Announcement Text
March 10, 2020
Wild beavers are an important part of a healthy watershed. Watch this short video to learn about our beaver reintroduction project.
We want to extend a huge thank you to the Wildlife Conservation Society for their help funding the Cascade Beaver Project from 2017-19 and to Balance Media for putting together this video!
March 5 2020
Despite the hard work of environmental groups, tribes, state agencies and dedicated volunteers, salmon and steelhead populations have declined or failed to show significant gains in Washington State during recent years. But today, in a bipartisan vote of 37–10, the Washington State Senate passed a bill that may help change that.
ESHB 1261, which had the support of the Cascade Forest Conservancy and more than 160 other businesses, faith-based organizations and nonprofits, will ban suction dredge mining in critical habitat for salmon, steelhead and bull trout across 11,000 miles of streams and rivers beds throughout the state.
Suction dredge mining is a recreational technique that uses gas-powered dredges to vacuum up rocks, sediment, gravel and from creek and riverbeds in search of gold or precious stones. A single suction dredge can move up to 17 cubic yards of gravel every hour. While miners have argued that the practice is harmless, scientific studies have shown that suction dredge mining degrades water quality and destroys important habitat for salmon, steelhead and endangered bull trout. Dredging a river or creek disrupts habitats, harms fish eggs and other animals, and releases sediment that makes streams shallower and warmer–bad conditions for spawning fish. Dredging can also stir up and release toxins and heavy metals trapped under streambeds.
Until now, Washington has been the only Western state to allow suction dredge mining without effective oversight, and as a result, had become a destination for recreational miners from across the region. The bill, which Governor Jay Inslee is expected to sign, will bring Washington’s laws closer to those in neighboring states. This is a big win for struggling fish populations, anglers, and all of us who want to keep the forest, streams and rivers in Washington’s Cascades healthy and wild for future generations.
We are very excited to have Lucy Brookham join CFC. Lucy comes to Cascade Forest Conservancy with a diverse background in environmental law and policy. Originally from Hertfordshire, England, Lucy moved to the USA in 2008 to attend college and run for the University of Utah’s track team. An avid runner with a passion for the outdoors, it was her time in Utah that sparked her interest in the protection and conservation of public lands and wild places.
Lucy spent two years in Philadelphia pursuing a master’s degree before making her way back west to attend Lewis & Clark Law School, where she received her J.D. in Environmental and Natural Resources Law. Before joining Cascade Forest Conservancy, Lucy worked as a law clerk for the Northwest Environmental Defense Center, and Earthrise Law Center.
Here’s what Lucy has to say: “I am thrilled to join the CFC team as the Policy Manager and can’t wait to collaborate with our partners. In this position, I intend to work on supporting grassroots campaigns and improving legislation, policies, and forest management practices that speak directly to protecting and sustaining our iconic landscape in the heart of the Cascades.”
[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]The Board of Cascade Forest Conservancy is thrilled to announce our selection of Molly Whitney to be our next Executive Director.
Molly comes to Cascade Forest Conservancy with a diverse background in conservation and extensive experience in non-profit leadership, fundraising/development, and program management. Molly’s passion comes from a deep appreciation for Pacific Northwest landscapes and a desire to protect, sustain and restore ecosystems. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, with a focus in water, from Linfield College.
Prior to joining Cascade Forest Conservancy, Molly served as Development Director at WaterWatch of Oregon, managing the organization’s events and donor relations to secure corporate, foundation and major donor gifts. Molly was previously Program Manager of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program. She is currently the Board President of Tualatin Riverkeepers.
As a native Oregonian, Molly has a lifelong relationship with the Cascade Mountains and brings a sincere enthusiasm for their protection and restoration.
About coming to CFC, Molly writes…
“I am profoundly honored and excited to be joining Cascade Forest Conservancy as Executive Director. This is an incredible opportunity to work with an amazing team of dedicated individuals who devote themselves to the advancement, protection and restoration of forests, streams, wildlife and communities at the core of the Cascades.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I gained a deep appreciation for the vast and diverse ecosystems that encompass the iconic Cascades. This lifelong appreciation turned into my passion and motivated me to devote my career to the betterment of the environment, and to environmental justice. In my new role, I am proud to lead an organization that advocates for these important spaces so they may thrive for generations to come – not only for our enjoyment, but so that nature itself can prosper, in its own right. We are as much of a reflection of these spaces as they are of us.
