NEWS RELEASE: CASCADE FOREST CONSERVANCY’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO TESTIFY BEFORE U.S. HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON FORESTRY

The House Committee on Agriculture asks a nonprofit to testify before the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture on partnerships with the U.S. Forest Service.

News Release | 24 June, 2026

Vancouver, WA – Representative Andrea Salinas (OR) called on Molly Whitney, Executive Director of the Vancouver-based conservation non-profit, Cascade Forest Conservancy (CFC), to provide testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture’s Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture at an upcoming hearing reviewing the role of stakeholder partnerships in managing the National Forest System.

 

 

Whitney says she is grateful to Representative Salinas for the opportunity to discuss the importance of maintaining funding for the Forest Service, the need to protect opportunities for meaningful public input in timber sale planning processes, and the growing challenges to productive partnerships that groups like hers have with agency officials. 

Whitney will submit testimony and answer Committee members’ questions on Thursday, June 25, as a participant in a four-person panel discussing conditions on the ground for stakeholders interacting with the U.S. Forest Service. The other three panel participants are Modoc County (CA) Supervisor, Ned Coe, Travis Joseph of the American Forest Resource Council, and President of the Western Sheriffs Association, Sheriff Tracy Glover, of Kane County, UT.

In remarks prepared for Thursday’s hearing, Whitney states that in the past, Cascade Forest Conservancy’s oversight and accountability role put the organization at odds with the Forest Service, but today, her organization increasingly engages with the agency as a collaborative partner. She notes that Cascade Forest Conservancy and Forest Service officials are frequent collaborators who work together to tackle shared habitat restoration priorities and programs connecting volunteers and local students to unique opportunities on the National Forest. She also plans to highlight the successes of forest collaboratives operating in SW Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest. These organizations are described as “collaborative stakeholder groups that provide feedback throughout Forest Service project planning to develop well-balanced, publicly supportable projects and iron out conflicts without slow, costly litigation.”  

But staff at Cascade Forest Conservancy say that these collaborative relationships are becoming increasingly strained. In prepared oral testimony, Whitey states that “due to uncertainty, organizational restructuring, and staffing cuts at the national level, our local Forest Service’s ability to plan, collaborate, and execute projects effectively is being critically compromised.” She adds that her organization has seen the agency increasingly rely on tools to exclude projects from public input and environmental review requirements.  

 

Forest collaboratives are forums that bring stakeholders together to address concerns relating of land management projects early in planning processes.

 

According to Whitney, “public input and collaboration help project planners identify problems and strengthen projects early in the planning process. When opportunities for public input and collaboration no longer exist, litigation becomes the only tool we have to ensure projects meet legal standards, so shortcuts that sacrifice transparency may actually hinder progress instead of speeding things up.” 

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Read Molly Whitney’s full written and oral testimony.

BREAKING: NEW EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A MINE ONCE AGAIN THREATEN MOUNT ST. HELENS

Despite previous legal victories, environmental designations, and local public opinion, a Canadian mining corporation is once again taking new toward developing a new mine in the foothills of North America’s most active volcano: Mount St. Helens.

 

 

The impacts of hard rock mining extend far beyond the locations of mines themselves. Several recent studies of hard rock mines across the U.S. found that all of the mines researchers analyzed degraded ecosystems and polluted surface and ground water.

The threat of long-lasting ecological damage or a life-threatening disaster, such as a tailings pond breach, are even greater in this seismically active corner of southwest Washington.

 

 

Science and history show that an open-pit mine in the foothills of Mount St. Helens (the most active volcano in the continental U.S.) will pollute clean water, poison wild fish, degrade habitat, and threaten the safety and prosperity of downstream communities.

 

Mount St. Helens is no place for a mine.

 

In addition to the unacceptable risks a mine represents for downstream communities, developing a mine in the foothills of Mount St. Helens threatens beloved backcountry areas and vibrant ecosystems in a rich and unique corner of the Cascades.

The Green River Valley borders the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The headwaters of the Green River and the surrounding landscapes are among the most unique, culturally significant, ecologically pristine, and seismically active found anywhere on Earth.

 

Local communities and Tribes have consistently opposed proposals to prospect in and around the Green River Valley. The area It contains trails and backcountry loved by hunters, anglers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, hikers, and mushroom foragers in southwest Washington and beyond. For Indigenous communities, including the Cowlitz, Yakama, and others, this landscape carries a deep cultural significance.

 

The Green River is the only waterway in Washington recognized as both a Gene Bank for wild steel head and an Outstand Resource Water. The clear cool waters of the Green River support a rare population of wild steelhead. Maintaining these fish is key to preserving the genetic diversity of the species currently facing increasing pressures from climate change.

 

What we know so far:

 

  • Cambria Gold Mines (formerly Ascot Resources), a Canadian mining corporation, announced that it plans to form an American subsidiary to renew efforts to develop a new mine in this location.

  • We are in the very early stages of this fight. No other public information, including information about exploratory drilling permit applications, has been released.

 

How you can help:

 

We need your help to protect Mount St. Helens from mining.

Here are steps you can take today.

  • Add your name to our new list of Green Valley Alliance Volunteers: In the months to come, we will need volunteers to help us reach out to decision makers and be a voice in their communities. Learn more about how to be a voice for Mount St. Helens and the Green River Valley.

  • Spread the word: Community awareness and action will be critical in the months ahead! Stay up to date by following Cascade Forest Conservancy, signing up for our monthly newsletter—and help spread the word that Mount St. Helens is #NoPlaceForAMine.

