A federal fund crucial to protecting nearly 8,000 acres at the base of Mount St. Helens from development is set to expire at the end of the month unless Congress acts.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund has protected parks and forests for the past 50 years, including playing a key role in safeguarding nearly 120,000 acres in Washington. Congress is in the midst of a budget impasse surrounding federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which has spurred talk of a government shutdown and imperiled the funding.
On Tuesday morning, a group gathered in Vancouver to highlight the role the Land and Water Conservation Fund has played in the region, including protecting large swaths of land from development at the base of Mount St. Helens through its Forest Legacy Program.
A controversial development plan in the Mount St. Helens region years ago resulted in a partnership between a conservation group, a private timber company and officials from the Skamania County government. The group landed on a goal they could agree upon: maintaining a working forest in the area while protecting sensitive habitat and staving off the bulk of development.