through their distribution.
If you are interested in learning more about habitat connectivity, download our Wildlife and Climate Resilience Guidebook [here], or go on one of our summer stewardship trips with CFC Conservation Science Director Shiloh Halsey![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

New Member Spotlight

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Every week we are lucky to have new members join us in our mission to protect the places we love. Bob Robison started volunteering on our wildlife camera surveys and other trips three years ago, and has been a regular member of our volunteer team since then. Last week he made a donation online to become a member, joining over three thousand other local residents who protect our forest, rivers and wildlife. A retired public administrator, here’s what Bob says about us: “CFC’s stewardship trips are fun and I learn something new each time! I love being out in our local forests and I think the Cascade Forest Conservancy is effective because they have productive relationships with the Forest Service and make decisions based on sound science and data.”
Thank you, Bob!
Our community of members and their support is what allows us to advocate for protecting our forests and rivers, lead fun and meaningful trips for kids and adults, and organize our community against projects like the Mount St. Helens Mine. If you aren’t already a member, please join here: www.cascadeforest.org/donate[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]

CFC Field Trips!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]Now is the time to sign up for field trips before they fill up!  It is an excellent chance to get out into the forest and do some good, as well as meet great people and explore our natural world.  Learn about the current trips, and sign up, on our website: https://cascadeforest.org/get-involved/trip-sign-up/[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Help Us Reform Suction Dredge Mining Laws

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The Cascade Forest Conservancy has been working with our partners to protect Washington’s watersheds and critical fish populations from the harmful effects of suction dredge mining. Early in the 2017 legislative session, two bills were introduced in the Washington State House of Representatives that would implement much-needed reforms to suction dredging mining regulations. In January we testified in support of these bills in Olympia. Please contact your Washington State representatives and urge them to vote YES on HB 1077 and HB 1106, especially Rep. Brian Blake, the Chair of the Natural Resources Committee for these bills, representing the 19th District. You can find contact info for your local WA rep here. Learn more about our efforts to reform suction dredge mining regulations here.

Suction dredge mining releases a plume of sediment downstream, along with the toxic metals that were previously settled out of the water column. This activity also harms fish habitat by vacuuming up the river bottom and destroying redds and refugia. Take a look at Rogue Riverkeeper’s pamphlet on suction dredge mining here for more detailed information. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on fish habitat restoration throughout the state, and these investments can be destroyed in moments by a miner with a suction dredge. In Washington this practice is allowed without oversight, tracking, or accountability. A miner only needs to have a copy of the Gold and Fish pamphlet – no permits, fees, or monitoring required.

HB 1077 will require the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to begin tracking and monitoring all suction dredging activities individually and remove motorized mineral prospecting from programmatic coverage under the Gold and Fish pamphlet.

HB 1106 will require miners to comply with the Clean Water Act and obtain individual permits through the Washington State Department of Ecology.

We need your help to pass these important reforms!

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CFC Volunteers’ Work Leads to Road Restoration 

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Forest roads are passageways to the heart of many of my favorite parts of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Some of the most amazing places I’ve encountered in the forest are merely stops along a remote forest road.
The road system of the GPNF, though, is out of date, too large to maintain, and starting to significantly impact both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. At the moment, the GPNF has over 4,000 miles of system road! This is quite high for a national forest, yet the recent rate of road closure here has been very low. The goal of our road surveys and advocacy is to identify the roads that are causing the most negative impact on ecosystems, highlight roads at-risk for failure, consider current access needs and preferences, and prioritize road segments for closing, decommissioning, and repair. 20160724_103652 2
In a recent management plan for the GPNF, the Forest Service proposed road restoration in the Upper Lewis River area, northeast of Indian Heaven Wilderness. The Upper Lewis River Roads Pilot Project is a plan to repair degraded roads, block unclassified roads, and close or decommission about 17 miles of road. We are glad to report that the work of our road survey volunteers (which was carried out in 2014, 2015, and 2016) was instrumental in identifying priority roads for closure. The plan also outlines steps to properly block the unclassified routes that have been illegally reopened through OHV use and the circumventing of blockades. These unclassified roads were documented and mapped by volunteers during our road surveys in 2015 and 2016. Thank you to all of you who took part in these efforts!
Our official comment letter can be found here, our 2016 road survey report can be found here, and the Forest Service’s draft decision can be found here.
– Shiloh Halsey, Conservation Science Director

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Bear Creek Decision Notice Signed