  • Donate: Cascade Forest Conservancy’s fight to protect Mount St. Helens is powered by the people like you. Will you give $20 today to help us in our fight to protect irreplaceable ecosystems and communities from a foreign mining corporation.

 

Learn More:

 

  • Cascade Forest Conservancy has successfully defended this area from a series of attempts to develop a mine. Learn about the story so far.

  • The Green River was recently designated as one of Washington’s first Outstanding Resource Waters, thanks to its pristine waters, unique ecological and recreational values, and the efforts of individuals and organizations who advocated on its behalf.

  • The Green River Valley and surrounding landscapes are a special place. Dive deeper into what makes this corner of the Cascades one of the worst possible places for a mine.

  • The volcano known as Mount St. Helens has other, older names including Si’yett, Lawetlat’la, Louwala-Clough, and others. It remains a place of profound cultural significance for many Indigenous communities, including the Cowlitz and Yakama peoples. Since 2013, the mountain has been designated as a Traditional Heritage Property (THP) of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.

    The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe each spoke out against previous attempts to develop a new mine in the hills of Mount St. Helens.

FIELD NOTES: APRIL 2026

Executive Director’s Note:

 

Earth Month offers us an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the beauty of our awe-inspiring, surprising, and intricately interconnected living world. In today’s tumult of deepening global conflicts and growing uncertainties, I find Earth Month’s invitation to protect and honor the life, landscapes, and processes that sustain and connect us more critical and urgent than ever.

 

Celebrate Earth Month with Cascade Forest Conservancy

 

Keep reading this month’s newsletter to discover ways you can celebrate Earth Month with CFC. From taking steps to protect the Roadless Areas, supporting effective environmental advocacy, or signing up to attend upcoming events, there are many ways to get involved and make a difference for the places you care about!

NEWS & UPDATES:

 

Roadless Rule Update: Communities Are Coming Together to Protect Roadless Areas

Officials in D.C. are working to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which currently protects 30% of national forest lands, effectively safeguarding more intact wildlife habitat and backcountry than any other rule or law besides the Wilderness Act.

When the Roadless Rule was put in place in 2001, federal officials held more than 600 public meetings to provide impacted communities opportunities to voice their opinions. The officials working to repeal it have not held even one.

Current USFS leadership seem intent on implementing sweeping and unpopular changes with little or no public participation. We’re not letting that happen.

Last week, CFC and several partner organizations held our own public hearing in Portland, OR. We were joined by US Representative Andrea Salinas and nearly 100 individuals—many of whom took a turn to speak about why continuing protections for Roadless Areas matter to them.

Other opportunities to speak for the Roadless Rule

Despite the current administration’s efforts to tamp down and ignore public opinion, our voices still carry the power to effect policy for the better. As recently as last year, mass outcry helped put a stop to D.C. officials’ attempt to sell of large chunks of public lands. With the Roadless Area Conservation Rule now at risk, we need to show up once again and speak out in numbers so that our representatives, agency staff, and leadership know that the public values our remaining wild places and the rules that protect them!

 

 

  • An additional Public Town hall will be held on April 17th in Seattle. Learn more and sign up to speak here.
  • In the near future, the Forest Service will open an official public comment period where you can go on record opposing the plan to remove roadless protections. We are expecting a very short comment period, so we are giving you a heads up now so you are ready to act when the time comes. It’s critical we show as much opposition as possible. Stay tuned and follow CFC on social media to learn when and how to participate in the upcoming public comment period.

 

Did Trump Really Dismantle the Forest Service? No. Here is What’s Really Going On.

 

In the last few weeks, certain online spaces have been flooded with inaccurate or misleading stories with alarming headlines claiming that the Trump Administration had ordered the dismantling of the US Forest Service.

The US Forest Service is not being dismantled, but it is undergoing a massive reorganization.

What changes are part of the USFS reorganization?

  • The agency’s headquarters is being moved from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City.
  • The agency’s 9 regional offices, which oversee individual national forests and provide administrative and technical support, will be closed and replaced with 15 State Offices that will oversee forests in their state(s) and a national network of Operation Service Centers that will provide shared administrative and technical support.
  • A majority (over 70%) of research and development facilities will be shuttered.

Although the agency isn’t going away, the reorganization does raise important questions—most critically: will this action strengthen or weaken the Forest Service, and how will our ability to ensure public lands are managed in the public interest be affected?

While it is too soon to say with certainty how all this will impact national forest lands in southwest Washington, Cascade Forest Conservancy (CFC) is concerned that many elements of this reorganization will be detrimental.

We agree with the overwhelming majority of comments submitted previously opposing the move. As noted in a US Department of Agriculture summary of public comments, there are broad concerns that relocating Forest Service staff “could compromise ecological management, public access, and employee morale.”

A loss of local researchers, local leadership, local knowledge, and relationships built with Tribal governments over the years may all negatively impact land management actions in our region. CFC is keeping a close watch on these changes and will continue to advocate for ecologically sound policies as their effects become clearer in the coming months.

 

READ MORE

 

 

Cascade Forest Conservancy is Headed to D.C. in May

 

 

Next month, CFC’s Executive Director, Policy Manager, and Director of Programs are headed to our nation’s capital with a simple message for elected officials and agency leaders: public lands must be managed with robust public input. We think that’s common sense. When the voices of the people who know their region best shape how our public lands are cared for, the outcomes are better for everyone.

It’s a message that we think needs to be heard now more than ever. The current administration has been systematically dismantling the public’s ability to effectively influence decision-making while routinely ignoring the input they do receive.

