Sustainable Northwest

Results: Played a key role in the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, an historic settlement that is good for fish and farms, and will lead to the largest dam removal in U.S. history. Recently launched Sustainable Northwest Wood, the only wood distribution center on the west coast focused exclusively on local and sustainable wood. Created and continue to coordinate the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, the most effective advocate in the country for rural natural resource policy that supports community-based land stewardship.

Target demographics: Rural community leaders, businesses and organizations committed to community-based land stewardship.

Programs: Forests: decades of fire suppression and litigation over logging have left degraded forests and dying towns. There is an urgent need to increase the pace and scale of restoration projects, and create jobs that make our forests resilient to the increasing threat of abnormal wildfire, insects, and disease. Sustainable northwest has changed the conversation to jobs for the environment by bringing people together to create durable solutions that restore our northwest forests.

water: the competing needs of our cities, agriculture, fish, and energy production have led to water scarcity and pollution in the pacific northwest. Efforts to address water challenges in rural areas are often hampered by planning, financial, and social barriers. Historically, the response has been conflict, litigation, and emergency assistance. This has left our water-dependent ecosystems and communities imperiled.

rangelands: decades of fire suppression have allowed western juniper to overtake rangelands, using precious water, and destroying habitat for sage grouse and other wildlife. By sustainably harvesting western juniper we are restoring rangelands to their natural state, and returning more water and a healthy wildlife habitat to the high desert.