Click "Start Writing" to urge the WA Commissioner of Public Lands and Board of Natural Resources to cancel the South Paw timber sale in Tiger Mountain State Forest!

Often called the crown jewel of the Issaquah Alps, Tiger Mountain is one of Western Washington's most ecologically and culturally vital places. Its complex native forests are favored by mountain biking enthusiasts, old-forest-dependent bird species, and everyone in between. Today, these forests are at imminent risk.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) plans to auction off 90 acres of Tiger Mountain State Forest for commercial logging in the so-called "South Paw" timber sale. Unlike homogenous tree plantations, the vast majority of this area—which straddles the popular Tiger Mountain Trail—is naturally regenerated, carbon-dense, and exceptionally biodiverse.

South Paw was originally scheduled for auction in 2023. When serious concerns were raised by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, whose ancestral land the proposal threatens to clearcut, DNR made the wise decision to table the sale. The forest would be spared from logging! Or so it seemed.

DNR now plans to present South Paw to the Board of Natural Resources for approval in December 2025, before auctioning it off in January 2026. This decision flies in the face of climate science, contradicts DNR's own policies on conserving structurally complex forests, and flagrantly defies objections from the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe.

Before being elected Commissioner of Public Lands, Dave Upthegrove campaigned on a promise to conserve what remains of Washington's legacy forests—a promise he reiterated during a community walk in South Paw of all places! He has also pledged to honor the sovereignty of tribes. Why then is Commissioner Upthegrove allowing DNR to proceed with South Paw despite the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe's wishes?

Dave Upthegrove owes his historic election to the grassroots environmental community. Knowing this, he has insisted repeatedly that we should hold him accountable. It’s time to do just that.

Please take a moment to urge Commissioner Upthegrove and the Board of Natural Resources to reject the South Paw timber sale! Click "Start Writing" to customize a pre-written letter, and then SHARE WIDELY!

Thank you🌲