Help us make sure our message is heard by picking up your own “PUBLIC LANDS, PUBLIC INPUT” t-shirt today. All sales will support our upcoming trip and help us have important conversations with federal decision-makers.

ORDER YOUR T-SHIRT HERE

 

 

CFC staff shared knowledge and strengthened partnerships at the Seas to Summits Annual Conference

 

 

In early April, CFC’s Director of Programs, Shiloh Halsey, and Science & Stewardship Manager, Amanda Keasberry, attended the Seas to Summits Annual Conference, hosted by the Washington Chapter of The Wildlife Society and the WA-BC Chapter of American Fisheries Society in Wenatchee, WA.

Both Shiloh and Amanda presented at the conference: Amanda spoke in the Beaver Restoration session, hosted by partners at the University of Washington, Vancouver, sharing insights from conducting hundreds of beaver habitat site assessments to identify relocation opportunities, while Shiloh presented in the Aquatic and Riparian Restoration session on partnerships and wood sourcing for the Instream Wood Bank. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to connect with others in the region doing similar work, share what we’ve been working on, and learn from the many groups advancing fish and wildlife conservation.

 

UPCOMMING EVENTS:

 

Get Early Bird Tickets to the UNDERSTORY NW FILM FEST
Thursday, May 28th, 6:30 pm
The Kiggins Theatre

 

 

We’ve got an exciting lineup of films selected for this year’s Understory NW Film Fest, coming to Vancouver’s historic Kiggins Theater on Thursday, May 28th.

See stories celebrating the natural world and the people working to protect it while helping Cascade Forest Conservancy raise funds to support ongoing conservation work in the heart of the Cascades.

Visit the link below to preview this year’s selections and save on tickets by taking advantage of our early-bird pricing until May 14.

 

Celebrate Nature’s Best Wetlands Engineers at the First Annual Washougal Beaver Bash

Saturday, April 18th, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Reflection Plaza in Washougal

 

 

Get ready to celebrate International Beaver Day in Washougal!

The Washougal Beaver Bash is a collaboration between Cascade Forest Conservancy, Good Year Farms, and the Washougal Arts & Culture Alliance, featuring speakers and exhibitors from the Chinook Indian Nation, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Project Beaver, and music performances from the Washougal High School Jazz Band and local singer Breanna Larsen.

Come enjoy a free, family-friendly event featuring art projects, live music, and exhibitor booths with beaver experts ready to share “gnaw-ledge” about our favorite ecosystem engineers!

DID TRUMP REALLY DISMANTLE THE FOREST SERVICE? NO. HERE IS WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON.

In the last few weeks, certain online spaces have been flooded with inaccurate or misleading stories with alarming headlines claiming that the Trump Administration ordered the dismantling of the US Forest Service. 

The US Forest Service is not being dismantled, but it is undergoing a massive reorganization. 

 

What changes are part of the USFS reorganization?

  • The agency’s headquarters is being moved from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City.
  • The agency’s 9 regional offices, which oversee individual national forests and provide administrative and technical support, will be closed and replaced with 15 State Offices that will oversee forests in their state(s) and a national network of Operation Service Centers that will provide shared administrative and technical support.
  • A majority (over 70%) of research and development facilities will be shuttered.

 

Although the agency isn’t going away, the reorganization does raise important questions—most critically: will this action strengthen or weaken the Forest Service, and how will our ability to ensure public lands are managed in the public interest be affected?

While it is too soon to say with certainty how all this will impact national forest lands in southwest Washington, Cascade Forest Conservancy (CFC) is concerned that many elements of this reorganization will be detrimental.

We agree with the overwhelming majority of comments submitted previously opposing the move. As noted in a US Department of Agriculture summary of public comments, there are broad concerns that relocating Forest Service staff  “could compromise ecological management, public access, and employee morale.”

 

How might reorganizing the US Forest Service impact the southern Washington Cascades? 

 

Agency Organization:

Prior to the reorganization, the US Forest Service, headquartered in D.C., created policy and provided broad direction to 9 regional offices. These regional offices, in turn, provided guidance and oversight, coordinated and monitored activities, and allocated budgets to individual national forests located within their region. Washington’s national forests were part of region 6, which also included national forest lands in Oregon.

Some observers have expressed concerns that experienced leadership within the agency will leave their posts or be replaced with political appointees, and that critical local knowledge and expertise will be lost. 

At this time, that does not seem to be the case. It is unknown how many staff members will choose to leave the agency rather than relocate, but historically, the Forest Service has had a culture of staff moving around every few years. It is likely that we will not see as much “brain drain” as we did when BLM headquarters was moved west during the first Trump administration. 

It also appears that, at least for now, trusted leaders who had served in our regional office, rather than new political appointees, will continue to serve our region in new state offices. We also know that our local Forest Service, those at the Forest and District levels, have not been impacted by the reorganization.   

Several commentators have warned that replacing regional offices with state offices is a tactic to increase unsustainable extraction, but we have not yet seen evidence to support that claim. In Washington, at least, the new state office will be based in Olympia and the relevant state agency is the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). If the goal is to increase coordination with state agencies like the DNR to harvest unsustainably with less oversight and less environmental protection, that goal could backfire here in Washington. Our current Commissioner of Public Lands, Dave Upthegrove, has worked to increase conservation of important habitats and species on state lands and believes in robust public engagement. The Commissioner has also been quoted as saying, “We’re not going to partner with clear-cutting these forests.”

