Huge Victory for Mount Rainier National Park

Huge Victory for Mt. Rainier! One of the nation’s last rainforests is now protected from logging and development

Located at the northwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park, the Carbon River Valley rainforest is one of the last inland temperate rainforests in the world, and is home to many unique and endangered species. For years, logging and development along the park’s borders threatened to cause irreparable harm to the forest — as well as the wildlife that depend on it for survival.

Thanks to a huge outpouring of public support from Environment Washington members, we were able to convince our leaders in Washington to expand Mt. Rainier National Park and protect this rare rainforest.

The rainforest provides critical habitat for Chinook and sockeye salmon, steelhead trout, marbled murrelet and the Van Dyke’s salamander. Now, as part of the national park, the Carbon River Valley rainforest will be protected forever, ensuring habitat for the species that call it home.

A simple solution: Expand Mount Rainier National Park 

National parks have been called “America’s best idea,” and Mount Rainier is living proof, providing families and friends with breathtaking vistas, quiet trails, and unique opportunities to connect with the outdoors. 

By extending the park’s protective borders to include the Carbon River Valley rainforest, we have started the creation of a wildlife corridor from the park to Puget Sound. This protects a critical lifeline for several species that travel between these two Washington treassures.

With your help, the rainforest is protected.

Our canvassers and online organizers reached out to people across the state, gathering thousands of signatures in favor of our plan. Dozens of small businesses also joined in support. The U.S. House approved legislation that would provide the $2.2 million needed to add the rainforest to Mt. Rainier National Park. We made our case to Washington’s representatives and, in the end, Reps. Brian Baird, Norman Dicks, Rick Larsen, Jim McDermott and Adam Smith voted with us. 

Our staff delivered 2,000 petition signatures to Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray asking them to make expanding Mt. Rainier a top priority. A day later, both senators committed to support robust funding for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, in order to complete the Mount Rainier expansion.

Your activism and our advocacy are a powerful combination. This shows that if enough of us speak out, we can do great things. Send your legislators a message today, thanking them for listening to concerned Washingtonians and protecting the Carbon River Valley rainforest