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]In January, the Forest Service signed the Decision Notice for the Bear Creek Restoration Thin. Throughout the development of this project we worked closely with members of the South Gifford Pinchot Collaborative and Forest Service staff to develop a proposal that improves fish and wildlife habitat, protects water quality, and benefits local communities. We supported many components of this project including thinning in dense plantation stands, culvert replacement, and road decommissioning. Although we were concerned with proposed heavy thinning in near spotted owl historic nest sites, we were able to resolve these concerns through conversations with other collaborative members. We agreed on a modified proposal that reduced thinning near historic nest sites, lessening the risk to spotted owls and their prey species. Learn more about this project here.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/6″][vc_column_text]

Sign Our Petition to Senator Cantwell

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Please urge Senator Cantwell to permanently protect the Green River valley from mining. With your support, this treasured piece of public land near Mount St. Helens can be protected from dangerous mining proposals. Sign our petition and watch our video here.
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Board and Staff Transitions

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]We have bittersweet news from our board of directors. Jurgen Hess is stepping down from his role as Director after many years of dedication to our organization and our mission to protect the forests, streams, wildlife and communities in the heart of the Cascades.  He will be missed, but will remain active with Friends of Mt. Adams and other groups. Thank you Jurgen!
On the other hand, we are thrilled that John Miller will be joining our Board. John is a nonprofit management and development consultant with more than 30 years’ experience leading and growing organizations. His connection to the Gifford Pinchot started in 1972, when his family first camped on Yale reservoir, escaping the hot summer days in the forests flanking Mt. St. Helens. His parents fell in love with the area and built a log cabin near Cougar, which he still escapes to for play, relaxation and, occasionally, a quiet office away from the bustle of Portland.
Please also welcome our new staff! We recently expanded our canvass team (Angela Azure and Lusia Zaleskaya) and hired a new Data and Office Manager (Rochelle Hart).
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Message from our Executive Director

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Dear friends,

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season! I know that many of you are worried about the recent elections and wondering how our special places and species will survive the next Congress and Administration. I want to provide a message of hope.

First, we’ve seen this before. When the Bush Administration came in, we thought all our nation’s environmental laws would be demolished. They weren’t. If you were part of the environmental movement then like I was, you remember that this was because we put up a good fight and were a force to be reckoned with. Not on our watch was our motto!

We need this kind of feisty optimism again. We have incredible power when we work together. When it comes down to it, most Americans believe strongly in preserving our public lands and sensitive species that don’t have a voice or pocketbook. We represent all that’s good and beautiful, and a legacy for our children. Nobody can stop that.

There will be fights to protect the Endangered Species Act. Fights to keep our public lands public. Fights to protect natural resources from being over-exploited. But we will win, and we will do it as a team.

We will need to reach across the urban/rural divide and find the common values and love of place that we all share. We will need to continue working through our local collaborative groups in the forest, and directly on forest projects that government agencies may not have the funding or priority to do.

How can you help? Please take action when we send you opportunities to help stop the mine or protect the forest. Join us in the field as we lead restoration projects to improve forest health. And, please donate: https://cascadeforest.org/donate/. Groups like ours will need more staff and resources to accomplish what we’ll need to do.

Thank you for your support. Have hope, take part, join together and conservation will prevail.

Happy Holidays!

– Matt Little

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New huckleberry monitoring project in 2017

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space height=”25″][vc_column_text]It has been an exciting year of restoration and data collection in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We’ve had the opportunity to meet many new stewards and work with new partners in our efforts to build stronger community connections and improve forest management in the region. We are now in the midst of planning next year’s field season and we have some great new projects lined up!
We have recently received word that we will be partnering with the Pinchot Partners collaborative group to carry out post-management monitoring of huckleberry restoration sites. Huckleberry picking is an important activity for local communities and forest visitors. It is also a traditional harvesting activity for Native American groups, many of which take part in our forest collaborative process. Our work will entail taking measurements of huckleberry growth after Forest Service thinning work has been completed, as well as establishing photo points at future restoration sites. We will be measuring plant density and size, fruiting, disturbance, and regrowth of surrounding vegetation. Our work will be coupled with efforts of other collaborative members to identify which treatment approaches have been most effective and what areas are best suited to thinning treatments for huckleberry restoration. We will be reaching out to our members to help with the monitoring project, so please stay tuned!
We have also solidified plans for a large riparian restoration project. Cascade Forest Conservancy staff and volunteers will be planting hardwood and conifer trees along streams that are expected to warm with climate change. This work will support habitat for bull trout, steelhead, salmon, and other aquatic species. This is the first step of our comprehensive aquatic restoration plan. We will keep you updated as other parts of the plan are unveiled.
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Recap: CFC 2016 gala

