Today's Seattle Times is reporting that Sen. Murray and Rep. Larsen have proposed that 106,000 acres along the North Fork Skykomish River out of Index be designated as "wilderness". This designation is entitled to the highest public land protections.

This designation would close 30 miles of old logging roads, prevent new road construction, ban logging, and ban most motorized vehicles from leaving the roads. The area would be preserved primarily for hikers, x-country skiers, climbers, hunters, anglers and kayakers.

The biggest opposition would be presumed to be the Washington State Snowmobile Association, but they've already tentatively signed on to the deal, and even participated in drawing snowmobile boundaries that excluded a popular snowmobiling area near Windy Ridge.

The town of Index and its mayor are all for it, feeling that the majority of local business comes from recreational users, and this proposal would protect the area for such users.

Sounds pretty good so far! It got barely mentioned in the article, but there are several federally listed animals in the area, including chinook salmon, dolly varden/bull trout, marbled murrulets, bald eagles, and lynxes.

It's on page one of today's paper.

Fish on...

Todd.