Outdoors Enthusiasts Seek Protection for Blanchard Mountain
Hikers have an opportunity to let legislators know they care about forest lands in Whatcom County.
- A volunteer trail crew works on the trail at Oyster Dome. Photo by Arlen Bogaards.
As the only place where the Cascades meet the Salish Sea, Blanchard Mountain within Blanchard State Forest offers recreation opportunities unparalleled anywhere else, just minutes away from Bellingham.
In 2015, Washington Trails Association worked extensively to repair the Sammish Bay Connector Trail, near the area covered under the agreement. Volunteers are scheduled to continue work this month.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) began work 10 years ago to protect a portion of the forest near some well-traveled trails. This year marks the expiration of the Blanchard Forest Strategy Agreement.
Skagit Land Trust and Conservation Northwest, among others, are asking the state legislature to allocate $7.7 million in the capital budget to preserve the 1,600 acres in the core of the forest, empowering DNR to complete the ongoing project.
Some background: the original agreement allowed DNR to purchase additional forest land for logging operations while permanently protecting lands that sit adjacent to this popular recreation corridor. Timber harvest can be an instrumental part of forest management, but logging activity must be balanced with recreation access and conservation. The legislature previously allocated $6.5 million for the project. The requested new funds would allow DNR to complete the land transfer.
Use your voice for Blanchard Mountain
Outdoors enthusiasts can contact their local legislators to show Washingtonians care about the lands that surround our trails.
You can also sign our petition to show support for Blanchard Mountain.
Comments
Should read, fools seek protection for:
Should read, fools seek protection for: Blanchard mountain. Larabee State park is literally next door. Moran State park is literally across the bay. Essentially the people who want "protection" simply wish to ban logging and wish to believe all of their wood products from paper to lumber, magically appear.
Posted by:
wastral on Feb 12, 2016 08:24 PM
kascadia on Outdoors Enthusiasts Seek Protection for Blanchard Mountain
Please contact your legislator (it only takes a minute) to preserve this unique piece of environment, not only for our generation, but for those to come.
Posted by:
kascadia on Feb 14, 2016 10:35 AM