I look forward to meeting and working with all of you – partners, supporters and advocates – to continue the impactful mission of this small but mighty organization.”
Molly will start with us on May 16th, 2019. After that date, Molly can be reached at molly@cascadeforest.org. Please join us in extending her a warm welcome![/vc_column_text][/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]Washington lags behind neighboring states in protecting our waters from the harmful impacts of suction dredge mining. However, the Washington State Legislature is currently considering SB 5322, which would ban suction dredge mining in critical habitat and provide Washington Department of Ecology oversight for Clean Water Act compliance for suction dredge mining.
Your help is needed. Please contact your Washington State representatives and urge them to enact common sense protections for native fish populations and clean water by voting YES on SB 5322.
Throughout the Gifford Pinchot National Forest there is a network of rivers and streams that provide clean water for communities, fish habitat, and recreation. The Wind, Cispus, Lewis, White Salmon, and the other seemingly endless rivers and tributaries inescapably intertwine clean water with the health of the forest. Clean water is also the foundation of healthy salmon populations. Each year hundreds of millions are spent in an effort to rehabilitate salmonid populations through projects that restore habitat, improve stream shading, and remove barriers to fish passage. Suction dredge mining can undo these efforts in an instant.
Suction dredge mining impacts rivers and threatened fish populations. The process uses a motorized hose system to vacuum up the stream bottom in search of gold. In doing this, suction dredge mining can cause erosion and sedimentation, and mobilize heavy metals that were settled in the sediment. Salmonids are very sensitive to heavy metals due to the impact it has on their sense of smell. Using these machines in riparian areas can also result in localized water contamination and increased stream temperatures due to loss of riparian vegetation. The disruption to the streambed during suction dredge mining also impacts the life cycles of fish by harming eggs and juveniles, destruction of habitat features such as large woody debris, and changing the physical nature of the stream.
Recognizing the impact of suction dredge mining on clean water and threatened fish populations, neighboring states have taken action to regulate or ban this activity. Washington has continued to allow suction dredge mining with little regulation, putting our state’s precious waters at risk. Now is the time for Washington to act to regulate suction dredge mining, so we can leave a legacy of healthy watersheds and abundant native fish populations for future generations to enjoy.
Please contact your Washington State representative and urge them to support SB 5322 for our native fish and waters. Find your representative here: https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/
Map via https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/publications/gis_maps/maps/salmon_steelhead/critical_habitat/steelhead/steelhead_lcr_ch.pdf[/vc_column_text][/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]The Cascade Forest Conservancy seeks a full-time, passionate Executive Director to lead forest protection, conservation, education, and advocacy in the lush heart of the Cascade Mountain Ecoregion. The Director is responsible for running and growing the nonprofit organization, telling our compelling story, and expanding our network of strategic partnerships. This hands-on position works closely with CFC staff and Board of Directors, as well as with community leaders in the region. Located in desirable Portland, Oregon metro region. Please see www.cascadeforest.org/
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[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2018
CONTACTS:
Nicole Budine, Policy and Campaign Manager, Cascade Forest Conservancy, 607-735-3753
Matt Little, Executive Director, Cascade Forest Conservancy, 541-678-2322
Tom Buchele, Managing Attorney, Earthrise Law Center, 503-768-6736
Drilling Approved Near Mount St. Helens
Conservation and Recreation Groups Oppose Due to Impacts on Fish, Water Quality and Recreation.
Portland, OR – On December 3, 2018, the Bureau of Land Management granted permits to conduct exploratory drilling in the Green River valley, just outside the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The Forest Service issued a similar decision consenting to drilling on these lands in February 2018. A coalition of over 20 conservation and recreation groups opposes the project, claiming mining exploration and development will destroy recreational opportunities in the area, significantly harm wild steelhead populations in the Green River, and pollute the water supply of downstream communities.
“Tens of thousands of people have expressed opposition to this dangerous mining proposal that would impact one of our most treasured National Monuments,” said Matt Little, Executive Director of the Cascade Forest Conservancy. “Approving mining activities along a pristine river that is in the shadow of an active volcano is absurd. We will work with downstream communities, backcountry recreationists, and local concerned citizens to protect this treasured river valley for future generations.”
The drilling permits allow Ascot Resources Ltd., a Canadian mining company, to drill up to 63 drill holes from 23 drill sites to locate deposits of copper, gold, and molybdenum. The project would include extensive industrial mining operations 24/7 throughout the summer months on roughly 900 acres of public lands in the Green River valley, just outside the northeast border of the Monument. The prospecting permits allow for constant drilling operations, the installation of drilling-related structures and facilities, the reconstruction of 1.69 miles of decommissioned roads, and pumping up to 5,000 gallons of groundwater per day.