 

Impacts on Research:

 

Among all the changes under the reorganization, we are most concerned about the closure of over 70% of the agency’s research facilities. The Forest Service has not indicated which studies or programs, if any, will be cut, but moving researchers away from the ecosystems they study could set back the research and, frankly, does not make a ton of sense.

We are especially concerned about what may happen to current wildfire research, especially if critical studies are forced to discontinue or relocate from ecosystems that could be affected by the severe fire season now forecast for this year.

 

What does all of this mean then?

 

In short, it’s too early to determine how these changes will affect the agency’s ability to perform its duties and manage public lands. However, the potential loss of local researchers, leadership, knowledge, and relationships built with Tribal governments over the years could all harm land management efforts in our region.

These important issues deserve public awareness and input. However, alarmist language and exaggerated claims have instead caused confusion. Given this administration’s attempts to defund and weaken federal agencies, it’s understandable why some might fear the worst.

Understanding what happens on our public lands is crucial. That’s why we’re here: to monitor what affects our public lands. We will continue to track changes from this reorganization and provide updates as we push for ecologically sound policies, especially as the impacts of the reorganization become clearer in the coming months. 

FIELD NOTES: March 2026

Executive Director’s Note:

 

It’s common sense: good public land management involves robust public input.

When the voices of the people who know, love, and care for our public lands are heard, stewardship actions achieve better outcomes for everyone. But when decision-makers ignore the knowledge held by local communities, actions impacting public lands can cause unnecessary ecological harm or become bogged down in expensive, time-consuming litigation.

Cascade Forest Conservancy and our partners are committed to preserving your right to have a say in what happens to your public lands. We think it’s common sense. Unfortunately, the D.C. officials working to reverse the Roadless Conservation Rule don’t appear to share our conviction. Before the Rule was put into place 25 years ago, the US Forest Service held more than 600 public meetings. Shockingly, the process to repeal it may not include a single one. The Cascade Forest Conservancy and our partners will not let that happen.

This is not how these processes are meant to work when the changes being considered are of this scope and magnitude. The future of the Roadless Rule will have a major impact on landscapes, wildlife, and communities across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Excluding the Wilderness Act, no other rule or piece of legislation protects a greater amount of large intact wildlife habitat and backcountry from mining, logging, and other forms of development by limiting road building and timber harvest to limited circumstances.

The wild places protected by the Roadless Area Conservation Rule belong to all of us. We have a right to participate in discussions about how our public lands are used, and those managing them have a responsibility to seek our input. So if today’s Forest Service leadership won’t do its job, then we’ll do it for them.

In fact, we’ve already started. Now you can help too.

A coalition of national and local conservationists has organized public meetings across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Join us to speak for national forests.

 

In Portland, Oregon:

April 8th, 5:30-8:00 pm Ecotrust Building

(721 NW 9th Ave, Portland, OR 97209)

In Seattle, Washington:

April 17th. Details coming soon.

 

NEWS & UPDATES:

 

CFC Has Nominated the Upper Lewis River for Outstanding Resource Waters Status

 

Cascade Forest Conservancy, along with a coalition of conservation and recreation groups, has nominated the Upper Lewis River and three other waterways for Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW), a designation made by states that protects high-quality waterways from future degradation under the Clean Water Act. These types of state designations are particularly important these days, as they can help protect against rollbacks at the federal level, such as the rollback of the roadless conservation rule discussed above.

Why nominate the Upper Lewis River for Outstanding Resource Waters Status?

The watershed we nominated contains beautiful and high quality waterways that serve as valuable habitat for coho, steelhead, bull trout, and other species. This area is also a popular recreation destination for its scenic beauty, fishing opportunities, whitewater opportunities, hiking trails, and renowned waterfalls. The nominated area lies entirely within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Significant portions flow through designated Wilderness Areas, Inventoried Roadless Areas, and Late-Successional Reserves (parcels of national forests where the primary management objective is the protection and enhancement of mature and old-growth forest habitats).

Protecting the Upper Lewis River will have positive impacts beyond the areas included in our nomination. The EPA has identified this river as one of 12 primary thermal refugia in the Columbia River. This means that the cold waters flowing from the area we aim to protect play a major role in maintaining water conditions that support the survival of temperature-sensitive species throughout the lower Columbia basin.

What’s next?

Washington’s Department of Ecology is now reviewing our proposal. In the coming months, the agency will issue a determination on whether the Upper Lewis River meets one of the criteria for Outstanding Resource Water.

We are optimistic that Ecology will recognize the pristine character, unique recreational value, and ecological significance of this beautiful stretch of the Upper Lewis River and determine that it meets at least one ORW criteria. If they do, the agency will begin a robust public process involving public outreach, consulting with tribes and local governments, and a formal rule making process.

Our first ORW nomination resulted in a historic win, as sections of the Green River and three other waterways became Washington state’s first ever Outstanding Resource Waters in 2023. A strong showing of public support for the new protections was key to our success. We’ll keep you updated about developments and share upcoming ways you can help us protect the Upper Lewis River

 

 

Volunteers made a difference this March!

 

 

This month, a group of volunteers braved wet and rainy conditions to plant 250 trees along a stretch of Hall Creek, a tributary of the Cowlitz River. As they grow, the conifers and willows we planted will cool water temperatures and stabilize the streambanks—supporting salmon and other aquatic species.

