Protecting forests in a drinking watershed

Details and resources on the proposed new preserve

Frequently asked questions about the proposed new preserve

Whatcom County has proposed protecting some 8,400 acres of county forest board lands as a new forest preserve that would be managed to restore old-growth forests. The forest preserve would result from a  reconveyance of lands from the state back to county management.

About 8,100 acres of proposed forest preserve is within the Lake Whatcom watershed. The proposal would protect 25% of the watershed from commercial logging and involves two key parcels: Lookout Mountain, above Sudden Valley and north of Squires Lake Park; and Stewart Mountain, above the Hertz, or Northshore, Trail.

In March 2008, Whatcom County Executive Pete Kremen appointed a stakeholder review panel to assess the proposed park. During their weekly, open meetings, the panel, which includes Conservation Northwest staff member Seth Cool reviewed the potential environmental, recreational, financial, and other impacts of the proposed reconveyance. After four months of consideration, the panel voted 8 to 3 in support of reconveyance, recommending that the County Council approve the establishment of the Lake Whatcom Forest Preserve. Read the panel's recommendations here. The next step falls to the Whatcom County Council.

Good things about a new preserve

According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the proposed preserve is home to marbled murrelets, a rare seabird in Washington which nests inland in old-growth forests. Other wildlife found here are bald eagle, osprey, tailed frog, and the Salish sucker (a small native fish).

If established, the proposed Lake Whatcom forest preserve would:

• Protect forests, wildlife habitat, and drinking water in the watershed
• Provide a wild and natural recreation experience
• Protect nearby residents from landslides that can be triggered by logging
• Restore old-growth forests and diversity for future generations
  

What you can do

Write to the Whatcom County Council at 311 Grand Avenue Suite 105, Bellingham, WA 98225-4082; fax (360) 738-2550; email: council@co.whatcom.wa.us

• Thank them for their continued leadership on issues concerning Lake Whatcom.

• Urge them to support the reconveyance and the “Lake Whatcom Watershed Forest Preserve.”

• Let them know that you would like to see the new preserve managed by the county to help restore old-growth forest and to provide clean drinking water, wildlife preservation, and opportunities for non-motorized recreation.

For more information, please visit frequently asked questions and details and resources.