Washington Wild

Over the past month Washington Wild’s Executive Director, Tom Uniack, joined Senator Patty Murray on two hikes alongside fellow conservation organizations, US Forest Service staff, and local conservation advocates. While both hikes offered the breathtaking landscapes and restorative calm so many of us escape to these places to enjoy, in a way each of these places exists on different ends of a spectrum.

The Barclay Lake trail outside Index is located within the Wild Sky Wilderness, designated in 2008. The Gray Wolf Trail near Sequim meanders through Olympic National Forest, but does not yet benefit from Wilderness designation. Nor does its namesake river, the Gray Wolf River, have enduring Wild & Scenic River protection. Senator Murray and the Wild Olympics Campaign, of which Washington Wild is a founding member, are hoping to change that.

Read more!: https://wawild.org/hikingwithsenatormurray

Something big has been brewing... We’re back with another WA Brewshed® Alliance collaboration beer, brewed by Aslan Brewing Company. What is now becoming an annual celebration of our local craft beer industry’s dedication to protecting watershed health from peak to pint, the brewing of Forestalgia American Lager (w/ Salmon-Safe ingredients) brought together 100 breweries, taprooms, bottle shops, and hop growers.

Forestalgia is both a state of mind and a commitment. It's an individual's yearning for an idealized, sustainable future and dedication to protecting Washington State’s forests and rivers for the future of people, planet, and great beer.

It’s no coincidence that Washington enjoys a flourishing craft brewing industry. As water flows from the peaks of the Cascades and Olympics it picks up things along the way. Things like natural minerals can contribute positively to the unique regional flavor of a beer. But water can also collect pollutants that must be removed or treated before brewing, a process that is often difficult, expensive, and ultimately impacts the quality of the beer.

Intact, healthy ecosystems provide a natural filtration system that protects the quality of water on its journey downstream. With an abundance of protected natural landscapes—including 4.3 million acres of federally designated Wilderness Areas—Washington State has some of the best water in the world, which in many cases requires little to no treatment before brewing. Our Brewshed® Alliance Members know that by protecting the source, they’re protecting the quality of their downstream product.

We hope you will join us on Wednesday, August 21st at Aslan Seattle for the Forestalgia release party. In addition to Forestalgia on tap and in cans to go, an N/A version will also be available from our friends at Three Magnets Brewing.

Check it out—Our very own Chris Chappell (WA Wild's Brewshed® Alliance Director) and Brian Muegge (Salmon-Safe's Farm Program Manager + WA Wild Board Member) sat down with Grit & Grain to discuss all sorts of cool stuff!

Grit and Grain Episode 106: Washington Wild and Salmon-Safe - Grit & Grain Podcast Chris Chappell digs sustainability, Arizona Wilderness Brewery, social media, and Pacific Northwest watersheds. Brian Antonio Muegge digs Gonzaga, wildlife conservation, Nickelback, and keeping salmon safe. Chappell works to protect wild lands and rivers in our...

Yesterday, our Executive Director joined Senator Murray for a hike to Barclay Lake in the Wild Sky Wilderness. We are so thankful for Senator Murray's continued commitment to protecting Washington's clean water, salmon habitat, and old-growth forests.

Last year was the first time having a film category in our photo contest and we're excited to be offering this category again! Help us to capture the classic look and beauty of Washington’s wild places on film. Head to https://wawild.org/2024photocontestlearn to learn more and enter today!

And speaking of film, have you heard about Glazer's new Photo Lab?! Now offering film development and processing in their newly launched full-service , Glazer's is "excited to join the analog revolution, providing another way for you to see your individual vision."

Each category winner will be receiving a $150 gift card to as part of their WA Wild photo contest prize pack, so what are you waiting for? Get those entries in by 8/20!

Thank you, Senator Patty Murray for your leadership on Wild Olympics. Let's make 2024 the year it passes!

Lagerhead is on Saturday(!), and as with organizing any event, it truly takes a village. A special shout out to our Title Sponsor, , as well as and for their support. 💚

We can’t wait to sample the truly incredible lineup of lagers we’ll have on tap while celebrating Washington’s remarkable wild places with you all. If you haven’t gotten your tickets already, head to the link in our bio or wawild.org/lagerhead2024

Stories are powerful. They inspire and activate people, and people have the power to change systems and norms to make a shared vision a reality. Washington Wild was founded on Karen Fant’s vision for Washington State to see local grassroots efforts safeguard our wild places by utilizing the Wilderness Act of 1964. After 45 years of working to make that vision a reality, we have lots of stories to tell.

