Conservation Northwest protects and connects old-growth forests and other wild areas from the Washington Coast to the British Columbia Rockies, vital to a healthy future for us, our children, and wildlife. Since 1989, Conservation Northwest has worke
Issue link: http://conservationnw.uberflip.com/i/322131
6 Spring-summer 2014 conservationnw.org Big deeds, continued In 2007, the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition announced agreement on a balanced vision to protect wilderness, restore forests, and manage forests sustainably on the Colville National Forest. © Eric Zamora 25th anniversary We win a judicial ruling halting use of hounds or baits for hunting in the North Cascades grizzly bear recovery zone. In 1999: With the engagement of an incredibly supportive community, we raise over $18 million (80 times our annual budget) in 15 months to permanently protect 25,000 acres of wild Loomis Forest from logging or road building. In 2000: Our work with the Lower Similkameen Indian Band allowed designation of a 70,000 acre Snowy Mountain Provincial Park adjoining the Loomis to the north. We launch e Cascades Conservation Partnership, which through 2004 raised $18 million in private funds and lever- aged $60 million in public funds to protect 45,000 acres of critical corridor habitat linking the Cascades across the I-90 corridor. rough the clever guidance of Conservation Northwest staff Lisa McShane, we help pass a bill in Olympia that sets in motion events that eventually leads to protecting a 15-square mile Lake Whatcom Park. In 2001: We grant $80,000 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to begin work resulting in reintroduction of fishers, a native forest carnivore, into Olympic National Park. In 2002: We initiate collaborative forest restoration work that ends the logging of old growth on the Gifford Pinchot Na- tional Forest and recasts our style of federal forest engagement. In 2004: Aer taking stock of our first 15 years, with much higher success in our western geography, we reorganize to succeed on the eastside. Merging with Kettle Range Conser- vation Group, we change into Conservation Northwest and launch the Columbia Highlands Initiative. We launch the I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition to follow up e Cascades Conservation Partnership and make sure adequate wildlife underpasses and overpasses are built east of Snoqualmie Pass and connecting habitat is restored. In 2007: Responding to determined efforts of our Moun- tain Caribou Project, the BC government protects over five million acres for mountain caribou. We host the first Wild Links Conference, at which we an- nually host a community of biologists and leaders to advance science, connect habitat, and recover carnivores. Aer successful negotiations, Conservation Northwest and diverse partners in the Northeast Washington Forestry Coali- tion announced agreement on a balanced vision for wilderness protection, forest restoration, and sustainable management in the 1.1 million acre Colville National Forest. In 2008: Conservation Northwest's Citizen Wildlife Moni- toring Project captures photos of the Lookout Pack, the first breeding wolves to return to Washington in more than 70 years. Our cameras go on to record the recent recolonization of the Cascades by wolverines. In 2009: All parties in the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition sign a memorandum of agreement to the vision and principles enshrined in our blueprint. In 2011: Washington adopts the best wolf recovery plan in the nation, building on direct stakeholder participation from Conservation Northwest and substantial public engage- ment. In 2012: Conservation Northwest and partners secure designation of a Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program for the Kettle River Range. e nearly $1 million program focuses all forestry on the Colville National Forest on restoration objectives. e pursuit of permanent roadless area protection in the Kettles continues. Our first range rider demonstration pilot successfully keeps the Smackout wolf pack out of conflict with the Dawson family cattle herd, showing that coexistence can work for wolves and the rancher, who was also pleased with how fat his cows got. In 2013: Now with three range riders and guided by Con- servation Northwest's Jay Kehne, we go through an entire sea- son with no significant conflict between wolves and cattle. A new Lake Whatcom Park is established through trans- fer of almost 9,000 acres of land from the state to Whatcom County. e watershed supplies drinking water to 90,000 people. e National Fish and Wildlife Foundation approves a seven-year plan to protect the function of a wildlife habitat corridor linking the Cascades to the Rockies where it crosses the Okanogan River Valley. We are a part of this new initia- tive, "Working for Wildlife." In 2014: Aer 25 years, there are positive signs that the fed- eral government is warming up to a recovery plan for grizzly bears in the North Cascades.