Washington Wild

Congratulations to Judy Hallisey of Kittitas Audubon Society, our 2026 Karen M. Fant Award recipient at Wild Night Out! Judy has been an outstanding partner in advancing conservation across Washington, especially in the communities of Ellensburg, Cle Elum, and Roslyn.

Through her leadership, Kittitas Audubon has joined Washington Wild on 37 advocacy letters since 2015, helping defend the Roadless Rule, protect salmon habitat, and conserve our state's forests, waters, and wildlife for future generations.

Get your tickets for Wild Night Out today and don't miss out ➡️ https://web.charityengine.net/wawild_wno2026

Scott Schuyler, the natural and cultural representative for the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, comments in the Skagit Valley Herald on the importance of protecting the Roadless Rule 👉

Guest Commentary: Roadless Rule remains important to protect environment Since 2001, the National Forest Roadless Rule has safeguarded approximately 2 million acres on National Forest land for clean drinking water for millions of Americans, habitat for more than 16,000

"For nearly a decade I’ve sat at the table with timber operators, mill representatives, recreationists and conservationists in one of the oldest forest collaboratives in the country, right here in northeast Washington. That work has made me a firm believer that active management has a critical role in healthy forests. It’s also why this proposal doesn’t add up. If roads were the answer to our forest challenges, we’d already see the results."

Dan Wilson speaks on fighting for the Roadless Rule in the Spokesman Review. Learn about why we need to support these protections 👉

Dan Wilson: More roads won't solve Washington's wildfire and forest health problems By Dan Wilson

The Roadless Rule comment period has been extended to October 6. Take action now and share with your friends and followers. Speak up for these essential places.

The Trump Administration has proposed rolling back the Roadless Rule, jeopardizing 2 million acres of wild forests in Washington State and 45 million acres of backcountry land nationwide.

Speak up NOW to protect beloved places such as the popular climbing routes of Liberty Bell, Lena Lake on the Olympic Peninsula, the Kettle Crest in eastern Washington, popular larch viewing areas like Maple Pass and Blue Lake, and the remote backcountry trails of the Dark Divide.

Fight to protect these places by sending your comments in today 👉 https://advocacy.charityengine.net/Default.aspx?isid=3061

Photo credits
Slide 1: Benj Wadsworth
Slide 2: Isaac Leon Frost

We’re proud to honor Craig Nobley of Lighthouse Roasters as Washington Wild’s 2026 Supporter of the Year at Wild Night Out! Craig has been a steadfast champion of our mission through personal donations, signing action alerts, being a guest voice for our fundraising campaigns, and attending our outreach events.

He has also rallied Lighthouse Roasters to support conservation by hosting community events, donating coffee, and generously contributing a portion of proceeds from the Washington Wild Blend to help protect Washington’s wild lands and waters.

Get your tickets today 👉 https://web.charityengine.net/wawild_wno2026

The Columbian recently published an editorial opposing the costly recision of the Roadless Rule. Read their arguments to support these protections: https://www.columbian.com/news/2026/aug/26/in-our-view-oppose-costly-recision-of-roadless-rule

In Our View: Oppose costly recision of Roadless Rule Scientific studies — and common sense — suggest that human access to wilderness areas increases the risk of wildfires. As a report from the U.S. Forest Service states, “as the density of roads increas

🚨Two million acres of wild forests in Washington are under attack. The proposed rollback of the Roadless Rule jeopardizes some of our most beloved places in our state. Comments close on September 21 👉 https://advocacy.charityengine.net/Default.aspx?isid=3061

On the northeast side of Olympic National Park flows the Dungeness River, a free-flowing river whose waters start within the park’s peaks and flow to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Currently protected by the Roadless Rule, this scenic landscape supports critical salmon habitat, provides clean drinking water for downstream communities, and plays an essential role in flood mitigation and overall watershed health.

Fight to keep protects for places like the Upper Dungeness by sending your comments in today!

Photos by Chris Chappell

Commentary from Levi Wyatt at Yakima Chief Hops in the Yakima Herald-Republic highlighting the importance of the Roadless Rule to protect Washington's water supply:

Guest Commentary: Lifting federal Roadless Rule would threaten our water supply If you spend much time around the Yakima Valley, you quickly learn the significance water plays. It grows our crops, supports our communities and gives us the rivers and landscapes