Mountain bikers and Wilderness advocates have often been at odds with one another, but here in Washington, WA Wild and the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance are charting a new path.

Rooted in a shared passion for responsible recreation, environmental stewardship, and recognition of the importance of outdoor recreation to our local economy and quality of life, there is an understanding that both interests can not only thrive but complement each other’s efforts.

Read the entire story at wawild.org!

📷 Courtesy of Evergreen MBA

The numbers are in and we are blown away by what Schilling Hard Cider was able to accomplish with their KEEP IT WILD campaign this year. With a team of enthusiastic, creative, and dedicated folks, Schilling raised $26,500 in support of our mission, marking this third year of the KEEP IT WILD campaign as the most successful yet, and also the largest corporate donation in our organization's 45-year history.

Schilling Cider's commitment to eco-friendly practices goes beyond their philanthropy work via KEEP IT WILD. Pioneers in the hard cider industry, Schilling's responsible and environmentally conscious operations set the standard many others strive to emulate. Operating an all-electric sales vehicle and forklift fleet, American-made printed cans that are 100% recyclable, sourcing local ingredients, and using highly efficient packaging processes that cut CO2 emissions by up to 50%.

We are so proud and grateful to have Schilling Hard Cider as a community partner and we are looking forward to "keeping it wild" together for many years to come. Be sure to stop into their Fremont cider house for a refreshing beverage sometime soon!

Please stand with us in protecting our air and water, forests and farmland, jobs, and transportation investments here in the Evergreen State. Pledge to vote NO on 1-2117 in November! > https://wawild.org/take-action-pledge-to-vote-no-on-i-2117/

Here’s why: A right-wing megadonor is single-handedly trying to reshape Washington state's laws and overturn our state's landmark law to reduce climate pollution. He’s put in $6 million of his own money to get I-2117 and other dangerous initiatives on the ballot this November.

If voters approve I-2117, it will mean that instead of a fee on pollution being paid by a few, it would shift the burden of paying for the impacts of pollution onto communities, workers, and families. It would strip away investments in community priorities across the state — from programs that lower costs for Washingtonians to transportation and transit services to wildfire prevention programs.

Among the programs that 2117 would gut funding for is the Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program. Earlier this year, the State Legislature unanimously approved $10.8 million in funding for nine TLT projects that would protect 2,200 acres of ecologically valuable forest land that also provides recreational access for communities throughout the state. As many of these project areas include large stands of mature or old-growth forests, the funding to permanently protect these areas has been allocated from the Climate Commitment Act. If 2117 is approved by voters in November, it would eliminate this funding source and thus prevent these areas from being protected.

In stark contrast to one man spending millions to try and buy an election, Washingtonians from across the state are coming together to fight back. Join the growing, unprecedented statewide No on 2117 coalition of business and environmental leaders, Tribal nations, labor unions, and community organizations dedicated to protecting our air and water by rejecting this dangerous initiative, and pledging to vote no on I-2117.

Do you drink more lagers when the weather heats up? 'Tis the season! Lagerhead, a lager-focused beer fest is now just a couple weeks away -- July 20th. It benefits Washington Wild, takes place at No Boat Brewing Company, and features beers from 40 Washington breweries. Tickies are now available. To get the deets see comments below...

Save the Date—Mark your calendars for 10/3 to join us for Wild Night Out 2024!

📆Thursday, October 3rd
⌚6:00 – 9:00 pm
📍WithinSodo | 2916 Utah Ave S. Seattle, WA

It is a very special year for Washington Wild as we celebrate 45 years of protecting our wild places. With snow-capped peaks and misty evergreen forests, rushing turquoise rivers, and rugged coastlines, Washington is a beautiful place to live. In addition to enriching our quality of life, our wild lands and waters contribute to the growth and prosperity of our region. Wild Night Out is an opportunity for our community to gather in celebration of our wild places and to support our efforts to protect them. As our signature annual event and one of our biggest fundraising opportunities of the year, we hope to see you there!

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Washington State Wilderness Act!

Washington Wild was founded in 1979 to build a local grassroots movement to protect Wilderness areas throughout Washington. After five years of advocacy and organizing, the Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984 marked the organization’s first major victory. To this day, it remains the most widespread designation of Wilderness areas the state of Washington has ever seen.

