Washington Wild

Washington Wild works to permanently protect wild lands and free flowing rivers in Washington State. We've led education and outreach efforts for the successful flagship Wild Sky Wilderness campaign which was subsequently championed by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA02) and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on May 8, 2008. Wild Sky was the first national forest Wilderness to be designated in Washington State in 24 years. It now permanently protects 106,000 acres of mature and old-growth forests and salmon spawning streams just an hour and a half drive from downtown Seattle. After six years of education and outreach efforts in support of additions to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and two new Wild & Scenic Rivers, our efforts came to fruition when President Barack Obama signed the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Middle Fork Snoqualmie and Pratt River Protection Act into law in 2014.

Washington Wild is currently working on our "Source of the Sound Initiative". As one of the largest estuaries in the United States, Puget Sound is a unique place where enclosed coastal salt waters meet and mix with fresh water from many rivers. Puget Sound's health depends upon an abundant source of cool, clean, fresh water to support one of the most productive natural environments in the world. The source of this fresh water lies in the upper watersheds and low-elevation forests of the Cascade and Olympic Mountain Ranges where we focus so much of our campaign attention.

Under the Source of the Sound Initiative, Washington Wild focuses on the long-term sustainable health of Puget Sound through four complementary goals:
1. PROTECT intact upper watersheds and wildlife habitat through wild lands and waters campaigns. Promote successful Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River designations by developing strong local support and preserving recreational access,
2. RESTORE watershed health on federal lands within Washington State,
3. DEFEND wild lands and waters from existing and emerging threats by organizing grassroots responses to dam proposals, proposed mining, military overflight, geothermal development and other potential threats to wild places,
4. EDUCATE the public on the benefits of Puget Sound headwaters protection. Washington Wild will reach out to the public and explain the need for our Source of the Sound Initiative by attending local community gatherings, fairs and festivals, offering guided hikes and outings throughout the year, youth outreach, highlighting key conservation themes in our offline and online newsletters, pursuing statewide media coverage, and engaging diverse conservation voices on our different campaigns.

Washington Wild plays a key leadership role in establishing and maintaining an effective network of coalition partners on several different initiatives. In addition to mobilizing grassroots support on public land issues, Washington Wild is known for building strong, lasting and effective relationships with non-traditional allies. We know that hunters, anglers, paddlers, tribes, and elected officials can be far more compelling supporters of Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers than an individual environmentalist. That is why we focus much of our work on building and sustaining relationships with these conservation voices and ensuring they are also heard.

Washington Wild has both a highly capable staff of 5 and an active Board of Directors, as well as a motivated base of volunteers and members.

Protecting and defending Washington's wild places is an ongoing effort. While our state has had many success along the way, our beautiful landscapes have suffered many losses. The remaining wild lands are of vital importance to the health of our region and as a matter of leaving a legacy for future generations. In addition to Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River campaigns, we work to DEFEND wild lands and waters from existing and emerging threats by organizing grassroots responses.

In addition to campaigning to permanently protect wild places for future generations, it is also important to defend vulnerable wild places from mounting threats. Such threats often need to be fought over long periods of time through sustained advocacy. One such example is Washington Wild's participation in the ongoing effort to oppose the proposed mine development in the shadow of Mt. St. Helens since 2006. With the help of a previous Patagonia grant, that proposal has been defeated three times, most recently in 2014.

In other cases, threats to our wild lands and waters can appear without much notice. A recent example is a proposal by the U.S. Army to allow year-round combat helicopter training over Wilderness and other federal lands in the North Cascades. The proposed training would have negative impacts on imperiled wildlife species, violate the 1964 Wilderness Act and affect recreational activities at the core of the local communities' economies like Leavenworth and the Methow Valley. Washington Wild was able to bring together a coalition of nearly 70 conservation, recreation and wildlife organizations and local business leaders to raise concerns about the proposal. As a result, earlier this year the Army announced they would rethink the proposed landing sites and redraft the proposal.

As metal prices increase, so do proposals for mine development in Washington State. In recent years, activities have emerged at the Excelsior Mine, near Mt. Baker, that pose a threat to water quality and already threatened salmon runs. An expansion of an Olivine Mine onto national forest lands threatens the integrity of an inventoried roadless area in Whatcom County. Proposed exploratory drilling near Flagg Mountain in the Methow Valley poses risks to the municipal watershed and to the recreational and tourism economic base of communities like Winthrop, Mazama and Twisp. Washington Wild has been on the front lines in mobilizing opposition to these proposals and is committed to continuing to oppose these and future threats to Washington's wild lands and waters.

Additionally, there are increasing numbers of preliminary permits for small hydro-developments in the Cascades range. These include, among other, Sunset Falls on the Skykomish River and Black Canyon on the North Fork Snoqualmie River. Washington Wild is part of a coalition led by American Whitewater to help push back on these destructive efforts that threaten native fish populations and free flowing rivers.