"A timber sale looms over hiking trails, a nearby city’s water supply, and already-vulnerable salmon and orca populations."
"The Elwha watershed in northwestern Washington, near Port Angeles, is approximately 321 square miles. The river’s headwaters originate 6,000 feet above sea level in the Olympic National Park and flow to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which drains into the Salish Sea before leading to the Pacific Ocean. The river is the site of the biggest dam removal and river restoration in history, with the federal government spending over $327 million to remove the Glines Canyon and Elwha dams and regenerate the river’s surrounding ecosystem.
Despite that, industrial logging continues in this beloved river valley — in some instances less than 1,000 feet from the river itself.
The Klallam people have been stewards of the Elwha River and the surrounding area since time immemorial, with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe working decades to achieve dam removal and continuing to play a key role in river restoration. Before settlers arrived, Indigenous peoples lived in reciprocity with the Elwha while it nourished their culture and provided food for their families."
Elizabeth Dunne and Aaditi Lele report for The Revelator July 28, 2023.
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