The following weekend, 39(!!) volunteers joined us in the field to protect old-growth Douglas fir around Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

On Friday, we worked alongside the Forest Service to install MCH pheromone caps on trees in Iron Creek Campground. On Saturday, volunteers and Government Mineral Springs Cabin Association members placed MCH caps on trees around Trapper Creek and the historic Government Mineral Springs guard station. Finally, on Sunday, we inventoried trees at Panther Creek Campground and installed MCH caps on recently downed trees. The data we collected will help inform future protection efforts.

Thanks to everyone who came out to lend a hand!

Together, we planted hundreds of trees; installed over 500 MCH pheromone caps on 80 individual trees across three old-growth sites; and collected data on 151 trees.

 

UPCOMMING EVENTS:

 

Volunteer Opportunity:
Planting for Pollinators at Mt. Adams
Thursday, April 9

 

 

 

Help us create habitat for pollinators near Mt. Adams! Insect pollinators, such as bees, moths, and butterflies, survive on nectar and pollen collected from wildflowers and shrubs. Healthy plant communities support healthy pollinator communities and vice versa. For several years, CFC has been working with the Forest Service to improve plant and pollinator communities in an area that has experienced several wildfires in recent years in short succession.

We need your help to plant native seedlings. Our efforts will help plant communities recover more quickly in the burned area and provide more support for pollinators.

 

Save the Date: Washougal Beaver Bash is Coming April 18!

 

Get ready to celebrate International Beaver Day in Washougal!

The Washougal Beaver Bash will be a free, family-friendly event featuring art projects, live music, and exhibitor booths with beaver experts ready to share knowledge about our favorite ecosystem engineers!

 

The UNDERSTORY NW FILM FEST
Thursday, May 28

 

 

Mark your calendars for the return of our annual UNDERSTORY NW FILM FEST, a night of stories celebrating conservation and our connections to the world around us at Vancouver’s Historic Kiggins Theatre.

Details, trailer, and tickets coming soon!

FIELD NOTES: February 2026

Executive Director’s Note:

Despite overwhelming evidence and public opinion, the federal government is choosing to bury its head in the sand at a time when confronting and adapting to the realities of climate change is more important than ever.

Earlier this month, the administration repealed the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which classified climate change-causing greenhouse gases as pollutants, granting the EPA authority to regulate these emissions under the Clean Air Act. Repealing the finding fundamentally undermines the legal basis enabling the federal government to make rules and regulations to address climate change.

In addition to stripping the EPA of the ability to regulate CO2  and other greenhouse gases, the decision will likely lead to additional bad outcomes and may signal that other rollbacks are on the horizon, like a move away from climate-focused and science-based land management plans and undoing any recent progress that was made towards including consideration for carbon sequestration in timber sale negotiations.

The decision to deregulate pollutants defies the threat and the reality of climate change and its impacts. The scientific consensus is even clearer in 2026 than it was in 2009 when the Endangerment Finding was put in place: greenhouse gas emissions and climate change are a serious threat to the health and well-being of all Americans.

In the Cascades, our snowpacks are at record lows. Droughts, mega fires, and atmospheric rivers have scarred our landscapes and harmed communities. In 2024 alone, weather and climate-change-related disasters cost the United States $27 billion. As more greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere, the impacts and costs of climate change will continue to rise.

 

 

As the federal government shirks its responsibility to address climate change, Cascade Forest Conservancy continues to step up. Protected, healthy, and biodiverse forests in the Pacific Northwest slow climate change and mitigate its impacts. CFCs work to safeguard forests in our region—especially old-growth and mature stands that capture and store vast amounts of carbon—reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, slowing the acceleration of climate change.

Additionally, our work to restore forest and aquatic habitats is easing climate change impacts by making ecosystems and communities in the southern Washington Cascades more resilient. Restoring salmon habitats, supporting beaver recovery, combating the spread of invasive species, restoring fire-impacted forests, and safeguarding old-growth Douglas firs from insect infestations are all making local ecosystems and the life they support healthier and better able to adapt to the challenges they are facing.

We cannot, nor will we, wait for those in power to accept their responsibility to address climate change. With you, our inspiring community of supporters, friends, partners, and volunteers, we will keep holding decision-makers accountable and protecting our forests.

 

 

 

    • Volunteer with CFC: Come make a difference out in the field! Many of our volunteer opportunities fill up fast. Be the first to know about new volunteer opportunities by adding your name and email to our volunteer update list.

 

    • Raise your voice: Your voice makes a difference when you use our talking points to submit comments, contact decision makers, or sign support letters. Stay tuned for action alerts, like the one below—and join us in speaking out for conservation and public lands.

 

    • Help us spread the word about the importance of roadless areas. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest is home to a number of Inventoried Roadless Areas, including the Dark Divide, Siouxon, and Silver Star Roadless Areas. Today, the rule that protects these strongholds of wildlife habitat and backcountry is under threat. We’re looking for spokespeople to help us in our outreach. Contact our Communications Manager, Bryn (bryn@cascadeforest.org) if you’d be willing to talk to us about your experiences in Inventoried Roadless Areas.

 

  • Support our work: Cascade Forest Conservancy is strong because of support from people like you. To help us prepare for the work ahead in 2026, make a donation of $6, $20, or $26 today.

 

NEWS & UPDATES:

 

The Department of Agriculture is again trying to curtail the public’s ability to meaningfully participate in decisions impacting federal lands..

Proposed changes would significantly limit the amount of time we have to comment on plans and decisions for timber sales and other land management projects managed by the US Forest Service and limit the amount and type of information we can include in public processes. 

