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Tree Well

Protect the Elwha River Watershed!

Zoom in on the interactive Google Map to see where the DNR plans to log in the Elwha River Watershed.

Please help us save the Elwha River Watershed from more extractive logging!

The proposed DNR timber sale named “Tree Well” will log approximately 202 acres of forest near the Elwha River and Little River.

The “Tree Well” timber sale was approved by the Board of Natural Resources on Nov 5th, 2024 and could go to auction in December, 2024. The Board of Natural Resources and DNR can cancel this sale and save this forest. Please tell the Board of Natural Resources and DNR to cancel this sale NOW. Click here to send a pre-written email.

Tree Well

Yet another legacy forest timber sale in the Elwha River Watershed

The Tree Well timber sale would log more legacy forest in the Elwha River watershed and was approved by the Board of Natural Resources on Nov 5th 2024. It could be auctioned off to be clear-cut in December, 2024. It is very close to the Aldwell logged area and the Alley Cat and Parched timber sales. It would also create over 6,980 ft of new forest roads, that will never be forested again.

The “Tree Well” sale has a unit adjacent to Little River, with sections of it inside and outside the Elwha watershed boundary. Risks to the watershed associated with industrial logging include increases in peak flows and diminished summer streamflow in Little River, a major tributary to the Elwha, and one of the first places salmon returned post dam removal.

The Tree Well timber sale includes large, mature Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock, and Big Leaf Maple. 

Tree Well is a naturally regenerated forest with seasonal creeks, a complex understory, large snags, large wood on the forest floor and a mixed age canopy.

See Joshua Wright’s photos of Units 1 and 2.

Tree Well also includes steep hillsides and the potential for landslides, which would be made worse by clear-cut logging. A geotechnical review by a licensed engineering geologist concluded that the DNR had not adequately reviewed the deep seated landslides in the timber sale area (specifically Unit 3, adjacent to Little River). See the geotechnical review here (1.9MB PDF): Geotechical Review Tree Well FPA 2618493

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Elwha River Watershed

With the removal of the 2 dams on the Elwha River, there’s over a $320 million dollar effort to restore the Elwha watershed. This includes work to restore salmon access up the Elwha and its tributaries. The Power Plant and TCB23 forests are part of the watershed that feeds directly into the Elwha River.

Legacy forests play a crucial role in protecting water quality. Trees in these forests act as natural filters, removing pollutants and contaminants from the water before it reaches streams, rivers, and lakes. They also help to prevent soil erosion and sedimentation, which can clog water sources and decrease their quality. Additionally, the root systems of trees in legacy forests help to regulate water flow and reduce the risk of flooding. Cutting down these forests would impact the quality of water sources in the area.

The Elwha River is the sole water supply for the City of Port Angeles and also a key source of salmon for the critically endangered southern resident orcas.

An aerial view showing the Elwha River and the 6 timber sales in the watershed.

Graphic showing some of the legacy forest timber sales in the Elwha Watershed.

Aerial drone view of the milky blue Elwha river, traveling through a dense green forest.

Climate Change

Conserving mature and old-growth forests is one of the most affordable and effective tools for fighting climate change. No human-made technology can match big trees for removing and storing climate pollution. If they are logged, most of that pollution is quickly released into the atmosphere and it takes many decades or centuries for younger trees to recapture it.
We have lost most of our mature and old-growth forests across the country due to past logging. This is a serious problem because healthy mature and old-growth forests provide drinking water to communities, protect fish and wildlife, and absorb and store vast amounts of climate pollution. To protect what we have left and recover what has been lost, it is critical that we protect both mature and old-growth forests from being cut down in the future.
See the declaration from Dr. Dominick DellaSala (Chief Scientist at Wild Heritage) regarding climate aspects associated with logging on lands managed by the WA State DNR.
Beautiful curves in the Elwha River, across from the TCB23 timber sale