[Elvis]

Help make Blanchard Mountain a permanent Recreational Area! I saw a bumper sticker today that led me to this site. What's the issue? Blanchard Mountain is located in NW Skagit County, between Chuckanut Drive and I-5. A beautiful, local area. Just thought I'd pass along this info to my fellow hikers. *** This is not meant or intended to start any kind of political discussion of any sort ***

[seawallrunner]

I hear that there's a plan to convert some of the land to condos and homes. It's a pity - it's a beautiful mountain, just next door to Chuckanut Mtn (near Bellingham)

[yew]

seawallrunner: The "plan to convert some of the land to condos and homes" is called Chuckanut Ridge. It's private land south of Fairhaven and a hot topic around Bellingham. They won't be building any affordable housing for working stiffs up there, just ridgetop trophy homes with views of the water. Last summer, saw many "Save Chuckanut Ridge" signs around town. Unfortunately, that land has a very high real estate value so the county/city can't afford to outbid the developers. In addition, a few years back the city contracted out a study to rank potential purchase sites based on objective ecological criteria. Chuckanut Ridge did not score high presumably because it's upland timber, not riparian or wetland, etc.. "Chuckanut Ridge's importance discounted Report ranks quality of habitat behind other sensitive areas" at http://www.bellinghamherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060305/NEWS07/603050322

[yew]

Chuckanut lovers and all others interested: The Washington Department of Natural Resources has come up with a plan for Blanchard Mountain (Lizard Lake, Lily Lake) in the Chuckanuts. As of 02/13/2007 Bellingham Herald's piece on what will happen. Basically, it's a compromise and the Legislature (i.e. taxpayers) will have to cough up some dough/$. Some of the environmentalists, as represented by the organization Conservation Northwest (formerly known as the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance) have this to say about the Agreement. Personally, I'm glad to read that someone is trying fend off the hill and ridge top residential development. I'd prefer a clearcut any day over a trophy home with "No Trespassing" signs and fresh gravel driveways.

[treeswarper]

[jimmymac]

[Slugman]

The Blanchard Study group Agreement sounds OK to me. It "includes a protected 1,600-acre roadless core containing a majority of the trail systems, the lakes and cliffs on the mountain's top, and a linkage to Larrabee State Park." Plus protection for rare plants and stuff like that. It appears that the disputed acreage was basically split in half, with the stuff least valuable as recreation land or conservation land being clearcut, and the best recreation land and most critical habitat land being "saved". This is actually far better than what I figured would happen, which was top-to-bottom clearcuts. And we do need some logs now and then in our society, so the logging that will occur is OK with me, too.

[Grizzy]

This is awesome! What a great compromise....MAYBE we CAN all get along? I know these folks on both sides did a TON of work making this happen...It is such a pretty spot, I'm glad that we can all enjoy it for years to come...

[whitebark]

Yes, it is great that a compromise has been reached. Blanchard Mountain is so beautiful. As long as the current trail mileage is preserved, I will be pretty happy. Say what you will about clearcuts, they will open up some incredible views. However, I hope they have a plan to firmly close and put to bed any new logging roads that are built, after logging is completed. This is one important detail that needs to be worked out.

[yew]

[treeswarper]

Another cheery morning. I don't like to go to the Wenatchee Valley anymore. I grew up there, and hate seeing the hills being taken over by houses. I wonder if the folks who bought them know that those hills used to turn black every few years? And on the logging discussion, helicopter is pretty expensive right now, and the market is down. I'm working in some commercial thinning stuff, about 12 inches ave. diameter. It's all skyline yarding. We now have what I call sensitive new age loggers, who are trying pretty hard to make things look good. It is pretty hard, but that's what we have to do to keep working. I'm really seeing a need for some higher elevation clearcuts. I like to pick and eat huckleberries and my old patches are now barren. The trees have grown in. No new openings are being created and pressure by pickers on existing huckleberry patches has increased. All I want is a couple gallons to give to friends for Christmas gifts. Maybe some day it'll all make sense.