Since 1979, Washington Wild has played a key role in protecting nearly three million acres of Wilderness throughout Washington State. They bring people together in the defense of our remaining wild forests, waters, and wildlife area.
Chris Chappell frequently asks the Environmental Coalition to join their list of groups that ask Congress, the Forest Service and other agencies to protect our wild lands. By educating, empowering our communities, Washington Wild builds grassroots networks to also help protect wild lands throughout the state.
Washington Wild works to both protect and defend the natural beauty of Washington State’s federal lands. They are the only statewide group dedicated to protecting wild lands and waters. The organization plays a unique leadership role in working with both national and local grassroots advocacy groups.
A key part of this work is to develop campaigns in support of federally-designated Wilderness and federally designated Wild & Scenic Rivers.. Protecting wild places is often seen as at odds with recreational access, but it in Washington it is different. Washington Wild focuses both on protecting wild lands while also preserving recreational adjacent to those same wild places.
Access is a major reason we work so hard to protect places like the Wild Sky Wilderness, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions, and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Wild & Scenic Rivers. These are for current and future generation to enjoy these incredible places.Washington Wild has led efforts to enhance recreational access on federal lands statewide. As part of our coalition-building efforts the organization bring all sorts of Conservation Voices together including mountain bikers, paddlers, and backcountry horsemen.
Washington Wild coordinates sign-on letters supporting recreational access and they frequently include the Environmental Coalition of Pierce County’s logo on their joint letters sent to our congress and others. More than protecting wild places, Washington Wild defends wild places from mounting threats such as timber sales, dam proposals, mining proposals, and other potential threats to wild places. Each year, Washington Wild mobilizes grassroots responses to speak out against threats by and bringing together organizations and local businesses to sign onto joint comment letters.
Wild Lands & Waters
The natural beauty of Washington’s wild lands and waters is one of the reasons so many people work and play in the Pacific Northwest. After the passage of the Wild Sky Wilderness Act in 2008, Washington Wild brought together advocates to protect the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions passed 2014. It and was the first Wilderness legislation in Washington State to designate BOTH Wilderness and Wild & Scenic Rivers. This effort protected over 22,000 acres and nearly 40 miles.
For more information, contact:
Chris Chappell (He/Him), Alliance Director, Washington Wild at 602.578.9771