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Land Use and Conservation
"We have always had reluctance to see a tract of land which is empty
of men as anything but a void. The 'waste howling wilderness' of Deuteronomy is typical. The Oxford
Dictionary defines wilderness as wild or uncultivated land which is occupied 'only' by wild animals.
Places not used by us are 'wastes'. Areas not occupied by us are 'desolate.'Could the desolation be
in the soul of man?"
~John A. Livingston, in Borden Spears, ed.,
Wilderness Canada, 1970
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New Lake Whatcom Preserve makes the grade
Northwest Conservation, October 22, 2008
http://www.conservationnw.org/oldgrowth/one-quarter-of-lake-whatcom-watershed-protected-as-preserve
On October 21, The Whatcom County Council approved the first step in creation of a Lake
Whatcom Preserve. Thanks to all of you who spoke up for the preserve! One quarter of the Lake Whatcom watershed
will now be protected from logging as the new preserve shifts management of 8,400 acres of lands from the Department
of Natural Resources to Whatcom County park management.
Creation of the preserve prevents timber sales like the White Chanterelle, helps protect the drinking water for
more than 90,000 people, reduces the risk of dangerous landslides that can occur as the result of logging, creates
low-impact recreation opportunities, and provides vital habitat for wildlife like the marbled murrelet and the Salish
sucker in rich, older forests that also include small stands of old growth.
The Lake Whatcom Forest Preserve will include two large parcels: on Stewart Mountain above the Northshore Trail
and on Lookout Mountain above Sudden Valley. The preserve will feature about 50 miles of trails, viewing areas,
and low impact recreational opportunities. It will be managed for the restoration of old-growth forests and
maintenance of a healthy watershed, and as a recreation area that our children and grandchildren can enjoy.
A big thank you to Whatcom County Executive Pete Kremen for spearheading this proposal and to the Whatcom County
Council for making such a wise decision that future generations will appreciate for decades to come.
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