Last week, we attended a forum to learn about the efforts to get a Wild and Scenic Designation for the Nooksack River. We support their efforts. Please TAKE THE SURVEY to help gather information about the use of the area.
The Wild and Scenic Designation:
“Flowing from the high snowfields and glaciers of Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan, and the Twin Sisters range in the North Cascades, the Nooksack River system is home to all five types of salmon, bald eagle, black bear, cougar, elk, and many other fish and wildlife species that need intact, wild places to survive. Whitewater rivers, incredible mountain views and old-growth forests provide world-class hiking, kayaking, and other recreation opportunities. Yet the majority of the Nooksack system remains unprotected.
In 1990, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) studied the Nooksack River for potential inclusion in the national Wild and Scenic Rivers system. The USFS determined that all three forks of the Nooksack, plus Wells Creek on the North Fork and Bell Creek on the South Fork were eligible for Wild and Scenic designation for their outstanding fisheries, wildlife, recreation, scenic and historical/cultural values. Glacier Creek, Clearwater and Warm Creeks, and Wanlick Creek are also worthy candidates for protection, but were not studied by the USFS in its 1990 review.
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is the strongest tool available to permanently protect our remaining wild rivers. Wild and Scenic designation would forever protect the Nooksack’s free-flowing character and special values.” American Rivers Project – Nooksack River.
Find them on Facebook.com/NooksackWildAndScenic.
Please TAKE THE SURVEY.
Stakeholder organizations including American Rivers, the United States Forest Service, the Hydropower Reform Coalition, and American Whitewater are leading an effort to develop a recreation plan for the upper Nooksack River basin. The goal of this planning project is to develop a strategy for managing recreation use while maintaining the integrity of the natural resources in the area and minimizing potential conflicts. Technical assistance is being provided by the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program (www.nps.gov/rtca) to help develop the plan.
We’d like you to take the next 10 minutes to answer some questions regarding your recreation experiences in and along the upper Nooksack. This survey is designed to give you an opportunity to provide us with information that might help improve your future experiences on the North, Middle, and South Fork Nooksack River. All answers will remain confidential. Thank you in advance for your participation!
Please TAKE THE SURVEY.
Todd Elsworth is one of the many “Mossy-haired lunatics roaming the dripping peninsulas”, described in “I’m Here for the Weather” by Tom Robbins. As executive director, he works to fulfill our mission to teach the health benefits of nature, promote outdoor recreation, and steward the places where we play.
