- April 10th, 2013, President’s Budget Returns Oil and Gas Revenues to Land and Water Conservation, Boosting Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
- April 1, 2013, Local Elementary Students to Hand Deliver Thank You Notes for U.S. Senator’s Work to Protect Table Rocks, Oregon
- March 23, 2013, Senate Passes Budget that Returns Oil & Gas Revenues to Land and Water Conservation Fund
- March 13, 2013, LWCF Coalition Lauds Senate Budget for Commitment to Outdoor Economy, Ending Chronic Diversion of Conservation Funds
- March 7, 2013, LWCF Coalition Lauds Jewell for Commitment to Outdoor Economy
- February 14, 2013, Senators Introduce Bipartisian Bill to Renew and Improve Landmark Conservation Program
- February 6, 2013, LWCF Coalition Praises Nomination of Sally Jewell for Interior Secretary
- January 22, 2013, Statement from the Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalitionon the Retirement of U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
- September 26, 2012, Coalition Praises Senate Subcommittee for Proposal to Increase LWCF Conservation Funding
- July 3, 2012, Americans Support Land Conservation as Patriotic, Even as Congress Moves to Cut Funding
- June 28, 2012, LWCF Coalition Decries Efforts to Strip Conservation Funding From Final Transportation Bill
- June 25, 2012, Over 1,000 Groups Urge Congress to Fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund
- June 20, 2012, LWCF Coalition Applauds Senate for Resounding Defeat of Proposal to Strip Forest Conservation Funding
- June 20, 2012, House Appropriations Panel Slashes Land Conservation and Forest Programs
- March 8, 2012 Coalition Applauds Senate for Dedicated Conservation Funding
- February 13, 2012 Coalition Applauds President's Continued Support for Conservation Funding
- December 17, 2011 Conservation, Business and Sportsmen Groups Applaud Congressional Efforts to Protect LWCF Funding in FY12 Budget
- July 25, 2011- New Bipartisan Poll Shows Overwhelming Support Across America for Land and Water Conservation Fund
- July 13, 2011- National Bipartisan Poll Memo
- May 31, 2011- Over One-Third of the U.S. House of Representatives Sign Letter Supporting Funding for LWCF
- April 14, 2011- Conrad Anchor Testimony Release
- December 20, 2010 - Senate Urged to Join House and Pass Bill with Full Funding for Conservation Program »
- August 3, 2010 - Senate Urged to Join House and Pass Bill with Full Funding for Conservation Program »
- July 15, 2010 - House Committee Passes Bill Securing Funding for Conservation and Recreation Program »
- April 16, 2010 - America's Great Outdoors Conference Focuses on Need for Vital Land, Recreation Funding »
- February 1, 2010 - Obama's Budget Includes Key Funding for Land & Water »
- November 6, 2009 - Senate Bill Would Fulfill Longstanding Promise for Conservation and Recreation Program »
- September 17 , 2009 - Coalition Supports Conservation at House Hearing »
For Immediate Release- The Trust for Public Land News Release
October 17, 2012
Contact: Karen MacDonald, The Trust for Public Land, (206) 587-2447, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
1.5 Miles of Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail Permanently Protected
Seattle Wash.. – Today, The Trust for Public Land and the U.S. Forest Service announced that 808 acres of private lands along the Pacific Crest Trail in Kittitas County, Washington have been protected and added to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Wenatchee national forests.
The two properties, owned by Plum Creek Timber Company, include 1.5 miles of trail and provide striking views of the Cascade Range. Protecting the land consolidates “checkerboard lands,” a checkerboard pattern of Forest Service ownership and land that was originally granted to the Northern Pacific Railroad. Protection will also enhance recreational access and protect scenic views and habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered species.
The Trust for Public Land worked with Plum Creek to secure the lands and funding for its protection.
“The Pacific Crest Trail is a very popular hiking destination and a place many go to view wildlife and enjoy the outdoors,” said Mike Deller, The Trust for Public Land’s Washington State Director. “We have been working for over a decade to help consolidate these checkerboard lands to protect the trail and will continue to do so.”
The $1.126 million to purchase the two properties came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), the federal government’s main source of money for protecting land. The source of the money is royalties paid by energy companies for offshore oil and gas drilling.
U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Representative Dave Reichert support LWCF and the effort to protect land along the Pacific Crest Trail.
The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail spans 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington. Acquiring these lands has been a priority for both the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the U.S. Forest Service.
Forest Service quote
This part of the trail is just north of the Norse Peak Wilderness Area.
“This means a lot to those of us who want to provide the natural experience in the Pacific Northwest,” said Mike Dawson, trail operations director for the Pacific Crest Trail Association, He said volunteer groups such as Backcountry Horsemen and North 350 Blades do hard manual labor to keep the trail open to the public. “This makes their work so much more valuable,” he said.
The I-90 Wildlife Bridges Coalition and Forterra also supported the protection of these two properties.
The Trust for Public Land is a national land conservation organization which preserves land for people to enjoy as parks, greenways and wilderness areas. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 3 million acres in 47 states. www.tpl.org
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