Everett, Snohomish County, April 14, 2008 -- Sometimes conservation is not so much about the trees or the habitat or some vast landscape saved as it is about the small gains and successes.  Such is the case with the two recent successes along the Highway 2 corridor in Snohomish County.

The Cascade Land Conservancy, working with many partners, is making progress on a program to conserve lands along the corridor, taking the small successes that bring everyone closer to the goal. A purchase of land and a key anonymous challenge-grant for the Heybrook Ridge effort near Index show how all this is happening.

Wallace River-Wild Sky Wilderness Area

Earlier this year, the CLC purchased 480 acres above Wallace Falls in Snohomish County, an important inholding surrounded by the proposed Wild Sky Wilderness Area.  The property was purchased from Longview Timberlands, which worked hand in hand with CLC to make the purchase possible.

The purchase takes on new significance with the recent passage of Wild Sky Wilderness Area legislation in the U.S. Senate. The Senate voted 91-4 on April10 and the bill is headed to almost certain passage in the House as soon as this week. The president is expected to sign it.

CLC will hold the Wallace Falls property while efforts move forward on an appropriation request of $1.7 million from Congress. The funds would protect over 700 acres within the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, protecting important habitat and recreational opportunities, while reducing Forest Service administrative costs dealing with boundaries and differing land management objectives.

The Wallace River properties are a high priority.  These wild lands support a diversity of habitat including mature forests, high alpine rocky terrain, low elevation riparian, forested and shrub wetlands.  The property features habitat for spotted owl, mountain goat, black bear and cougar. The Wallace River is a tributary to the Skykomish River, considered one of Western Washington’s most important rivers for salmon.  Situated 20 miles east of the Seattle/Everett metropolitan area, the area is extremely popular for fishing, hiking, hunting and other recreational uses.

As part of the conservation package, CLC exchanged 200 acres of prime working forest land south of the Skykomish River. Longview Timberlands will manage this property for timber-use under a working forest conservation easement held by the state Department of Natural Resources.  This 200-acre property is contiguous with a 7,900-acre parcel which was protected by CLC in partnership with DNR in 2003 through the USDA Forest Legacy Program.

“We are proud to be part of this project,” said Blake Rowe of Longview Timberlands. "It's enormously satisfying to have achieved this goal linking conservation with working forests."

The Wild Sky Wilderness Area, championed by Rep. Rick Larsen (D. 2^nd District) as well as many cities, towns, conservation groups and recreationalists, passed in the U.S. Senate this week due in large part to the hard work of Senator Patty Murray.

The Wild Sky Wilderness Area includes about 106,000 acres in east Snohomish County, including rare, low-elevation old-growth forests and 25 miles of salmon streams. An estimated 2.4 million people live within an easy drive of the proposed wilderness area.

In 2005, the Cascade Land Conservancy purchased 200 acres in the Jump Off Ridge area near Index, acquiring a key inholding in the proposed area.  CLC was able to acquire the land through generous donations from The Cascade Conservation Partnership, the Mountaineers Foundation and other private donations. The land will be transferred to the U.S. Forest Service to be managed as part of the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest.

Protection of Heybrook Ridge a step closer

Friends of Heybrook Ridge and Cascade Land Conservancy have been working hard over the past year to protect over 100 acres of forestland along Heybrook Ridge, just across the river from the town of Index.  This work could not be possible without the commitment of the landowner, W.B. Foresters Inc., to finding a solution that works for the land and the community.

The effort recently got a great boost in the form of a $500,000 challenge-grant from an anonymous donor. Local activists hope this will spur other public and private funding to protect this scenic ridge along Highway 2.

Louise Lindgren, President of Friends of Heybrook Ridge, said “Index’s recreation based economy and vision of using the ridge to teach forest ecology are totally dependent on maintaining the ridge’s mixed species forest. Already a popular climbing and river sports destination, our area is the ‘Gateway to the Wild Sky’ now.” For more information, visit www.heybrookridge.org.

Long Term Conservation Efforts along Highway 2 Corridor

More work needs to be done along the Highway 2 Corridor to make the dream of a greenway possible.  The Stevens Pass Greenway has been working hard to achieve this goal and many citizens and groups are working to make Highway 2 a safe and scenic highway to travel.

CLC will continue to work with landowners, cities and towns, public agencies, recreationalists, conservation groups, and the communities and travelers who frequent this Highway.