One of the great things about our work is meeting up with fantastic students around the state and teaming up together on conservation projects. Matt Danielson, our Okanogan Forest Sr. Coordinator, and Keith Watson, our Sagelands Program Coordinator, recently had a field day with the Okanogan High School Ecology Class to examine wildfire recovery and … Continued
New Department of Natural Resources plan will improve forest health and wildfire resilience By Michael Liu, Okanogan Forest Lead Springtime can mean a lot of different things to people. The return of songbirds, blossoming arrowleaf, longer days, and the opening of Highway 20 through the North Cascades. However, another definition for springtime is an … Continued
By Mitch Friedman, Conservation Northwest Executive Director Conservation Northwest has long called for the restoration of America’s forest ecosystems at a massive scale. Back in 2006, I published this article. Two years later I gave this speech proposing a Restoration Marshall Plan. Time has only affirmed our ideas and heightened the challenge while the Forest … Continued
2021 Fire Dispatch #3: Matchsticks or mosaic in the Methow *Editor’s Note: During the big wildfires that burned across eastern Washington in 2015, we published a series of “dispatches” from our staff living and working in communities affected by fire. As 2021’s fire season as gotten off to a historically challenging start, we’ve again encouraged … Continued
2021 Fire Dispatch #2: At the spearpoint of climate change *Editor’s Note: During the big wildfires that burned across eastern Washington in 2015, we published a series of”dispatches” from our staff living and working in communities affected by fire. As 2021’s fire season as gotten off to a historically challenging start, we’ve again encouraged our … Continued
2021 Fire Dispatch #1: Wildfire perilously close to burning lek sites for endangered sage grouse near Badger Mountain *Editor’s Note: During the big wildfires that burned across eastern Washington in 2015, we published a series of”dispatches” from our staff living and working in communities affected by fire. As 2021’s fire season as gotten off to … Continued
Forest management alone is not the cause for the severity and scale of today’s wildfires, climate change has exacerbated the problem. But we have tools to respond. *Editor’s Note: Michael Liu joined our staff earlier this year after a distinguished career with the U.S. Forest Service, including as Methow District Ranger. We are honored to … Continued
Editor’s Note: Living and working in Omak in north-central Washington, Jay Kehne is no stranger to wildfires, and sadly, this is not the first time that he’s watched large fires burn around his community, or sheltered human and animal refugees at his home. We’re grateful to have Jay’s knowledge, generosity and decades of experience in … Continued
Prescribed burns are postponed to protect vulnerable communities during COVID-19, but our collaborative work to restore ecological resilience continues. By Michael Liu, Okanogan Forest Lead Its springtime in the Methow—the wildflowers are blooming and the rivers are rising. If you have been able to get outside, you may have noticed the sky is a little … Continued
By George Wooten and Dave Werntz, Forest Field Program Conservation Northwest tracks the impacts of large wildfires on habitat, particularly old growth. Recently, there have been valid concerns because the three largest fires of 2018 burned into important habitat for spotted owls, Canada lynx and other wildlife dependent on large, old trees and intact canopies. … Continued