{"id":1008,"date":"2017-01-05T13:15:31","date_gmt":"2017-01-05T21:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/craigromano.com\/blog\/?p=1008"},"modified":"2020-12-21T11:57:18","modified_gmt":"2020-12-21T19:57:18","slug":"inslee-axes-full-funding-for-blanchard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008","title":{"rendered":"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard– beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Is this what the PNT will soon look like on Blanchard Mountain?<\/p><\/div>\n

It was nearly one year ago when I first reported to you that one of Puget Sound\u2019s most popular hiking spots may soon succumb to clear cut logging. The Oyster Dome, the Pearl of the Chuckanut Mountains\u2014the only place in the Cascades where the mountains meet the Salish Sea\u2014is in very real danger of being marred by logging. You heard that correctly. Blanchard Mountain\u2014home of the Oyster Dome\u2014and host to a network of extremely popular trails including a portion of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail<\/em><\/strong> <\/a>may soon be altered, degraded and blemished.<\/p>\n

This would be a huge loss for the hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and trail-running community and a big slap in the face to the consortium of conservationists that worked hard a decade ago so this wouldn\u2019t happen. In 2006 an agreement was reached with the WA DNR (which manages the property) that would prevent logging Blanchard Mountain\u2019s core\u2014which includes the Oyster Dome, North Butte and Lily and Lizard lakes. The agreement called for the State Legislature to provide appropriations necessary to purchase nearby replacement lands for the core that could instead be harvested.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Coming to the Oyster Dome this summer?<\/p><\/div>\n

However, by 2016 the legislature had only provided $6.5 million of the $14.2 million needed to purchase the replacement lands. The full funding needs to be complete by 2017, or the DNR which is mandated to provide revenue for schools and counties through timber sales would have to begin logging on Blanchard\u2019s core. Last year, the conservation and recreation community rallied and put pressure on the governor and legislators to come up with the full funding to honor the decade old agreement, but unfortunately to not much avail.<\/p>\n

Outgoing State Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark fully embraced the Blanchard plan and full funding. Incoming State Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz has given indications that she supports it as well. Evidently it is apparent through the Governor\u2019s budget proposal, that Jay Inslee does not support this decade old agreement. Inslee\u2019s budget includes only $1.5 million for Blanchard leaving a $5.7 million shortfall. If the legislature agrees to the governor\u2019s budget and does not allocate full funding for Blanchard, you can expect the chainsaws to be buzzing around the Oyster Dome this summer!<\/p>\n

What can we do to prevent this incredibly scenic and recreational landmark from being compromised? Put the pressure on the governor and your legislators! Please head to Conservation Northwest\u2019s Blanchard Mountain page <\/a>where you can find ways to help get the word out and put pressure on our government officials. Write a letter to the governor and\/or your state reps or click here to send a message<\/a> to them demanding full funding.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The legislature will be meeting soon to hammer out its Capital Budget. If they ax spending for Blanchard, expect chainsaws at one of Puget Sounds most beloved and scenic hiking areas by this summer. Can you imagine hiking through stumps to Lily and Lizard Lakes? Or peering out over a clear cut slope with logging landings and slash piles? One of the finest views in all of Puget Sound would be seriously marred. That would be a tragedy-and one that we can avoid.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\"\"

#SaveBlanchardMountain<\/p><\/div>\n

Background and an explanation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, the Oyster Dome is within the Blanchard State Forest<\/strong> managed by the WA DNR for recreation, wildlife and timber production. Yes, I and most conservationists support this multiple use management in this forest. We realize that funds from timber harvesting in this forest goes toward education\u2014and we are not opposed to logging in this forest. We\u2019re opposed to logging in a small core section of this forest\u2014the section that contains the Oyster Dome, two backcountry ponds, several trails and backcountry campsites. Here, recreation should be the highest management priority.<\/p>\n

Please write <\/a>to your state legislators and urge them to allocate the full $7.7 million in the 2017 Capital Budget Bill for the purchase of replacement trust lands as outlined by the Blanchard Forest Strategy agreement. <\/strong><\/p>\n