Many of the Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, and Decisions we comment on are complex in nature. Ground truthing and completing a detailed review of the ecological, legal, and practical impacts of land management plans (sometimes at a stand-by-stand level of detail) requires significant time and resources.

Accountability, local knowledge, careful review, and public feedback help the agency make better decisions. These changes are unacceptable and will lead to worse decision-making.

Please join us in fighting these changes by submitting a comment by March 9th. 

 

TAKE ACTION:

Write comments using CFC’s talking points using the link below, or comment directly on the federal registrar’s notice here.   

 Comment using CFC’s Talking Points

 

 

 

Field Season is Underway!

We kicked off the 2026 volunteer season with a restoration planting trip. Volunteers planted 200 trees at two sites along Salmon Creek, a tributary of the Cowlitz River. The western redcedar, Douglas fir, and big leaf maple they planted along the stream bank will increase habitat diversity and provide shade, which will help cool water temperatures. Since November, volunteers and Northwest Youth Corps members have planted over 1,000 trees at these sites!

 

 

CFC Staff Traveled to Olympia 

Our Policy Manager and Science and Stewardship Manager went to Olympia show support for Alexa Whipple and Dr. Jonah Piovia Scott, who spoke about the benefits of beavers and their intersection with humans at a Work Session during the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Jan 29th.

While there, they met with Senator Annette Cleveland’s team and Representative Sharon Wylie, both of whom are in the 49th District. They spoke about:

    • Funding the Department of Natural Resources’ Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration, and Community Resilience Account (HB 1168), which plays a critical role in preparing communities for wildfire and broader climate impacts.

 

    • Funding the Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program to support additional projects from last session’s approved list. The TLT program helps DNR to transfer low-revenue lands to other ownership types, like habitat conservation, and replace them with new income-producing lands, a real win-win!

 

    • The importance of beavers and the role they play in supporting the health and function of watersheds, particularly for salmon recovery and climate resilience. We let them know about the Washington Beaver Working Group and how we are always working to make beaver management more effective and streamlined across the state, while working to protect beavers and their habitats. We also touched on the benefits of beavers in wildfire-prone areas.

 

 

Save the Date: Washougal Beaver Bash is Coming April 18!

Get ready to celebrate International Beaver Day in Washougal!

The Washougal Beaver Bash will be a free, family-friendly event featuring art projects, live music, and exhibitor booths with beaver experts ready to share knowledge about our favorite ecosystem engineers!

ACTION ALERT: PROTECT YOUR ABILITY TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC LANDS

The Department of Agriculture is again trying to curtail the public’s ability to meaningfully participate in decisions impacting federal lands.

Proposed changes would significantly limit the amount of time we have to comment on plans and decisions for timber sales and other land management projects managed by the US Forest Service and limit the amount and type of information we can include in public processes.

Many of the Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Statements, and Decisions we comment on are complex in nature. Ground truthing and completing a detailed review of the ecological, legal, and practical impacts of land management plans (sometimes at a stand-by-stand level of detail) requires significant time and resources.

Accountability, local knowledge, careful review, and public feedback help the agency make better decisions. These changes are unacceptable and will lead to worse decision-making.

Please join us in fighting these changes by submitting a comment by March 9th. 

 

 

 

How to comment:

 

Go to this comment portal and type your comment in the box “Comment.” Then follow the instructions below the box to finish submitting your comment. We’ve provided a template to help get you started:

 

Hello, 

My name is [X], and I am writing to urge the Department of Agriculture to withdraw the proposed changes to 36 CFR 218. These changes severely curtail the public’s ability to provide meaningful comments on federal projects. Only allowing 10 days for EAs or 20 days for EISs for the public to review projects that are frequently very detailed and complex is unacceptable. Additionally, limiting the types and methods of information the public can submit will undermine federal projects. Public land decisions should be informed by public involvement and local knowledge. This type of information helps the Forest Service make better decisions. 

[Add in personal details about your involvement with public lands, type of local knowledge you have, etc.]

For the reasons listed above, the Department should withdraw the proposed changes. 

Best,

[your name]

HOW THE WARMEST FALL ON RECORD + THE RECENT ATMOSPHERIC RIVER ARE IMPACTING SW WASHINGTON

As our climate continues to warm, communities and wildlife are coming under increasing pressure.

Last month’s atmospheric river unleashed a deluge of precipitation that swelled rivers and streams, leading to devastating flooding in many towns across western Washington. While southwest Washington escaped the scale of flooding seen farther north, the high flow event, combined with record-breaking fall and winter temperatures, will have impacts for wildlife and communities that could last years.

Climate Change, Atmospheric Rivers, Snowpack, and Salmon

December’s major precipitation event was the result of a weather system sometimes called the pineapple express, which is an atmospheric river made up of a mass of warm, moist air moving up from the tropics that deposits huge amounts of precipitation after hitting the cooler west coast.

The storm arrived during a period when conditions on the west coast were already unseasonably warm. Last fall was the warmest on record, and temperatures this winter have remained well above historic averages. As a result, the large amounts of precipitation that fell as rain melted much of the snowpack that had accumulated in the previous months, further swelling streams and raising the possibility of dry river channels in the summer months to come.

In streams and rivers that retain their wild characteristics, like side channels, deep pools, and functioning floodplains, destructive impacts from high flow events like these are minimized. However, many of our streams and rivers are channelized and degraded. In these systems, high flow events can scour streambeds, trigger landslides, increase erosion, and travel unimpeded to downstream communities. For salmon, this can be disastrous as eggs laid in redds (gravel nests) are either swept away or buried under sediment. 