Some parcels of land in question were acquired to promote recreation and conservation under the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act (LWCFA). In a previous lawsuit filed by the Cascade Forest Conservancy (then the Gifford Pinchot Task Force), a federal judge invalidated Ascot’s drilling permits and held that the agencies violated the LWCFA by failing to recognize that mining development cannot interfere with the outdoor recreational purposes for which the land was acquired. This decision by the BLM and Forest Service to once again issue Ascot drilling permits follows the release of a modified EA in 2017, prepared in response to this prior court decision.
“This project would severely impact recreation opportunities due to noise, dust, exhaust fumes, lights, vehicle traffic, the presence of drill equipment, and project area closures,” said Tom Buchele, Managing Attorney of the Earthrise Law Center. “I cannot fathom how the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management could legally conclude that drilling would not interfere with recreation without violating the LWCFA.”
The pristine Green River flows through the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, passing through old growth as well as a unique post-eruption environment that provides habitat for a variety of native fish and wildlife. The Green River flows into the North Fork Toutle River and Cowlitz River, which provides drinking water to thousands of people in downstream communities.
The following coalition voices have expressed their consistent opposition to efforts to develop a mine near Mount St. Helens.
“This prospecting is a threat to wild steelhead in the Green River and the rest of the Toutle and Cowlitz River system,” said Steve Jones, Clark-Skamania Flyfishers. “Washington fisheries managers made the upper Green River a Wild Steelhead Gene Bank in 2014 because this habitat offered the best hope for sustaining wild fish in that system. This river drainage needs to be conserved, not exploited.”
“This is a short-sighted decision that taxpayers will ultimately be forced to fix,” said Kitty Craig, Acting Washington State Director for the Wilderness Society. “Paving the way for industrial mining operations in the blast zone of an active volcano is a recipe for disaster.”
“Mount St. Helens is no place for a mine,” said Tom Uniack, Executive Director for Washington Wild. “The greater economic and social value of this incredible area lies with the equestrian, mountain biking, and other world-class recreational opportunities accessible to local residents and visitors alike.”
“With outstanding recreation, as a wild steelhead sanctuary, and as a source of clean drinking water for downstream communities, the Green River – a candidate Wild and Scenic River – is the last place for a mine,” said David Moryc, Director for Wild and Scenic Rivers for American Rivers. “The Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management should not be green-lighting mining on our public lands that were purchased explicitly for conservation and recreation purposes,”
“The Green River and its downstream rivers the North Fork Toutle River and Cowlitz are home to three species of wild steelhead and salmon listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA),” said Rich Simms, founder of the Wild Steelhead Coalition. “This mining project will undermine the immense work being done to protect these imperiled fish. It is absurd this ludicrous project is even being considered, yet alone moving forward for approval.”
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DOCUMENTS:
Bureau of Land Management FONSI: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/52147/163268/199263/BLM_FONSI_20181002.pdf
Bureau of Land Management Decision Record: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/projects/nepa/52147/163270/199265/BLMDecisionRecord20181002.pdf
Cascade Forest Conservancy Objection Letter: https://www.cascadeforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/final-objection-on-letterhead-1.pdf
Judge Hernandez’s Opinion: https://law.lclark.edu/live/files/17566-gifford-pinchot-mining-decisionpdf.
MAPS/PHOTOS:
Map of the Project Area: https://cascadeforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Map-of-Mt-St-Helens-mine-area-zoomed-in.jpg
Green River Valley photo: https://www.cascadeforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/IMG_5183.jpg
Green River: https://www.cascadeforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Green-River-July-2018-015-1.jpg
Green River valley aerial: https://www.cascadeforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/IMG_6177.jpg
Green River valley aerial labelled: https://www.cascadeforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/GRV-labelled-aerial.jpg
VIDEO:
Cascade Forest Conservancy “Mount St. Helens: No Place for a Mine” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjVk78cVNCk[/vc_column_text][/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]***Note 11/1/18: Comments on the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Long-Term Conservation Strategy are now due 12/6/18
Marbled murrelets are seabirds about the size of a robin, related to puffins, and some might say they are similar in shape to a potato. A majority of their lives are spent out at sea, where they feed on small fish and crustaceans. The nesting behavior of marbled murrelets was a mystery until 1974 when the first nest was discovered. These birds do not build a nest, but instead lay one egg on a mossy limb of an old growth conifer.
