On Saturday, May 11 we had a Forest Conservation Spring Celebration!

Many from the community joined us to see a newly protected forest (Shore Thing), hear live music from Whump (Formerly Tuff Puffin), have fun with arts and crafts, and have a bite to eat.

The celebration was hosted by Erin & Kate at the wonderful Wandering Joy Campground.

It featured the following speakers:

• Nina Sarmiento from the Center for Responsible Forestry
• Carolita and Scott McGee from Forest2Sea and Elwha Legacy Forests
• Mary Jean Ryan from the Center for Responsible Forestry
• Gabriel, Coalition youth
• WA State Representative Mike Chapman
• Port Angeles City Council Member Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin
• Brian Grad from Olympic Climate Action

We hosted a celebration of DNR’s cancellation of the 126-acre Power Plant timber sale along the Elwha River and the Olympic Adventure Trail! The DNR has proposed preserving 69 acres of it in the Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) program. The fate of the remaining 57 acres are still unclear, but also deserve preserving.

Speakers included Elizabeth Dunne, with Earth Law Center, WA state Rep. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, 2016 Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Bryant of Seattle, and Port Angeles City Council members LaTrisha Suggs. Also in attendance were Port Angeles City Council members Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin and Navarra Carr, and Eric Pickens, President of the Sequim School Board and candidate for WA state Representative. It was great to see such support from our elected representatives! We also had great folk music from Kevin MacCartney and Steve Koehler.

Celebrants were invited to explore and follow the trail that borders Unit 3 to visit the former lower Elwha Dam site.

See this page for more info the Power Plant timber sale, including maps and photos and the Peninsula Daily News article on the event.