We were thrilled to host Congresswoman DelBene and Senator Patty Murray in North Creek Forest this week. As the recipient of three Land and Water Conservation Fund Grants, it was an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate the impact this fund can have. We thank them both for their leadership on the effort to permanently reauthorize this program, for North Creek Forest, and projects like ours all over the country.

“The Land and Water Conservation Fund contains a set of unique tools that empower local communities to increase public access to open space, and conserve and restore forests. North Creek Forest is a perfect example of that,” Senator Murray said. “I consider one of the most important things a Senator can do is to help preserve our nation’s natural treasures for generations to come. I will keep fighting for permanent reauthorization of the fund, because we owe it to our grandchildren to leave them a healthier and stronger country than the one we inherited.” -- Senator Patty Murray

“We must not risk defunding environmental conservation projects, which is why Congress should reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund to preserve our natural resources for future generations,” DelBene said. “As someone who loves hiking and the outdoors, I know firsthand that the natural environment that surrounds us is what makes living in the Pacific Northwest so special. Places like North Creek Forest provide a safe and healthy place for our kids to have fun and learn about species diversity and the importance of conservation efforts.”

 --Congresswoman Suzan DelBene

On September 30 – the funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund is set to expire. Take Action! Join us to urge Congress to Renew America's Most Important Conservation Program – LWCF.

We wish to express our gratitude for three Land and Water Conservation Fund grants and to recognize the enormous benefit our community receives from this funding.

Modest LWCF grants have resulted in tremendous rewards for the City of Bothell.  These funds enable acquisition of a large forest within one mile of 13,000 students.  The preservation of this forest will result in opportunities for students to experience a forest through science, literature and art.  In our urban world where children are too often isolated from nature, this is a priceless gift.  This acquisition, long sought by the city, the school district, the University of Washington and Cascadia College, is now approaching completion because Congress long ago saw the need for such funding.

As desirable as education and recreation are, this forest also serves as the largest ecological feature within an entire lower watershed, filtering and cooling water for Chinook and other salmon species.  The importance of our fishing industry can hardly be overstated.  This is why the Tulalip Tribes were one of the first to call for conservation of this forest.

We are on the cusp of saving this last great forest in Bothell because of the LWCF. The potential rewards will last forever.  This forest would have been lost to development and all of the opportunities would have been lost without LWCF funding. 

We urge Congress to permanently authorize full funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.  As opportunities for outdoor recreation, education and resource preservation are discovered it is the LWCF that has enabled communities like ours to turn visions into realities.

Sincerely,

Friends of North Creek Forest