What do you love about the North Cascades? The solitude of the forest? The salmon spawning in the fall? The chance to see a bald eagle? The grandeur of sunset over the peaks and crags? The explosion of colors as summer fades into fall?
All of these experiences relate to our vision of the North Cascades and the need for a conservation framework to guide us.
We are actively developing a conceptual reserve design* framework for the North Cascades. This includes identifying priority conservation assets across the landscape, the special places that are home to many of the conservation principles and where these assets work to support healthy human and natural communities. Critical for the long-term preservation of the region, this framework will guide our in-depth work for conservation, well-planned and enhanced recreation and vibrant and sustainable communities throughout the North Cascades landscape.
Currently we are working under these set of core Conservation Principles:
- Protect core fish and wildlife habitat
- Protect corridor connections between core habitat for necessary movement
- Focus on imperiled and wide-ranging species
- Protect upstream land condition
The conservation framework will work in concert with an overarching recreation vision and both will support the local communities that are part of the tapestry of this landscape.
*Reserve Design Definition: Process of conservation planning that involves determining the location, size, shape, edge characteristics and relationship to other features in the landscape of areas to be preserved.