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space height=”25″][vc_column_text]On November 3rd we celebrated the past year’s successes and our historic name-change to the Cascade Forest Conservancy at the Columbia Sportswear store in downtown Portland. Thank you to everyone who attended and congratulations to our Volunteer of the Year, Michael Sulis, and the many auction winners! The night was a great success – we raised nearly $34,000 for our programs, like the campaign to stop a dangerous mine near Mount St. Helens. People took home rafting trips, sports apparel, artwork and all sorts of great items. We hope to see you at next year’s event![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”2151″ img_size=”medium” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”2152″ img_size=”medium” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”2150″ img_size=”medium” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”25″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Profile: Mark Buchweitz, Canvass Team Manager

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If someone had told me years ago that I would be going to people’s homes and talking to them about protecting our environment, I would not have believed it. I’m a naturally shy person to begin with, and asking strangers for money is not something that comes naturally to me. But I came to the Northwest to experience the kind of wildlife, streams, mountains and forests that I’d only read about. My home state of Wisconsin has some beautiful forests, but 100 years ago we clear-cut all of our old-growth. When I saw my first old-growth forest it was hard to believe it was real. I couldn’t believe that some people still wanted to cut old growth forests and turn healthy, diverse ecosystems into some sort of wood farm. I wanted to tell people not to make the same mistakes we made in the Midwest! So I decided to work for our forests, first as a canvasser and now as Canvass Team Manager for the CFC.

I feel privileged to be part of the Cascade Forest Conservancy’s efforts to raise awareness and funds to protect the places that make the Northwest the envy of the rest of our country. Canvassing can be challenging at times, working in the cold, darkness and rain. But meeting so many supportive people makes the job very rewarding. In the challenging political climate we’re about to face, it’s good to know that you can still influence how our forest is managed. So when one of our canvassers comes to your door and interrupts your dinner and family time, please give them a minute to tell you how we’re working to protect the places you treasure – and of course help us with a tax-deductible donation.

And if you can’t donate, become a volunteer! Check out our website for opportunities. https://cascadeforest.org/get-involved/

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Protect YOUR Public Lands

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_column_text]Last Saturday, Sept. 24, was National Public Lands Day. Our Executive Director Matt Little spent the weekend near the Eagle Cap Wilderness and shot this short video about an urgent issue affecting us all – an attempt by lawmakers to hand off your public lands to state agencies that can then sell them to developers. Click here or here to tell Congress you don’t support these actions, and watch the video below.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][vc_single_image image=”1957″ img_size=”large” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TZ1WnuALB8″][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Another Successful Summer With Our Volunteers

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_column_text]We’ve had a great field season with many new volunteers joining for citizen science and restoration projects. Our work has been used for everything from road restoration to timber harvest proposals to invasive species treatment plans. There are two remaining trips this year: a post-fire seeding trip this weekend at Mount Adams and a wildlife camera survey trip on October 16th, which will also take place near Mount Adams. The seeding trip is all filled up but there are a couple open spaces for the wildlife survey trip. Send us a message if you’d like to join.
We’d also like to give a big thank you to Keen Footwear for supporting our citizen science program! Thanks, Keen![/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_single_image image=”1958″ img_size=”medium” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”http://www.keenfootwear.com”][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_column_text]

Auction and Banquet November 3!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]We are gearing up for our biggest event of the year, our annual auction and banquet! Columbia Sportswear is graciously hosting us on November 3 at their flagship store in downtown Portland. Anxious about the election on Nov. 8? Come cool your nerves with us: we’ll have a delicious catered dinner, open bar and fantastic deals at our auction. Items include outdoor gear, vacation packages, theater and sports tickets, cabin retreats, paintings by local artists, and more. Click here to get more details and reserve your spot.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”1959,1960,1961,1962″ img_size=”small”][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][vc_column_text]

