Conservation Northwest

206.675.9747 x206. Meals and lodging are provided. Also, you can tell Todd about any events coming up in your area that the Doug can attend. Another tour began in June in the Northwest with the next Doug and it's a whopper: 8 feet in diameter, 4,000 lbs, and 500 years old. Though we would give anything to have this tree alive and standing again in its former forest, it will serve appropriately as another silent but potent objection to the threats to our remaining ancient forests, and what we stand to lose if something isn't done to protect them. The Roadshow needs help to help the Doug rolling; please call 206.675.0646 or visit our web site to make an online donation, www.forestroadshow.org/donate. —Ron Rundus is webmaster for the Ancient Forest Roadshow Big road, bad idea: Commerce Corridor Plans are in the air for a privately owned and operated, 500-foot-wide "Commerce Corridor" stretching along the foothills of the Cascades, from the Canadian border in the north to Lewis County in the south. This fantasy of sprawl, paved farmland, and fragmented habitat, complete with a new, six-lane highway, appears to be gaining momentum and, if successful, would change forever the face of western Washington. The first public comment opportunity on the plan was June 24 in Whatcom County in Van Zandt. The second chance to speak out is in King County: Friday, July 16, 2004, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Bellevue Permit Office (WSDOT) 10833 Northup Way NE, Bellevue, WA You can also contact Barbara Ivanov at the Washington State Department of Transportation, ivanovb@wsdot.wa.gov or 360.705.793. For more, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/freight/ CommerceCorridorFeasStudy.htm. Scotch broom is just one example of the many plants, animals, and insects that people have introduced to the Northwest. Other plants, such as Japanese knotweed and English ivy, invade pristine areas. Insects such as the Asian longhorn beetle have been contained in Washington state thus far, but if on the loose could ravage our prized forests. Invasives can spread even faster in water. About 80 invasive species have already been introduced into Puget Sound, and we've been relatively lucky so far compared to other areas. For example, San Franscisco Bay is now home to over 240 nonindigenous species—mainly due to the many international ships that dump ballast water—and in some parts of the bay it is difficult to find native species. Global trade has increased the spread of invasive species, and as a trade center, Washington state is particularly vulnerable. Invasive species have the potential to ruin agricultural crops and commercial and sport fisheries. They compete with natives and can create monocultures that ruin habitat even in wild areas. Invasives make up the second largest threat to aquatic and terrestrial global biodiversity after habitat loss; 400 of the 958 species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act are at risk primarily because of competition with and predation by non-indigenous species. The good news is that we know the best way to fight invasive species is to stop introducing new ones. By working together, we can minimize the introduction of new invasives as well as slow the spread of those already introduced. Over time, and with good coordination, we can also restore infested areas. Eight groups, including NWEA, have come together this year to form the Washington Invasive Species Coalition. We'll be working to stop the introduction of terrestrial invasive species from plant nurseries and aquatic invasives from ship ballast water, while helping establish a state coordinating council for invasives. For more information, please contact Seth Cool at scool@ecosystem.org. Scotch broom. Britton and Brown 1913 in brief nwea news in brief Announcing the Washington Invasive Species Coalition Mount St. Helens protected from road One always forgets the extent of Scotch broom's reach in Washington until it blooms in yellow profusion every spring. This foreign plant is abundant in the Northwest. Humans have planted it along roads and in gardens, and have unknowingly distributed seeds, which hitchhike on vehicles and heavy machinery. Scotch broom does more, though, than invade roadsides and cause itchy eyes and runny noses. Invasive plants like Scotch broom get loose in the wild and crowd out native plants. Over time this can significantly reduce wildlife habitat. In March, Governor Gary Locke vetoed a section of the state transportation budget that would have provided funding to study an extension of state Route 504 near Mount St. Helens. Gifford Pinchot National Forest officials had opposed the road study as a waste of money, and NWEA and other organizations urged people to write Locke in opposition to the plan. NWEA members also helped resoundingly defeat a similar road plan for St. Helens last year. We trust this spells the demise of this recurring bad dream for the national monument. Keeping the Northwest wild Summer 2004 7

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