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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2025
Court Refuses to Halt Public Lands Logging as Blockade Enters Third Week
Port Angeles, WA — A Clallam County Judge ruled today against an injunction that would have halted logging for another 90 days in the Washington Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) "Parched" timber sale. Despite pending litigation against the sale, logging could now legally move forward at any time. However, forest defenders are entering the third week of their blockade against the project.
The timber sale is targeting one of the last low-elevation mature forests in the Elwha Watershed, and is facing growing community opposition. In addition to the direct action protest blockading the road, the project is still under litigation by the Earth Law Center and Legacy Forest Defense Coalition.
The groups argued for the injunction because the DNR has failed for several months to comply with its legal obligation to provide administrative record on the Statement Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review process. These records are necessary for the parties to fully brief the case for court. The DNR’s delay means that the forest could be cut before the case is heard.
A Clallam County Judge had issued a temporary restraining order(TRO) against the project earlier this month, but this pause on logging activities expired on Wednesday. Due to the results of today's hearing and the expiration of the TRO, the blockade is the only thing standing in the way of logging until the next hearing scheduled for June 6th. Forest defenders have vowed to keep the blockade going until the land is permanently protected, and issued the following statement:
"Today's court ruling is just a minor setback. We are more resolved than ever to continue our tree sit until this timber sale is permanently withdrawn. It is indefensible that self-proclaimed climate champions like Commissioner Upthegrove and Governor Ferguson aren't doing everything in their power to stop this destructive logging and protect Washington's last remaining legacy forests, especially in light of federal moves to ramp up logging on public land across the country."
Additional Background:
This century-old forest, located on the Olympic Peninsula, is part of the ancestral lands of the Klallam people. It was auctioned by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and purchased by the Murphy Company, an Oregon-based timber firm. However, there has been increasing resistance to the sale of this land every step of the way.
A petition—started prior to the sale by members of the Lower Elwha Kallam Tribe urging that the watershed be protected—has been signed by over half of tribal members, as well as being widely supported by local residents, and has garnered over 3,000 signatures. The City of Port Angeles has, to no avail, implored DNR to pause logging in the Elwha Watershed and look into alternative stewardship approaches as the Elwha River is the sole water source for Port Angeles and for 25% of Clallam County.
In the wake of the sales and the lawsuits being filed, forest defenders erected their blockade, placing large debris in the middle of the road that is attached to a climber suspended on a “dunk-tank” platform in a large tree. If authorities attempt to remove the road debris, the platform will drop, risking a 100-foot fall for the climber. In response to the protest, Washington Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove has attacked protestors' rights to free speech, calling the action vandalism and stationing law enforcement to monitor the blockade around the clock.
Protesters argue that the DNR's logging practices not only undermine the state's own investments (including the removal of the Elwha dam), but also violate public trust, prioritizing short-term profits over long-term values. As mature native habitat, "Parched" could be included in the Natural Resources Conservation Area that the state legislature has included in their budget and directed the DNR to begin creating. Considering the goals of this directive, protestors argue, the act of destroying these existing native ecosystems in the area is short-sighted and self-defeating.
Demands of the Blockade:
Immediate cancellation of the "Parched" Timber Sale.
A pause on all logging in the Elwha watershed.
A permanent ban on logging the remaining mature forests in western Washington.
Community Solidarity:
The blockade has received support from tribal members, conservation groups, and local outdoor enthusiasts. Financial support for the action can be directed to this gofundme page. There will also be a protest at the Board of Natural Resources meeting on June 3rd in Olympia at 9am. Bring signs and sign up for public comment.
How the funds from Gofundme will be used
Funds will be used to offset expenses across all areas of the campaign including material supplies and equipment, gas and expenses of the tree sitter, digital and printing fees, legal fees, and a bail fund as needed.
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Organizer
Henry Richards
Organizer
Port Angeles, WA