Washington: Rush to buy up Skykomish’s last old growth for protection

Conservationists say they are trying to buy up old-growth forest land
in parts of Washington state to prevent logging from taking place.
Charlie Raines of the Sierra Club environmental group said
conservationists are attempting to raise money to purchase parcels in
Washington’s Skykomish Valley that are tagged for logging, The Seattle
Times reported Monday.

“We are happy to pay fair-market value, but we
need some time to put a deal together,” Raines said. Raines’
organization made the plea, along with other conservationist groups,
to Longview Timber. The company manages more than a dozen parcels in
the valley that the conservationists want placed under permanent
protection. The parcels total nearly 3,000 total acres, most of which
are coated with old-growth forests. Raines told the Times the
conservationist movement is vital to preserving the area, which
contains many rivers and is devoid of man-made roads. “If we can
protect the roadless areas and the river shore, that is the priority,”
he said. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/01/05/Land_purchases_used_to_slow_Wash_logging/UPI-48171231179862/

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