Our Backyard

For the Love of Our Methow Valley, we put together this beautiful film sponsored by the North Cascades Conservation Council We believe in compelling inclusive solutions for fire safety while respecting the ecological sensitivity of our forests. Our hope is to motivate you to get involved in stopping a proposed project that is in the process of changing the natural character of Our Backyards. Don’t worry peeps, its not only about the trees, our flick has some radical action within, and you might even recognize yourself river running or dancing a jig!
Folks, our beloved valley home is threatened by logging proposals that would impact nearly 200,000 acres of our local federal forests. These public lands provide our drinking water, fish and wildlife, biodiversity, carbon storage, and our most sustainable economic driver, outdoor recreation. Some of our most inspiring natural wonders are in jeopardy.
It is time to pay attention my friends, and remember why many of us live here in the first place. I just had a friend from down south tell me their community is up in arms as Forest Service projects impacted their natural landscapes, outdoor recreation and their connection with nature driving some to “sell the farm.”
Now is the time to make your voices heard! We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to shape the health of our forests for generations to come. The local Ranger District wants to reduce wildfire risk using old school profit-driven logging practices. What we need is innovative and holistic science-based ecological solutions that uphold nature as the bottom line.
The 53,000 acre Twisp River Midnight “restoration” project / timber sale is open for public comment until May 16. These projects are being fast tracked with very little public process and the quality of life in our precious valley is at stake. Letters to the Forest Service, as well as to our Washington State Representatives expressing concern over these proposed massive logging ops at any time will be effective.
Unless you are abreast of the projects, and have a forestry degree it is nearly impossible to understand what the Forest Service has planned. But don’t be discouraged, if you glance at the draft Environmental Assessment documents to get a general idea and then speak from the heart, you’ll be making a difference.
Methow Valley Citizens Council also has a comment guide to help those that wish to publicly comment immediately to the Midnight Project. You must comment within the comment period of these projects to have standing to formaly object to the final EA.
First, and foremost, please enjoy the heck out of our movie as we made it for all of you.
Remember, if it puts a smile on your face, or even makes you shed a tear, don’t hesitate to let us know with a kaw kaw comment, like, and share.
Feel free to also subscribe to our channel as these projects have ignited the fire within and we will be updating more regularly with adventures and activism.
We are all in it together.
Thank you,
Michael Bird Shaffer
Special Thanks to editor Alexander Bosco, drone pilot Eman Aikins, and photographer Jason Hummel. Big up and overflowing gratitude to Luc and the Lovingtons for the perfect music to set the tone. Also to the Methow Valley Community for standing together for the betterment of our natural environment and care for humanity.

[@IngerBeecher]

Please please reconsider the scope of this plan! Leave the Methow Valley alone.