Latest news with #OlympicPeninsula
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tree-sitter enters third week in WA's Olympic Foothills to halt logging
The Brief A tree-sitter is protesting a timber sale in the Elwha River watershed, remaining perched 80 feet up. A judge declined to halt the sale, which aims to generate revenue for public schools. Environmental advocates argue the logging threatens rare ecosystems and restoration efforts. PORT ANGELES, Wash. - A tree-sitter who has suspended themselves more than 80 feet above the forest floor in the Elwha River watershed remains perched in protest after a Clallam County judge declined to issue an injunction halting a controversial timber sale. The protestor, whose identity has not been confirmed, has occupied the treetop for more than two weeks in a bid to stop the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from logging part of a 314-acre section of state-managed forestland. The area lies just outside Port Angeles, in the foothills of the Olympic Peninsula. What they're saying Authorities escorted FOX 13's Lauren Donovan past two barricades, three miles up a dirt road so she could speak with the tree-sitter. They told her they were not pleased by the outcome in the courtroom Friday, and they do not plan on coming down from the massive Grand Fir anytime soon. "I'm not too worried about an extended camping trip," said the tree-sitter from their perch. "This is a sacred place, and you can look around here and see the scars of generations of clear cutting but there are a few places that are still intact on state land and one of them is up that road." The protestor's rigging system constructed with rope, tar, shards of glass and cement functions like a human booby trap, designed to collapse if tampered with. The setup, described as resembling a carnival game, is allegedly highly sensitive—any disturbance to the lines could trigger the platform to collapse, much like a dunk tank. "The rope could easily release, dropping me down to where you are," they told Donovan from above. Authorities have sealed off the area and stationed officers around the clock out of concern that someone could accidentally trigger the rigging. The DNR has stated that the sale of this forestland is part of its mandate to generate revenue for public schools and other state services. Environmental advocates, including the Earth Law Center, argue that the trees at stake are part of a rare and increasingly scarce ecosystem. This advocacy group is not affiliated with the tree-sitter, but they share the same mission. "The overarching argument is that this forest should not be cut down," said Elizabeth Dunn, Director of Legal Advocacy at the Earth Law Center. "These are very rare remaining forests on DNR state land. It's not about stopping all logging, it's about protecting these types of forests." Dunn argues that logging in the Elwha River watershed is especially misguided given the millions of dollars recently spent on restoring the area following the Elwha River dam removal. She contends that destroying the surrounding forest habitat undermines the restoration efforts and threatens the health of the watershed. Dunn contests, that the land slated for logging is also home to small river tributaries that flow into the Elwha. She believes that cutting down these forests, which are vital to the recovery of the river system, would be a step backward for the long-term environmental restoration of the region. Dunn said the group has formally appealed the timber sale and is seeking key records from DNR to support their case—records she claims have been slow to arrive. According to Dunn on Friday, a Clallam County judge ordered DNR to produce the requested documentation by mid-June but stopped short of issuing a full injunction on the logging operation. Dunn argues that while the trees may not be old-growth by strict definition, they are on their way. "The real point is these are on their way to becoming old growth," argued Dunn. "They're very different than a monocrop, blocked, plantation." DNR maintains that no old-growth trees are included in the timber harvest and that its policy strictly prohibits harvesting old-growth anywhere in the state. Still, the protestor—dubbed the "tree-sitter" has made clear they will not be coming down until DNR halts the sale outright. The Source Information in this story came from the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Earth Law Center, and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews. Luxury Seattle hotel sues 'nuisance' building next door Firefighters in western WA train for possibility of 'above average' wildfire season Shawn Kemp lawyers claim bias in Tacoma Mall shooting case as trial nears Federal judge blocks Trump's dismantling of the Department of Education 'Where is Teekah?': Mother speaks out after Tacoma, WA cold case Activist marks 2 weeks in tree to protest logging near Port Angeles Driver arrested after deadly crash in Kent, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Geek Wire
07-05-2025
- Business
- Geek Wire
Microsoft protects Seattle-sized Washington forestland to help shrink its carbon footprint
Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet. SEE MORE Towering trees within a Washington state forest. (GeekWire Photo / Brent Roraback) Microsoft signed a deal to protect a swath of Washington forest that's bigger than the city of Seattle as a strategy for shrinking its carbon footprint. The partnership with EFM will support climate friendly forestry practices on 68,000 recently acquired acres on the Olympic Peninsula, which is known for its towering temperate rainforests. The deal will provide Microsoft with 700,000 carbon credits over the next decade. The software and cloud company also used its Climate Impact Fund to invest in EFM Fund IV, marking the first time that Microsoft has used its climate investment dollars to support forestry practices. The two parties did not disclose the cost of the carbon credits or the amount invested. Microsoft set a goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030, but its emissions keep rising, driven by the growing use of artificial intelligence. AI requires energy-intensive computing and the construction of data centers, increasing the Redmond, Wash.-based company's carbon impacts. The parcel on the Olympic Peninsula has been managed for industrial timber harvest for about a century. EFM, a forest management firm, incorporates sustainable strategies such as growing trees for longer before they're logged, taking steps to reduce the environmental harm of logging operations, and using selective harvesting where certain trees are felled or left standing. 'Our collaboration with EFM is a significant step towards unlocking the value of the latest scientific advancements in improved forest management as a carbon removal pathway,' said Brian Marrs, Microsoft's senior director of energy and carbon removal, in a statement. The overarching goal is to help working forests 'function as robust carbon sinks,' EFM states, that hold carbon in the soil and vegetation. Microsoft and many others working to diminish their climate harm are seeking both nature-based solutions like this agreement as well as technologies that remove planet warming carbon from the atmosphere. EFM's overall plan is to deploy $300 million with Fund IV, targeting forestland across the U.S., beginning in the West. Microsoft is a leader in carbon removal, both in purchasing removal credits and in establishing marketplaces and removal standards. The company was responsible for purchasing 80% of high-durability carbon dioxide removal credits worldwide last year, totaling 5 million metric tons, according to a report by Seattle-based Carbon Direct. Microsoft last month announced a partnership with CO280, a Vancouver, B.C.-based startup, to capture and store carbon emitted from a U.S. pulp and paper mill. The tech company is paying for the removal of 3.685 million metric tons of carbon from the mill, marking one of the largest deals of its kind.