To provide suitable nesting habitat for marbled murrelets, trees need to have old growth characteristics such as large, mossy branches and other deformities that can be used as nesting platforms. Generally it takes forests at least 100 years to develop these characteristics. While raising chicks, murrelets must return to the sea nightly to forage for food, therefore mature forests must also be located within 55 miles of marine waters to be suitable as nesting habitat. This unique nesting behavior inescapably binds the fate of marbled murrelets with the fate of mature and old growth forests.
What is the Long Term Conservation Strategy and why is it important for marbled murrelets?
Due to past forest mismanagement and extensive clear-cutting, coastal mature and old growth forest throughout the northwest is only a small fraction of what it used to be, and much of what is left is highly fragmented. This has heavily impacted marbled murrelet populations, which rely on large, contiguous areas of coastal old growth for successful nesting. In Washington state the marbled murrelet population is currently 44% smaller than it was in the early 2000s – a decline of about 4.4% every year! This decline prompted Washington state to list the marbled murrelet as endangered, meaning that they are “seriously threatened with extinction throughout all or significant portion of the state.” (WAC 232-12-297).
A significant amount of low elevation, coastal, mature forests in Washington is on state trust lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). 1.4 million acres of state trust lands are within 55 miles of marine waters (within the range of the marbled murrelet), and 15% of current murrelet habitat in Washington is on land managed by DNR, about 212,000 acres. DNR is currently analyzing alternatives for a Long Term Conservation Strategy (LTCS) for the marbled murrelet on DNR-managed land, and the outcome of this process will have a large impact on murrelet populations for decades to come.
The LTCS for marbled murrelet is an important change to the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for state trust lands. DNR manages these trust lands to provide revenue for trust beneficiaries through timber harvest, however, these lands must also provide habitat for native species. When conducting harvest activities on trust lands, DNR may unintentionally harm or harass murrelets. This is called a “take” under the Endangered Species Act. Normally, take of a federally endangered or threatened species is prohibited, but the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) can issue an Incidental Take Permit to entities such as DNR so that they may still undertake activities that could potentially impact listed species. The Habitat Conservation Plan is used by DNR to apply for an Incidental Take Permit from USFWS. In order for the HCP to qualify for an Incidental Take Permit, DNR must, to the maximum extent practicable, minimize and mitigate impacts of take and it must be determined that the take will not appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the species in the wild. If the Long Term Conservation Strategy meets the relevant criteria, it will amend the Habitat Conservation Plan and USFWS will issue DNR a new Incidental Take Permit. Essentially, the Long Term Conservation Strategy is important because the murrelet habitat provided on DNR lands through an effective strategy will likely help murrelet recovery in Washington state.
Take Action – Comment on the Revised Draft Environmental Statement by November 6th!
Currently, there is a comment period on the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIS) for the Long Term Conservation Strategy. In the RDEIS, the agencies analyze eight alternatives that present varying levels of acreage for marbled murrelet conservation. Alternatives F and G add the most acreage for murrelet conservation and will likely benefit murrelet populations in Washington.
Alternative H is DNR’s preferred alternative. This alternative is not adequate to protect current and future murrelet habitat, especially in southwest Washington. Alternative H allows too much harvest of mature and old growth forest over the next 50 years without preserving enough habitat as mitigation. This would be devastating to murrelet populations in Washington.
Now is you opportunity to speak up for marbled murrelets in Washington and comment on the Long Term Conservation Strategy. DNR and FWS are seeking public input on the RDEIS until November 6th. You can submit comments electronically at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MMLTCSRDEIS . Here is some suggested information to include in your comments:
References and Helpful Links
There’s a lot to learn about the marbled murrelet and the Long Term Conservation Strategy. Check out these resources for more information.
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/long-term-conservation-strategy-marbled-murrelet
https://wecprotects.org/marbled-murrelet/
http://www.mariaruthbooks.net/marbled-murrelets/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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The Cascade Forest Conservancy (CFC) has grown a special partnership with the Cowlitz Indian Tribe (CIT) on a number of important projects. The Tribe has been a partner of ours for many years, collaborating in the field as well as on natural resources policy issues, but now we are rolling up our sleeves for several on-the-ground restoration projects. Most recently, the Cowlitz Tribe has been a key partner on our beaver reintroduction efforts, and a sub-grantee of a CFC Wildlife Conservation Society grant. This exciting collaboration is a major, landscape-scale restoration project in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that grew out of our 2016 Wildlife and Climate Resilience Guidebook (which can be viewed here – https://www.cascadeforest.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Wildlife-and-Climate-Resilience-Guidebook-2017.pdf).
