Imagine a backcountry county park 20 times as big as the WWU campus. Now imagine another county park 32 times as big as the waterfront redevelopment area (the old GP site). Such a park, consisting of two large tracts - one on Stewart Mountain and the other on Lookout Mountain - is about to happen. The Whatcom County Council will vote on Sept. 11 to transfer 8,700 acres from the state to the county to create the Lake Whatcom Forest Preserve Park. Protecting this land will provide many benefits to Whatcom County residents, our children and their children.
The new preserve will help maintain clean drinking water for the 90,000 people who rely on Lake Whatcom for their water. The preserve will also protect wildlife and their habitat; restore the forest to old-growth conditions; and create a world-class, low-impact outdoor recreation area for walkers, hikers, bird watchers, picnickers, and everyone who enjoys nature.
If you care about our future, please contact county council members and urge them to take this positive step to protect 8,700 acres of the Lake Whatcom watershed.
Eric Hirst
Bellingham