 

 

Atmospheric rivers and flooding are not new phenomena, but today, factors including climate change, aquatic habitat degradation, and past forestry practices, are making the damaging impacts of these kinds of events more severe. Our warming atmosphere can decrease snow packs and also cause higher flows from rain in spring and fall….

Deforestation has compromised the ability of many areas to act as sponges for excess precipitation, leading to more runoff, sedimentation, and erosion

However, protecting healthy forests and restoring degraded aquatic habitats can make a difference.   

Creating More Resilient Aquatic Watersheds

 

Cascade Forest Conservancy’s ongoing efforts restoring aquatic ecosystems makes these habitats, and the life they support, more resilient to these kinds of climate impacts.

Instream restoration: Strategically adding wood structures to streams to mimic conditions found in healthy waterways leads to a cascade of positive impacts. Adding wood to streams can help re-engage side channels and flood plains, slow flows, retain water in dry summer months, create ideal fish habitat in the form of deep cool pools, and create habitat diversity to support high levels of biodiversity.

CFC designs and implements instream restoration projects ranging from hand-built structures in small tributaries to large-scale projects involving hundreds of large logs and heavy machinery.

 

 

Riparian planting: In addition to our work in streams, CFC also works to improve riparian (stream side) habitats by planting trees along waterways. Healthy and biodiverse riparian forests serve several important functions that make aquatic habitats resilient to climate impacts. They prevent erosion and stabilize streambanks. They provide shade helping keep water temperatures cool during periods of high heat. And they provide forage for important species like beavers and insects.

 

 

Beaver reintroduction: We’re experienced aquatic restoration practitioners, but we’re no match for the Cascades best aquatic habitat engineers. We’re talking, of course, about beavers. Beavers’ dam-building and channel-digging activities cause streams to slow down and expand. Aquatic ecosystems with beavers are more resilient to both high flow events and droughts, and surrounding forests are more resilient to wildfire.

CFC works to reintroduce beavers from locations where they are coming into conflict with human communities to carefully chosen areas in the forests where their habitat-improving activities are most needed. We also work to create “beaverhoods”—places where conditions are restored to be more suitable for nearby beavers to move in and take over management.

THE IMPACTS OF FOREST ROADS & THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING ROADLESS AREAS

The Trump administration is working to reverse the 2001 Roadless Rule that currently protects large areas of intact wildlife habitat from commercial development. The rule is an essential tool for preserving biodiversity and access to unique backcountry recreation opportunities.

Reversing the Roadless Rule would allow logging and mining in some of the last protected landscapes in the southern Washington Cascades and throughout the country. And the new forest roads that would be needed for these types of actions would create their own set of long-lasting impacts.

This is the second post in our two-part series about the Roadless Rule. Here, we offer a deeper look into the history and science of forest roads to better appreciate what is currently at stake.

There are two major things to understand about forest roads. First, there are a lot of them. Second, roads, whatever their condition or level of use, significantly impact the ecosystems they transect.

 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF FOREST ROADS & THE 2001 ROADLESS RULE

 

National forests are permeated by webs of roads in various states of use. Early in the history of the national forest system, road construction was a primary focus of the Forest Service. Roads were built anywhere and all over based on the belief that access to remote areas of the forest would allow the agency to improve conditions on the ground. Throughout the 20th century, forest road construction continued at a frenzied pace. As time wore on, roads were increasingly built for (and often by) timber companies.

 

A map of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Wilderness Areas are highlighted in green and Inventoried Roadless Areas are highlighted in blue.
Wilderness Areas and Inventoried Roadless Areas function together to create critically important strongholds of wildlife habitat free from road building and extractive development.

 

As a result, the Forest Service is now the largest road manager on Earth. The agency is tasked with overseeing a vast transportation network containing a mix of graded and paved thoroughfares, narrow, overgrown, and pot-holed dirt tracks, and everything in between.

In addition to the forest roads you may have used, national forests contain thousands of miles of ghost roads—closed or decommissioned roads that still have a distinct and noticeable presence on the landscape, even after being closed to traffic for years or decades.

 

CFC staff walking down a forest road overgrown with grasses and ferns with stands of tress on either side.
Even seldom-used or decommissioned forest roads have significant and long-lasting impacts on the surrounding forest ecosystem.

Environmentalists have been raising alarms about the growing road network in formerly remote landscapes since the Forest Service began to build them. In the late 1990s, unable to afford the cost of maintenance on the roads already in use, the agency finally put a pause on new road construction until a solution could be found. After a sustained campaign from environmentalists, the Clinton administration put in place the 2001 Roadless Rule, which practically made the moratorium on road construction permanent in select places that were newly designated as Inventoried Roadless Areas.

 

THE IMPACTS OF FOREST ROADS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ROADLESS AREAS

 

First and foremost, the presence of roads is a necessary precondition for industrial timber harvest and mining operations. The Trump administration’s primary objective in attacking the Roadless Rule is to allow these kinds of extraction activities in some of the few remaining un-roaded areas that have been protected for the past two and a half decades.

However, beyond the extractive activities they enable, the mere presence of forest roads noticeably alters the ecology of landscapes where they are found.

 

A Roosevelt elk
Even rarely-used roads create major barriers from many species of wildlife.

 

The impacts of forest roads on wildlife and habitat connectivity: Studies have demonstrated that wildlife species wary of hunters and/or noise from motor vehicles, including elk, bear, lynx, wolverine, and others, will alter their movement patterns, sometimes going far out of their way to avoid crossing or even coming close to forest roads. This is even true for remote forest roads that may not see a driver for days at a time. Large, connected areas of habitat free from roads are critically important, and increasingly rare, refuges for these species.