The passing of the Washington Wilderness Act serves as a reminder of the power of grassroots organizing and a well-planned, patient, campaign that can garner diverse support. As we mark its 40th anniversary (and our organization's 45th!), we also take the opportunity to honor and appreciate the unique and rugged beauty of this wild place we call home.

A special thank you to all the photographers who submitted photos to our photo contest used in this post. (Listed in order: Brooklynn Halbach, Brian Mitchell, Todd Strobel, Michael Freedman, Cynthia and Tex, and Jerico Cruz)

The submission period for WA Wild’s annual photo contest is now open!

This contest offers a chance for outdoor, nature, and wildlife photography enthusiasts from across the state to win prizes from our generous partners while helping WA Wild tell the story of Washington’s wild legacy. By capturing and sharing the breathtaking natural beauty of our state, contest entrants help WA Wild continue our work to protect, defend, and restore Washington’s wild lands and waters all year long!

This year's categories:

PEOPLE & PUBLIC LANDS — Hiking, biking, skiing, climbing, horseback riding, etc. … show us your favorite way to play on public lands.

WASHINGTON’S WILDERNESS — Since 1979, WA Wild has been instrumental in protecting nearly 3 million acres of Wilderness throughout Washington, help us celebrate these special places.

WILD WATERS — From snowcaps to whitecaps, water connects everything—whether you’re paddling, sailing, fishing, or chasing waterfalls, help us celebrate the untamed beauty of Washington’s wild waters.

WILD PLACES ON FILM — Are you the next Ansel Adams? Capture the classic look and beauty of Washington’s wild places on film.

Learn more and enter today: https://wawild.org/wa-wilds-2024-photo-contest/

Nothing like a different point of view to grant you some perspective!

Lucky enough to have the window seat during a clear sunset this past weekend, couldn’t help but think about how fortunate we Washingtonians are to live in such a wild place. In fact, among the 25 most populous U.S. cities, Seattle boasts the most protected Wilderness within a 100-mile radius. More than double the area of the next closest city, that’s 3.6 million acres (about the size of Connecticut) within a 2-hour drive.

Join us next Thursday (6/13) for the release of A River Steep and Wide, a collaboration IPA between No Boat Brewing & WA Wild to celebrate the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

If you recreate outdoors in Western Washington, there is a high chance you’ve enjoyed this Wilderness’s beautiful blue lakes and rugged peaks. A unique feature of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is its proximity to Seattle and it’s neighboring suburbs, making it one of the most accessible Wilderness areas in the United States.

10 years ago, Washington Wild and a coalition of stakeholders worked to expand the Wilderness area getting the 2014 Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions through congress and signed into law. This bill permanently protected more than 22,000 acres of critical lower-elevation wildlife habitat to the existing Alpine Lakes Wilderness area and designating nearly 40 miles of the Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers as Wild & Scenic. A River Steep and Wide IPA is a celebration of this incredible landscape.

The beer is a Double Dry Hopped IPA w/ Salmon Safe Cascade Cryo & Talus, generously donated by Yakima Chief Hops and Salmon Safe Genie Pale from LINC Malt. Aromatics of ripe grapefruit, stonefruit, pine, and tangerine

Please join us next Thursday June 13th from 6-8 PM to celebrate the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Washington Wild staff and other advocates will be hanging out to chat about the Wilderness Additions, Washington Wild, and all things Brewshed® Alliance.

Great Joel Connelly piece on the Triple Anniversary of The Act, urging Congress mark a 4th by passing in 2024: “The latest cause is the Wild Olympics Campaign. Derek Kilmer (passed it twice) but the Senate has yet to act.” Let’s get it done this year Senator Patty Murray Senator Maria Cantwell Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee! www.postalley.org/2024/05/18/the-wilderness-act-a-triple-anniversary/

kicks off tomorrow and you better believe we’re getting in on the greatest celebration of all things beer here in the Seattle area! 🍻 🐙 🌊

Join us one week from today, for a WA Brewshed Alliance Tap Takeover at Watershed Pub + Kitchen! That’s right, 18 taps will be occupied by local breweries who are working alongside WA Wild to protect watershed health from peak to pint 💙 And for every pint sold, $1 will be donated by the Watershed in support of keeping Washington wild for all for generations to come.

🚨ACTION ALERT: Protect the New Public Lands Rule Against Efforts to Overturn It!

In a move that has been overwhelmingly supported both locally and nationally, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has adopted the new Public Lands Rule that restores balance to the BLM's multiple-use mission after 40 years of catering to extractive industries.

