Read the Report.
Seattle, WA – Washington is home to several of the
nation’s most beautiful and important national forests. These forests provides the state’s residents
with some of the highest quality recreation areas and our state’s economy with
an important source of revenue. Unfortunately,
logging in Washington’s national forests
jeopardizes $2.7 billion per year in Washington
business from transportation, lodging, equipment, and licenses for activities
such as fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching, according to a new report
released today by Environment Washington.
The Environment
Washington report on the value of recreation, water and wildlife, “Worth More
Wild: The Value of Washington’s Roadless National Forests,” analyzes data from
a national survey done by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service.
Key findings of the
report include:
- In 2006, 2.3 million Washington
residents participated in fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching, and
these recreationists spent $2.7 billion in Washington on transportation, lodging,
equipment, licenses, and other related items. The economic strength of this outdoor recreation
relies on pristine and intact forestland.
- Annually, more than $950 million worth
of freshwater comes from the Pacific Northwest Forest Service region,
which encompasses Washington.
- Undeveloped national forests provide
critical habitat to Washington’s
native wildlife, and at least 14 of the state’s endangered species would
be even more threatened without the protection of roadless areas.
“Pristine forests
boost local economies, provide unique outdoor opportunities, preserve wildlife,
and protect watersheds, but a major portion of our national forestland is
defenseless against logging,” said Environment Washington Field Associate Amy
Peterson.
Washington’s
national forests face road building and resource extraction from the timber
industry. Since those who choose to
recreate in national forests tend to look for untouched lands, spoiling those
lands will send recreationists and their money elsewhere.
“The wild rivers and
lands of our state and the opportunities for the public to enjoy them represent
an incredible natural asset. Preserving these lands for future generations is
important for our quality of life,” said Thomas O'Keefe, Pacific Northwest
Stewardship Director with American Whitewater.
American Whitewater is an organization formed more than 50 years ago
with the specific goal of protecting the wilderness character of our nation's
waterways.
Since 2000,
Washington residents have submitted 146,308 comments to the Forest Service,
with the vast majority supporting complete protection of these wild
forestlands.
Environment
Washington asks the members of Washington’s Congressional delegation to join
Representatives Inslee, McDermott, and Smith in protecting these untouched
forests by supporting the Roadless Area Conservation Act (H.R. 2516). The bill will protect 2 million acres of
roadless forests in Washington and 58.5 million acres of untouched forests
nationally.
“We must preserve
the beautiful and pristine parts of our national forests so that they can be
shared and appreciated by everyone,” concluded Peterson. “Washington’s forests are a part of our
state’s legacy that ought to be preserved for generations to come. For this to happen, we need all of our decision-makers
to take leadership on this issue as it comes before them in Congress.”
Environment Washington is a statewide, citizen-based environmental
advocacy organization. We are the new
home for WashPIRG’s environmental work.
