Worldwide deforestation is the second major contributor to global warming. The release of carbon dioxide from the destruction of trees and biomass within a forest can and should be prevented to preserve the natural balance between human activity and the planet. Restoration projects help to re-establish this balance between humans and nature. In other words, the reduction of CO2 emissions through restoration and preservation of forested areas is a key strategy in the fight against global warming. Our current efforts support the Cowlitz Valley Restoration Project.

EcoPerks supports the restoration coordinated by the Gifford Pinchot Task Force on the 1.3 million acre Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF). Current restoration areas include the Cowlitz Valley Restoration Project nestled in the heart of volcano country between Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams. Restoration in this area – particularly road removal – will re-connect large wilderness and roadless areas to enable native fish and wildlife populations to recover and thrive. Grizzly bear reproduction has been confirmed on the northern border of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest (near our project area) by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and lynx and wolf sightings have been documented on the GPNF as well. The tenuous presence of these rare native species will be supported by the restoration work envisioned by the Cowlitz Valley Restoration Project and other restoration work in the area.

The Restoration
The planning area for the Cowlitz Valley Restoration Project has been highly fragmented by past logging and road building, and forest structure has been homogenized by past clear-cuts and the replanting solely of Douglas fir trees at highly unnatural levels. The Cowlitz Valley Restoration Project will obliterate roads, place logs in streams for fish habitat, replace key fish-bearing culverts, plant native trees and shrubs, and map and eradicate invasive weeds. In addition, selected Douglas fir plantations in the area will be carefully and strategically thinned in an effort to mimic and speed the development of the native tree structure and habitat functions that are characteristic of ancient forests. All work is being planned and coordinated by the conservation community in close cooperation with important rural partners; the thinning prescriptions are very conservative and designed based on conservation-biology research; canopy closures will remain at 65-70%.

Implementation
The Gifford Pinchot Task Force is coordinating this project and it is working with local partners including retired loggers, the labor community, rural economic development interests, local elected officials, and the U.S. Forest Service. The Forest Service fully supports this project due to the diverse interests that favor it, and due to their own local management directive to recover species that depend on ancient forests in this area.