This new land management framework *finally* puts conservation and recreation on equal footing with extractive uses of BLM lands and encourages collaboration between local BLM staff with Tribal Nations and local communities.

Despite this overwhelming support for the BLM’s commitment to conservation, there are threats in Congress to undermine and overturn the Public Lands Rule. Your legislators need to hear from you to know where you stand. Please ask your members of Congress to vote to uphold the Public Lands Rule to ensure the public lands, human stories, and wildlife that make Washington State so unique are safeguarded for future generations.

👉Act Now: https://wawild.org/take-action-protect-the-new-public-lands-rule-against-efforts-to-overturn-it/

Over the next couple of days, our community will be donating to many incredible nonprofits through the Washington Gives campaign. We hope that as a small, scrappy, and local conservation organization, we will be on your list of those you want to support. As a fun and practical thank-you gift, our friends at Earthwell® have created an awesome limited edition Washington Wild engraved 16oz camp cup to bring with you on your next adventure.

For the month of May, anyone who donates $150 to support our spring campaign, will receive one of these limited edition cups while also supporting our work to protect our wild places!

The perfect cup for your camp kitchen setup, beach bonfires, or backyard BBQs, the durable and lightweight Earthwell® Pint with LoopD™ Ring & S-biner® is nestable and designed to be clipped and carried by your side. It’s also BPA-free and phthalate-free, dishwasher-safe (although, handwashing is recommended), and has a lifetime warranty.

💚Donate at wawild.org/donate

Don't miss out on this fantastic lineup, buy your tickets to the inaugural Lagerhead Beer Fest today! https://wawild.org/lagerhead2024

📣 Advocate for funding urgently needed in our National Forests by asking your members of Congress to approve $100M in funding for the Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program.

TAKE ACTION > https://wawild.org/advocate-for-funding-urgently-needed-in-our-national-forests/ < 2 clicks + 30 seconds is all it takes!

Did you know?: Nearly 370,000 miles of roads—roughly eight times the mileage of the Interstate Highway System—crisscross our national forests. The U.S. Forest Service inherited this infrastructure from the logging industry but has never had the resources to maintain it. Left to fall into disrepair, the legacy of these forest roads and trails are clogged culverts that prevent salmon from swimming upstream, erosion of critical riparian habitat leading to poor water quality, and washed-out roads that limit safe access for recreation and U.S. Forest Service staff.

Founded in 2008, the Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation program is a targeted, results-oriented, and collaborative solution to this issue. Just here in Washington, the $32 million invested from 2008-2018 in our local national forests has had such a positive impact:
🥾 100+ miles of trails upgraded
🐟 55 stream crossings and bridges fixed, restoring fish passage
🚧 250 miles of failing roads decommissioned, protecting nearby waterways
🚙 2,000+ miles of roads maintained and/or storm-proofed
🦺 500+ high-wage jobs created for local contractors
💧 Protected drinking water for communities
🌲 Restored critical riparian habitat

While there is much to celebrate, there is also still much left to do. Nationwide, the Forest Service has identified a backlog of over $4.4 billion in deferred maintenance projects, with more than 400 high-priority culvert projects requiring nearly $110 million for just one year. However, last year’s funding was not enough to meet the need, providing only $6 million nationwide. The longer we wait to act, the bigger and more severe this problem becomes.

For several years now, Washington Wild has been thrilled and incredibly grateful to count Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) as a Brewshed® Alliance partner. Winner of our 2021 Brewshed® Alliance Award, YCH is a company that prides itself on responsible business operations and emphasizes long-term success, with the belief that creating value for local communities and the planet is every bit as crucial as shareholder value.

Yakima Chief Hops Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Levi Wyatt, recently wrote an article highlighting how YCH is supporting environmental advocacy across the PNW. In the Hopwire post, Wyatt writes, “By protecting the source, we protect the pint. Change is incremental, but 2023 was a monumental year for conservation in the Pacific Northwest! In the last year alone, YCH publicly supported ten conservation letters to protect and defend waterways in the Pacific Northwest.”

Among those ten letters, two were coordinated by Washington Wild. The first, in in support of our campaign to designate Washington’s first-ever Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW), and the second, advocating for funding for the Trust Land Transfer (TLT) program. Thanks to our combined efforts, both initiatives were successful!

But the folks at Yakima Chief Hops don’t just talk the talk, they walk to walk as well.

As detailed by a recent article by Keith Gribbins in the trade website Craft Brewing Business, YCH is also committed to reducing its carbon footprint.

