Evergreen Reporter

Washington, D.C. – On June 29, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced nearly $14 million in federal funding for forest conservation efforts around Mt. Adams in Klickitat County and the Cabin Creek watershed in Kittitas County. The Mt. Adams grant, which totals $8.25 million, comes from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, a conservation program administered in partnership with state agencies to encourage the protection of privately-owned forest lands through conservation easements or land purchases and is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA Senator Murray helped pass included $700 million to permanently conserve state- and privately-owned forestlands, and the legislation was the largest-ever investment in climate action in American history. The Kittitas County grant, which totals $5.7 million, is also a part of the Forest Legacy Program and is funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which was permanently established by the Great Americans Outdoors Act and cosponsored by Senator Murray. Overall, the Forest Service announced investments to conserve more than 245,000 acres of private forestlands nationwide.

“Mount Adams is the centerpiece of one of Washington state’s iconic landscapes and critical culturally to the Yakama Nation. These forest areas are important for the region—providing countless recreation opportunities, habitat for fish and wildlife populations, and sustainable forestry jobs. The Kittitas Forest and Cabin Creek watershed are just as important, providing sustainable harvest and critical habitats,” said Senator Murray. “Conserving these forests is a priority for me and it’s why I was so glad we were able to secure a big funding boost for the Forest Legacy program in the Inflation Reduction Act and the Great American Outdoors Act. These federal dollars are going to make a huge difference for this region, and as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight to prioritize investments that will protect our environment and working forests  for generations to come.”

Funding for the Mt. Adams Project comes from the Inflation Reduction Act and funding for the Kittitas Working Forest Project comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Descriptions for the projects are below:

• Mt. Adams Forest, Phase 1—$8,250,000
• The Mt. Adams Forest, Phase 1 project conserves 6,378 acres of forests surrounding the rural community of Trout Lake, Washington. The project is located on the central and east slopes of the Cascade Mountains within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The project will support one of Washington’s last thriving forestry workforces, supplying 1,409 jobs and feeding three local mills that alone support 300 jobs. The conservation easement will also protect drinking water supply for Trout Lake and critical habitat for fish and wildlife while securing public recreation access in support of the area’s $275M recreation economy.
• Kittitas Working Forest Project—$5,700,000
• As part of the Kittitas Working Forest Project, 5,870 acres will be acquired to protect the Cabin Creek watershed from development, provide sustainable harvests for the local economy, preserve a critical habitat corridor for wolves and spotted owls, and ensure essential recreation and forest health investments. In an emerging mecca for outdoor living, this forested landscape brims with wildlife, mountain streams and year-round recreation but risks conversion to crowded resort communities due to easy access and proximity to Seattle, 65 miles away.

Read more about the conservation projects here. 

Original source can be found here.