Where We Work

Between the waters of Puget Sound and the mighty Columbia River lie the North Cascades, a rugged landscape spanning 13 million acres and eight counties that sustains rural and urban communities east and west of the Cascade Crest. The region provides the largest expanse of wild country in Washington state with more than 2.5 million acres of pristine wilderness stretching from the Canadian border to the foothills of Mt. Rainier. These lands harbor some of the country’s last stands of old-growth forest, endangered species such as the Canada lynx and gray wolf and the most glaciers in the lower 48.

The Wilderness Society is working hard to protect the wild country of the North Cascades. The region provides clean drinking water, pristine wilderness and world-class recreation opportunities to millions of residents and visitors. More than a million people are expected to settle here in the coming years, posing new challenges to managing growth, creating thriving economies and conserving valuable natural resources. The wild country of the North Cascades will grow increasingly vital as we look to use our natural resources more wisely, provide opportunities to experience the outdoors and protect critical habitat for fish and wildlife.

Within this great landscape, we have chosen four areas to focus our work: Methow Valley, Upper Kittitas Basin, the Highway 2 corridor and the west side of the North Cascades.