Read more: https://wawild.org/brewshed-partner-yakima-chief-hops-commitment-to-environmental-advocacy-and-sustainability/

🍻🌎🌲

Fill your bellies and hearts with goodness this Earth Month, thanks to our friends ! Their Salt of the Sound Molten Cake is back for a second year and is all about protecting, defending, and restoring Washington's waterways. 🌊 🌎 🐋

In support of our work advocating for lower Snake River salmon recovery, designating Washington's first-ever Outstanding Resource Waters, and continued push to establish the Olympic Peninsula's first Wild & Scenic Rivers through the Wild Olympics Bill, Hot Cakes is donating 10% of proceeds from the sale of Salt of the Sound throughout April.

What better way to celebrate our incredible aquatic and marine ecosystems than by digging into a cake that explores the way sea salt enhances rich, sweet flavors. Hot Cakes' dark decadence cake is filled with a salted caramel pastry cream and their very own Pacific Coast sea salt caramel; on the side, you'll get a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream draped in an olive oil magic shell and a salted butter cookie, nestled on top of even more of salted caramel sauce. (Hungry yet?!)

Head into any three of Hot Cakes' locations—Ballard, Capitol Hill, or (new!) SODO—to support a wonderful local business and help us continue to protect our wild waters for all.

Beautiful day for a game! ⚾ Cheer on the Mariners as they take on the Cubs this weekend with an ice-cold Excelsior Imperial Apple from and 🌎🌲🍎 For every can and draft pour sold throughout April, Schilling is giving back 5% to WA Wild to support our work protecting Washington's wild lands and waters.

https://wawild.org/kegwalk

Starting tomorrow, you might spot something strange—a group of people hand trucking, chair wheeling, skateboarding, biking, or even dog sledding kegs from their breweries throughout Seattle to the Latona Pub. Although the actual reduced impact on the environment is small, the symbolism of these walks is great.

It’s all part of an annual fundraiser to support Washington Wild’s Brewshed® Alliance. Each Earth Month, brewers are tasked with getting their kegs from the brewery to the Latona Pub without the use of motorized transportation if they want to be on tap at the pub’s Earth Day celebration event. The Latona Pub has been celebrating Earth Day with keg walks and fundraising events for over ten years. This year, the Latona is teaming up with both WA Wild's Brewshed® Alliance and Save Our Wild Salmon.

Our first keg walk begins in Georgetown tomorrow morning, and this year we're turning up the heat by introducing a little competition into the mix by allowing you to sponsor a keg walker!

https://wawild.org/kegwalk

Not only will your donation support the WA Brewshed® Alliance’s work to protect watershed health from peak to pint, but also grant the winning brewery a month-long tap at the Latona Pub and bragging rights ‘till next year.

📣ACTION ALERT: Can you contact your members of Congress and urge them to help secure urgently needed funding to restore Columbia River Basin salmon?

President Biden’s FY25 budget request includes important investments to recover salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River and its tributaries. Now, we need Congress to secure funding for high-priority projects critical for salmon and steelhead recovery, including in the Mid-Columbia River.

We have an urgent window of opportunity to bring in long-overdue federal investments for the Northwest’s environment and economy.

Please contact your members of Congress today! > https://wawild.org/%f0%9f%9a%a8take-action-speak-up-for-salmon/

Seattle Sips: Tasting Schilling Hard Cider's new non-alcoholic drink Schilling Hard Cider has a new non-alcoholic drink.

A couple weeks ago, our Executive Director Tom Uniack and Brewshed® Alliance Director Chris Chappell went to “the other Washington” as part of . Every year, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Coalition organizes a hill climb bringing together river advocates and local stakeholders from Wild & Scenic River campaigns from across the country to advocate for strong federal protections for our incredible rivers.

Despite the intense wind, we attended several meetings with federal agencies and met with the Washington congressional delegation alongside our colleague Tom O’Keefe from . We advocated for passing the Wild Olympics legislation that would designate over 19 W&S Rivers and 126,000 acres of Wilderness on the Olympic Peninsula. (learn more about this campaign at wildolympics.org)

During meetings with congressional staff, we highlighted a number of our priorities; Legacy Roads & Trails funding, removal of the four Lower Snake Rivers Dams to prevent salmon/orca extinction, the recent Outstanding Resource Waters designations on the Green, Cascade, and Napeequa Rivers, and how breweries are advocating for clean water through our Brewshed® Alliance.