Outdoor Activities, and
Educational Events in the Pacific Northwest
Environment Issues:
10/9/19 The Interurban Trail Tree Preservation Society, Tree PAC,
the Sierra Club, the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission and others are
trying to reform the tree codes in the rapidly growing metropolitan
area to preserve the benefits they bring to a dense metropolitan area
including: reducing heat island effects, filtering and producing
breathable air (one ~ 35' tree produces enough O2 for one adult), and
they provide natural habitat for birds and other wildlife who are
rapidly loosing acreage to rural encroachments. Some of the reasons for
preserving forests and particularly Urban forests are listed here. A good web sight with further information on the initiative is Friends of Urban Forests
10/23/08
The Company Patagonia is asking for help to stop the damming of Chilean
Patagonia. A government environmental study is undergoing review in
Chile for HidroAysén, a massive hydroelectric project that would build
five dams on two of Patagonia's wild and pristine rivers, the Baker and
the Pascua. The Baker River is the largest remaining wild river in
Chile and runs right along the edge of the proposed 650,000-acre
Patagonia National Park that we are helping to create. Damming the
Baker would flood portions of this new park and hobble tourism that has
just begun to bring new sources of income to the area's small,
traditional communities. Less destructive alternative energy sources
are available. International Rivers is leading the fight in the U.S.
against HidroAysén. As part of a multi-pronged campaign, it is asking
its supporters to send an email to The Home Depot asking that the
company stop doing business with two large Chilean manufacturers of
wood products, both of whom are heavily involved in the dams project.
International Rivers' Web site:
http://www.internationalrivers.org/patagonia
11/20/04 The trail user/Fee Demo program passed into law
criminalizing use of our national wild lands for those who do not have
a user pass. Preliminary estimates of the cost for the new annual pass
to federal lands are $80-$100 individual agency and day use passes may
be available, and these fees have not been determined yet. Being caught
without a pass will be a class B misdemeanor if this law does not get
repealed before September of 2005. If caught without a permit on your
car your are presumed guilty with a fine of up to $5,000 and
imprisonment of up to 6 months. For more information see the press release by the Western Slope No-Fee
Coalition.