Silver Creek Timber Sale Update

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_column_text]This summer, the CFC challenged the Silver Creek timber sale proposed by the Forest Service due to our concerns about 176 acres of regeneration harvest (similar to clear cutting), including portions in northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet habitat.
The CFC actively participates in two collaborative groups in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest where we engage with community members and Forest Service staff early on in the planning process. Working with the collaboratives, the CFC advocated for larger riparian buffers in the Silver Creek sale to protect riparian areas, including listed fish habitat. Cutting too close to streams, in an area with unstable soils, would risk increasing sedimentation in fish habitat. Our collaborative efforts paid off when the proposed project included sufficient no-cut buffers to protect riparian areas.
Despite these positive changes, the proposed project did not go far enough to protect older forest and wildlife habitat. The project still proposed extensive regeneration harvest on 176 acres that would reduce canopy cover to 15% or less and have short-term impacts that mimic clear-cutting. The justification for this harmful practice is that it would create habitat for early seral species, like deer and elk; but these claims were not backed up by the agency’s own analysis.
One unit proposed for regeneration harvest in this sale contains an approximately 95-year-old, naturally regenerated forest that provides the large trees necessary for the endangered northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet. CFC encouraged the Forest Service to eliminate this unit from harvest in our formal objection because this older, diverse forest provides habitat for endangered and rare wildlife species. We are continuing to work with the Forest Service to make improvements to this sale before it is approved, to safeguard our wildlife, forests and rivers.
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July 2016 Newsletter

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal” color=”#444444″ thickness=”3″][vc_empty_space height=”75px”][vc_column_text]New Name, Same Mission
As you may have seen, we have changed our name, look, and website. This has come as the result of almost two years of surveys and polls to find the best words and images that capture our mission  protecting and sustaining the forests, streams, wildlife, and communities in the heart of the Cascades through conservation, education, and advocacy. Thank you to those of you who have helped us through this process.
The name “Gifford Pinchot Task Force” has served us well for over 30 years, and was very appropriate during the decade when we were actually a task force of volunteers committed to protecting the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Over time, though, we have grown into a nonprofit advocacy organization that ensures the sustainability of the entire ecosystem of Washington’s South Cascades. The name and logo of the Cascade Forest Conservancy reflect this transition, as well as our new tagline “Conserving the Wild Places of Washington’s South Cascades.”
Please check out our new website at www.cascadeforest.org, and thank you for continuing to partner with us as we move into the next 30 years of protecting the forests and streams of Southwest Washington. For more information on the new name and our organization moving forward, read our press release here.

Upper White Salmon Timber Sale
We’ve been hard at work on collaborative forest management in the Upper White Planning Area on the south side of Mount Adams. We are working with the Forest Service and local partners to find common ground and to work together to restore this magnificent area and protect the unique ecological features there. We’ve
come a long way and will be ironing out comments and positions over the next few weeks. We’d like to thank the volunteers who signed up for our forest surveys and helped us collect important data about the health of this forest and the distribution of old growth ponderosa pines. For on this and other timber projects click here.
 

Auction and Banquet November 3!
Save the date! We will be holding our second annual auction and banquet on November 3 at the Columbia Sportswear flagship store in downtown Portland. Click here to get more details, buy a ticket or become a sponsor. Attending our event is a great way to support the CFC and our mission while also having a blast – you’ll enjoy delicious food and drink, fun games, live and silent auctions and more. Our auction brings together over 130 friends and supporters to recognize the importance of conserving the wild places we cherish. Last year we celebrated 30 years of conservation at our first annual event, a big success and lively evening. At this year’s celebration we will look toward the future as we carry on our mission under a new name.
 

Volunteer trips in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest
We are halfway through our field season, and we’ve had a great time so far carrying out surveys in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We’ve traveled to the forests of Mount Adams to examine forest health, strolled the gravel roads along Trout Creek exploring culverts and stream sedimentation, and hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in search of invasive plants. We have upcoming trips in July and August, and we would gladly welcome your involvement! Send us an email and sign up to take part. Road survey trip is July 23 and 24, meadow enhancement trip is Aug 27 and 28, and our post-fire seeding trip is Sept 30 – Oct 2. Community participation is critical to our conservation and restoration efforts, so consider lending a hand and exploring the forest with a mission.

Road survey team for our June 18th trip

Welcome New Staff!
A warm CFC welcome to three new staff members.

Nicole Budine joins CFC as our Policy and Campaign Manager, where she will be managing our mining and sustainable forest campaigns. Nicole is a biologist with a J.D. from the University of Oregon, and she previously worked at Oregon Wild and Trustees for Alaska.

 
Michal Orczyk recently moved from California to join us as our Development Manager, and comes with experience organizing fundraising events and managing development programs at the International Center for Journalists and the College Preparatory School.
 
 

Xavier Reed joins our canvass team as an Outreach Advocate. Xavier has a degree in biology and worked previously for Representative Sherrie Sprenger. We are lucky to have such talented staff on our growing CFC team!

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Check out our 2016 newsletter, featuring our Annual Report, volunteer options, job opportunities, and more!