 

A culvert
Roads impact streams in a number of ways.

 

The impacts of forest roads on forest and stream health: In addition to development and extraction, roads bring greater numbers of people to formerly remote places. Most visitors to forests treat these places with care and respect, but some do not. Forest roads are often bordered by stands containing high amounts of litter and invasive plant species—especially when compared to areas of forest without roads. Streams that are crossed by roads are often forced into culverts, polluted, and choked with sediment. 

The impacts of forest roads on topography and hydrology: Roads, especially roads across sloped terrain, create significant landslide risk and dramatically disrupt the natural flow and movement of water in forested ecosystems.

 

A forest road along a expanse of burned forest.
The vast majority of wildfires ignitions of any cause occur within 1/2 mile of a road.

 

The impacts of forest roads on wildfire risk and severity: Studies have shown that areas with higher densities of roads are at greater risk from wildfires than areas with fewer roads, and that 90% of all wildfires start within 2 km (1.25 miles) of a road. The relationship between roads and fires is influenced by several factors. Most importantly, roads increase the likelihood of human-caused fires resulting from ignition sources like campfires, discarded cigarettes, sparks, and arson.

Road ecology also plays a role in wildfire behavior. Roads can help wildfire crews access remote areas, but the presence of roads often contributes to conditions that make fires worse. Forest roads can create hotter, drier, and windier conditions, with associated impacts extending into the forests. Roadside areas are also often infested with invasive plant species, which can contribute to worse fire conditions. 

The importance of roadless areas for human communities and the immeasurable value of backcountry: Landscapes where life is still able to flourish away from roads and other forms of development also impact the well-being of our communities. They’re especially important to the individuals who come to wilderness and roadless areas to study, explore, connect, and find solace in the remote and rare corners of national forests where the world still feels wild. 

 

Roadless Areas in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest provide access to beautiful expanse of backcountry.

 

There are a lot of roads on national forest lands, and those roads have major impacts. The continued existence of large areas free from permanent human habitation and industrial extraction matters, but their future is now uncertain. You can help Cascade Forest Conservancy protect these places by joining our email list. Be sure to keep an eye out for the action alerts we’ll send you when it’s time to speak out by submitting comments in defense of the Roadless Rule. 

 

UPDATE: On 8/27, the USDA official began the process to revoke the 2001 Roadless Rule. Speak up for Roadless Areas! Use this form to submit your official comments by September 19. 

VESTIGES OF WILDNESS: WHY THE FATE OF ROADLESS AREAS IS CRITICAL TO OUR FUTURE

The 2001 Roadless Rule created a new type of land designation called Inventoried Roadless Areas and is responsible for protecting a large number of un-roaded landscapes across a wide range of regions and ecosystems throughout the national forest system. In total, the rule safeguards 58 million acres of intact wildlife habitat and backcountry, more than any federal action besides the Wilderness Act of 1964. 

Places like roadless areas, large areas where natural processes proceed free from excessive industrial incursion, are increasingly rare. They are places where the Earth is able to retain some of its wildness. They are critically important bastions of biodiversity and some of the last remaining refuges for species with little or no other suitable habitat left. Most are also places where recreation is quiet and where human visitors move at the speed of foot, hoof, and bicycle.   

Today, the rule that established and protects Inventoried Roadless Areas is under attack.

 

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest contains a significant area of wilderness and roadless areas

 

We’re fortunate that significant portions of the landscapes we work to protect in the southern Washington Cascades are currently designated as Wilderness or Inventoried Roadless Areas. The existence of these large areas of connected and un-roaded lands plays a significant role in our region’s appeal to outdoor enthusiasts from around the world. For those of us fortunate to have the opportunity and ability to venture in, spending time in the Roadless and Wilderness areas of the Gifford Pinchot can be a moving and meaningful experience. Stepping onto a place on Earth miles from the nearest road can inspire wonder, awe, inspiration, humility, a feeling of connection to and appreciation for the natural world, or any number of other unique, powerful, even spiritual experiences that make our lives fuller and richer.

 

Roadless areas in the GPNF provide unique outdoor recreation opportunities

 

The Gifford Pinchot’s roadless areas also play a role in sustaining our region’s wildlife and biodiversity. The ecological benefits of large intact areas of wildlife habitat extend far beyond the boundaries put in place to preserve them. In addition to providing refuge for species that need a lot of space away from human development to thrive, un-roaded areas provide space where species impacted by over-hunting or trapping, like fishers, martens, or the iconic grey wolf, have a better chance of making a recovery.

 

A meadow in one of the GPNS’s Inventoried Roadless Areas

 

Un-roaded areas provide space where species like the grey wolf could make a recovery

 

The continued existence of these Inventoried Roadless Areas is now threatened by the Trump administration’s stated intention to reverse the Roadless Rule, enabling and encouraging exploitation of intact ecosystems that have long been off-limits to commercial interests. The upcoming fight over the rule will have profound impacts for wildlife populations, the preservation of biodiversity, and outdoor recreation here in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. 

CFC is ready to respond once the administration follows through on its plans. Our partners and allies are ready to respond. And we’ll share the ways you can speak up and take action in defense of roadless areas when the moment for public comment arrives.

Part two of our series on the 2001 Roadless Rule, where we dive deeper into the history of the rule and the impacts of roads themselves on forest ecosystems, is coming next week.