The Wilderness Blog

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Lungs of the Earth: The Top 10 carbon storing national forests in America

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Ever hear the old adage that trees are the “lungs of the earth?” It creates an awesome visual and brings a human element to the towering giants that fill our forests. But did you know that forests in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska are among the Earth’s strongest “lungs?” more

Marbled Murrelet retains federal protections

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A tiny Northwestern seabird got some great news on Jan 20. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service declared that the marbled murrelet is still in need of federal protection and declined petitions to remove the bird from the list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service cited declining populations in Oregon, Washington, and California as proof that the marbled murrelet was not ready to be removed from the protective measures that have been in place since the early 1990s. more

Watch the trailer for North Cascades: People, Places and Stories

Hosted by KCTS 9's Enrique Cerna, North Cascades: People, Places and Stories provides an in-depth look at the region and its relationship to the community. Get a glimpse of North Cascades: People, Places and Stories, here: more

Obama’s focus on science gives sea bird a reprieve

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Just six months into Obama’s presidency, we’re already beginning to see just how much we can get done with an administration that values strong scientific evidence. Last week, after years of foot-dragging by the Bush Administration, the White House released a landmark multi-agency government report on the effects of climate change on the U.S. Just a day later, a scientific report from the U.S. more

Goodbye to glaciers in Washington's North Cascades?

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A few years ago I did a multi-day backpacking trip that took me through some  spectacular terrain in the Glacier Peak Wilderness of Washington state’s North Cascades. On the second day of this 8-day trip, my small team of three left the beaten trail and hiked up Spider Glacier to Spider Gap and then down into an enchanting lake basin. The lakes, Lyman Lakes, are fed by nearby Lyman Glacier. more

A National Treasure: Washington State’s North Cascades

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One of our top priorities in the Pacific Northwest is the North Cascades Initiative. Rising from lush valleys to Mount Baker’s 10,778-foot peak, the North Cascades are in greater Seattle’s backyard and is the most glaciated area in the Lower 48. Glaciers carved many of the deep valleys and cut mountain sides much steeper than those on the higher peaks of the Sierra Nevada or Rockies. The North Cascades are one of the few intact ecosystems in the Lower 48 that is wild and large enough to support wide-ranging species such as grizzlies, mountain lion, and wolves. more