This is what I wrote in my best selling\u00a0 Day Hiking North Cascades<\/em><\/a>\u00a0(Mountaineers Books) in 2008.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rising from Samish Bay, Blanchard is the only place in the Cascades where mountain meets sea. A recreational and biological gem between Bellingham and Mount Vernon, much of this landmass was slated to be logged. But due to the work of Conservation Northwest and other local organizations a consensus of sorts has been reached with the Department of Natural<\/em> Resources protecting Blanchard\u2019s trails and guaranteeing that its core will remain in a natural state.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was nearly one year ago when I first reported to you that one of Puget Sound\u2019s most popular hiking spots may soon succumb to clear cut logging. The Oyster Dome, the Pearl of the Chuckanut Mountains\u2014the only place in the Cascades where the mountains meet the Salish Sea\u2014is in very real danger of being…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,9,15,30,34],"tags":[65,81,83,201,264,291,294],"class_list":["post-1008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-conservation-take-action","category-day-hiking-north-cascades","category-trailhead-issues-and-concerns","category-urban-trails-bellingham","tag-blanchard-mountain","tag-chuckanut-mountains","tag-conservation","tag-oyster-dome-clear-cut","tag-take-action-save-blanchard-mountain","tag-urban-trails-bellingham","tag-wa-dnr"],"yoast_head":"\nInslee axes full funding for Blanchard-- beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting » Craig Romano<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard-- beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting » Craig Romano\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It was nearly one year ago when I first reported to you that one of Puget Sound\u2019s most popular hiking spots may soon succumb to clear cut logging. The Oyster Dome, the Pearl of the Chuckanut Mountains\u2014the only place in the Cascades where the mountains meet the Salish Sea\u2014is in very real danger of being…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Craig Romano\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-01-05T21:15:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-12-21T19:57:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/103.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1712\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2288\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Administrator\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Administrator\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Administrator\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec\"},\"headline\":\"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard– beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-01-05T21:15:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-12-21T19:57:18+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008\"},\"wordCount\":804,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/103.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Blanchard Mountain\",\"Chuckanut Mountains\",\"Conservation\",\"Oyster Dome clear cut\",\"Take action-save Blanchard Mountain\",\"Urban Trails: Bellingham\",\"WA DNR\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Blog\",\"Conservation-Take Action\",\"Day Hiking North Cascades\",\"Trailhead issues and concerns\",\"Urban Trails: Bellingham\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008\",\"name\":\"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard-- beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting » Craig Romano\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/103.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-01-05T21:15:31+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-12-21T19:57:18+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/103.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/103.jpg\",\"width\":1712,\"height\":2288,\"caption\":\"Is this what the PNT will soon look like on Blanchard Mountain?\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?p=1008#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard– beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Craig Romano\",\"description\":\"Guidebook Author and Outdoors Writer and Photographer\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec\"},\"alternateName\":\"Author Website\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec\",\"name\":\"Administrator\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg\",\"width\":660,\"height\":635,\"caption\":\"Administrator\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/craigromano.com\\\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard-- beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting » Craig Romano","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard-- beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting » Craig Romano","og_description":"It was nearly one year ago when I first reported to you that one of Puget Sound\u2019s most popular hiking spots may soon succumb to clear cut logging. The Oyster Dome, the Pearl of the Chuckanut Mountains\u2014the only place in the Cascades where the mountains meet the Salish Sea\u2014is in very real danger of being…","og_url":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008","og_site_name":"Craig Romano","article_published_time":"2017-01-05T21:15:31+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-12-21T19:57:18+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1712,"height":2288,"url":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/103.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Administrator","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Administrator","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008"},"author":{"name":"Administrator","@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec"},"headline":"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard– beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting","datePublished":"2017-01-05T21:15:31+00:00","dateModified":"2020-12-21T19:57:18+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008"},"wordCount":804,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/103.jpg","keywords":["Blanchard Mountain","Chuckanut Mountains","Conservation","Oyster Dome clear cut","Take action-save Blanchard Mountain","Urban Trails: Bellingham","WA DNR"],"articleSection":["Blog","Conservation-Take Action","Day Hiking North Cascades","Trailhead issues and concerns","Urban Trails: Bellingham"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008","url":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008","name":"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard-- beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting » Craig Romano","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/103.jpg","datePublished":"2017-01-05T21:15:31+00:00","dateModified":"2020-12-21T19:57:18+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/103.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/103.jpg","width":1712,"height":2288,"caption":"Is this what the PNT will soon look like on Blanchard Mountain?"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?p=1008#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Inslee axes full funding for Blanchard– beloved Oyster Dome threatened with clear-cutting"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/","name":"Craig Romano","description":"Guidebook Author and Outdoors Writer and Photographer","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec"},"alternateName":"Author Website","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/#\/schema\/person\/0065fc182ce8cca56eaa6c754b60ccec","name":"Administrator","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg","url":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg","width":660,"height":635,"caption":"Administrator"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/216470952_10158597109772476_1012983523646826847_n.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1008"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1008\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2021,"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1008\/revisions\/2021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2017"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craigromano.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}