To date, CIT has collaborated with us on many pivotal aspects of the project – joining us on beaver habitat surveys, forming agreements with wildlife trapping companies to gather the beaver, and creating holding facilities to keep the beaver comfortable until they can be relocated.
Over the next year, CFC and CIT will continue to work closely to capture and relocate beavers from private lands, where they are often trapped and killed, to wild places where they help provide crucial functions to vulnerable waterways. Beaver’s industrious nature leads them to expand wetlands and fish habitat, create pools where water can cool down and slow down, and combat other effects of climate change. We are grateful to the Wildlife Conservation Society for giving us the opportunity to pursue this ambitious and important project.
Our work with the Cowlitz Tribe doesn’t end there. A forest-wide effort to restore huckleberry to the landscape is currently in its second year. The U.S Forest Service, Pinchot Partners Collaborative Group, CFC, CIT, and other agencies have worked together to create the first draft of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Huckleberry Management Strategy. The strategy will be a guide for future huckleberry management by the Forest Service to ensure huckleberries are healthy and plentiful each season for pickers of all types.
Finally, we are very excited that a representative of the Cowlitz Tribe working on cultural resources is considering joining our Board of Directors. His background as an ecologist makes him a great addition to our Board and we look forward to bringing our two organizations closer through his involvement.
Our mission is to protect and sustain the forests, rivers, wildlife, and communities in the heart of the Cascades. The Cowlitz people are one of the communities that we are proud to call friends and partners. Together, we will continue to preserve the lands, history, and natural resources that are so important to our families and future generations.[/vc_column_text][/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_empty_space][vc_column_text]The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens drastically altered the landscape of Southwest Washington in a matter of moments. A massive debris avalanche, formerly the north side of the mountain, crashed into Spirit Lake and careened down the Toutle River. The blast from the eruption destroyed ancient forests and covered the lands near the volcano in a layer of ash and pumice.
In 1982, Congress created the 110,000 acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument to protect the unique research and recreation opportunities of this landscape. The heart of the Monument, and the research conducted there, is the Pumice Plain – where nothing survived the eruption.
May 18th was the thirty-eighth anniversary of the eruption, and throughout this time the Pumice Plain has been the site of several, long-term scientific studies. Thousands of people visit the Monument each year to witness the on-going return of plants and animals, and how the environment has changed in the years since the eruption.
Since the Monument’s creation, the Forest Service has allowed limited public access to the areas most impacted by the eruption, including the Pumice Plain. For example, to protect the natural recovery of the Pumice Plain, and the on-going long-term scientific research, no motorized vehicles are allowed. Even the Forest Service does not currently operate motorized vehicles on the Pumice Plain. Instead, they utilize helicopters when they need to access areas like Spirit Lake, as they have done for over three decades.
The Forest Service is now proposing a long-term administrative motorized access route across the Pumice Plain which risks this important landscape. The Forest Service’s stated need for this access route is to maintain the Spirit Lake Tunnel.
During the 1980 eruption, a debris flow blocked the natural outflow of Spirit Lake. Communities downstream were at risk of flooding if Spirit Lake were to overflow, so the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created the Spirit Lake Tunnel to maintain safe water levels in Spirit Lake. The tunnel was completed in 1985, and the Forest Service has maintained the tunnel by helicopter ever since.
While we recognize the important need to balance protecting scientific, ecological, and recreational values with public safety, we remain concerned that the Forest Service has not adequately considered the long-term impacts of motorized administrative access across the Pumice Plain.
Especially concerning are the potential impacts of this motorized access route to ongoing, long-term scientific research. The Forest Service has not pointed to specific situations where they were unable to perform required maintenance on the tunnel, or that would prevent them from using helicopters for access as they currently do.
The Monument, especially the Pumice Plain, is a national treasure and world-renowned for scientific research. It is concerning to see the Forest Service consider an action that would damage this irreplaceable landscape without adequate analysis of whether this access route is necessary.
So far, we haven’t heard any evidence that the Forest Service now needs this motorized access to maintain the tunnel, when they have been successfully managing Spirit Lake water levels to protect downstream communities for over thirty years.
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