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2014 Spring | Arts & Humanities, Natural Science & Restoration, Sustainability

Federal Policy Impact on Rural Communities in Western Washington

Student(s):

Cary Griffin

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

Miku Lenentine

Partner(s):

  • Pinchot Partners

Faculty advisor(s):

Gordon Bradley, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington

The Northwest Forest Plan was a federal policy passed in 1994 that aimed to protect the Northern Spotted Owl and

surrounding ecosystems by suppressing timber harvests on federal land in the Pacific Northwest. This policy

focused on wildlife protection without considering the economic health of rural towns that rely on the forest

products industry. For communities adjacent to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Western Washington,

these people experienced immense hardships after their main source of income was depleted. My research

explored alternative measures that can be adopted in order to supply income to the area and prevent emigration

to urban centers.