Who We Are
The Kettle Range Conservation Group is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, community charity founded in 1976.
Our Mission
Our mission is to defend wilderness, protect biodiversity, and restore ecosystems of the Columbia Highlands.
Organizational Goals
The goals of the Kettle Range Conservation Group are to preserve federal and state roadless areas to protect critical habitat for native terrestrial and aquatic species, and to safeguard resources of clean water, outdoor recreation and natural scenic beauty. We work with rural, urban, business, government and community leaders, taking a collaborative approach to natural resource sustainability and preservation.
Specifically our goals are to:
- Keep public lands in public hands
- Preserve roadless public forest areas 1,000 acres and larger
- Advocate for additions to and safeguard the National Wilderness Preservation System
- Work with groups and individuals across political and ideological boundaries to build strong, sustainable rural and urban communities
- Educate the public to protect clean water and restore ecosystems of the Columbia Highlands
- Safeguard old growth forests, wild rivers, and other habitat critical to the survival of endangered species
History
The Kettle Range Conservation Group was formed in 1976 to seek Wilderness protection for the Kettle River Range Mountains. Throughout our history, Kettle Range has challenged hundreds of projects that threatened ancient forests, roadless areas and endangered species in the upper Columbia Highlands. Together with other colleagues, we have protected wilderness and stopped the destruction of more than one half million acres of publicly owned forests.
Kettle Range is a unique grassroots conservation organization with regional influence. We anchor a largely urban-based conservation movement from rural northeast Washington. For eighteen years prior to the opening of its first office in Republic in 1994, Kettle Range Conservation Group was an all-volunteer organization.
What we do
Defending Forests and Wildlife
Stopped forest plan projected development of 650,000 acres of wild roadless forests of the Colville and Okanogan National Forest.
Reporting
Produced a 2002 report titled, "OUT OF BOUNDS!" a 120-page report, with Abridged (28 pages) and Executive Summary examination of ORV recreation regulations and impacts on the Okanogan and Colville National Forests.
Scholarships
Awarded $19,600 in scholarships since 1996 to northeastern Washington high school seniors who have been accepted into university Natural Resource/Conservation programs.
Activism
Partnered with Canadian forest activists to protect over 200,000 acres of the southern Kettle-Monashee Mountains as Wilderness Parks, safeguarding the habitat of 30-40 grizzly bear and other sensitive species including lynx and wolverine.
History of Accomplishments
The Kettle Range Conservation group is among the most diverse, successful, and powerful grassroots community groups in the Northwest. We have challenged hundreds of projects that threatened ecosystem health and inspired thousands of individuals to speak out for responsible management of their public lands. Together with our collaborators, we have safeguarded more than one half million acres of forest in the Okanogan and Colville National Forests in northeastern Washington State. In the past six years we have:
- Stopped logging projects proposed for 650,000 acres of wild roadless forests in the Colville and Okanogan National Forest.
- Produced a 2002 report titled, "OUT OF BOUNDS!" a 120-page report, with Abridged (28 pages) and Executive Summary examination of ORV recreation regulations and impacts on the Okanogan and Colville National Forests.
- Organized funding and facilitated development of a study by Dr. Thomas Michael Power in 2000 entitled "The Economic Impacts of Protecting Washington’s Roadless National Forest," illustrating the economic values of wilderness protection.
- Organized a collaborative group of Eastern Washington Activist grassroots coalition in 1996 to stop roadless area and ancient forest timber sales in eastern Washington national forests. In 1998 this group renamed itself the Wild Washington Campaign, a coalition of 43 groups working for permanent protection of over 3 million acres of wild forests in Washington State and led Congress to create the Wild Sky Wilderness Area.
- Awarded $80,000 in scholarships 1996-2024 to northeastern Washington high school seniors attending college to study natural resource/conservation and other programs.
- Co-produced an in-depth science analysis of the Kettle River Range, "Scientific Justification for the proposed Columbia Mountains National Monument" to determine its suitability for designation as a national monument.
- Organized free public hikes since 1977, leading several hikes per year into roadless wild forests that are at risk of logging to better connect individuals with actual wildlands at risk.
- Distributed door hangers and gathered signatures supporting Canadian forest activists’ campaign to protect over 200,000 acres of the southern Kettle-Monashee Mountains as part of the CORE Process, safeguarding the habitat of grizzly bear and other sensitive species including, mountain goat, lynx and wolverine.
- February-March 1988, joined with grassroots activist from across the West to stop the slaughter of gray wolf in the Pink Mountain region of northern British Columbia. This same area was the capture and release of gray wolf into Yellowstone N.P. in mid-1990’s.
- Cofounded the Northeast Washington Forest Coalition in 2002 credited with keeping local sawmills afloat during the economic crash of 2008.
- 2004-2011, organized eastern Washington support for the Columbia Highlands Initiative wilderness protection in the Colville National, including 10,000 signed postcards, letters and business endorsements.