2025 Conservation Accomplishments

2025 tested the future of our public lands—but it also revealed the strength of the conservation movement. Facing unprecedented threats, WA Wild helped defeat sweeping federal attempts to sell off public lands, secured lasting protections for state forests, educated thousands of students, and mobilized bipartisan coalitions across Washington. These victories were made possible by the collective power of Tribal leaders, elected officials, local businesses, conservation partners, and passionate supporters who stood up for the lands and waters that sustain our communities. The following highlights show how, together, we protected and defended Washington’s wild places all year long.

 

2025 HIGHLIGHTS

Proposals to Sell-off Public Lands Defeated by Bipartisan Coalition

Amid unprecedented attacks on our public lands, the U.S. Congress included a provision within the “Big Beautiful Bill” that would have allowed up to 5 million acres of national forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in Washington State to be sold off to private entities. A national bipartisan coalition rallied around this issue and ultimately stripped the sell off provision from the bill. WA Wild, members of our Brewshed® Alliance, and the Washington Congressional delegation played an important role in defending our federal public lands.

More than 5,000 acres of State Forest Protected

In the final hours of the 2025 session, the WA State Legislature approved $16.7 million to fund four Trust Land Transfer (TLT) projects aimed at protecting 5,600 acres of ecologically valuable forest lands across the state! This year marks the first implementation selecting TLT projects and allowing Tribes to manage TLT properties established by the passage of the ‘TLT Revitalization bill’ (HB 1460) in 2023. WA Wild led efforts to build a statewide coalition which grew to over 230 elected officials, local business and conservation and recreation stakeholders.

Workshops Train Teachers on Tribes & Climate Change Curriculum

As part of the Indigenous Climate Project, WA Wild, THIS IS INDIAN COUNTRY and Pacific Education Institute hosted two 2-day training workshops on the “Tribes and Climate Change” curriculum attended by 50 teachers who will engage up to 3,000 students each year. The first, hosted by the Quinault Indian Nation, featured tribal leaders sharing how climate change is affecting their communities—including the relocation of the village of Taholah due to sea level rise. The second, hosted by the Suquamish Tribe, included guest speakers including Suquamish Tribal Chair Leonard Forsman.

200-acreThorpe Parcel in Spokane Saved From Development

WA Wild partnered with Spokane activists to form a coalition of nearly 100 elected officials, businesses, and conservation and recreation groups to oppose the sale of a 200-acre DNR parcel to a developer. After generating over a dozen local media stories and 150 public comments, the development deal was ultimately canceled in July 2025. The Commissioner of Public Lands granted a two-year window to pursue a Trust Land Transfer to the Spokane Parks Department to manage the parcel for conservation and environmental education.

Public Lands Pub Ale

WA Wild released Public Lands Pub Ale, a collaboration between Bizarre Brewing and 85 Washington breweries and beer industry businesses to raise awareness about the need to defend our public lands. These wildlands and waterways with headwaters in our national parks, forests and other public lands provide us with clean water for brewing, healthy ecosystems, and abundant recreation opportunities. Threats like public lands selloff, repeal of the Roadless Rule, and defunding of agencies pose serious risks to these wild places.

PROTECTING WASHINGTON’S WILD PLACES ALL YEAR LONG

JANUARY
Generated over 450 letters urging Congress to oppose legislation that would eliminate the Antiquities Act and the power of the president to designate national monuments

FEBRUARY
Helped coordinate a State Forest Lobby Day in Olympia with more than 20 local stakeholders and constituents urging State Legislators to support $30M for state forest conservation through the Trust Land Transfer program

MARCH
Coordinated a letter signed by 300 stakeholders opposing the mass firing of federal employees who are essential to the effective management and protection of our national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands

APRIL
Back for its fourth year, Schilling Cider’s Keep It Wild raised $33,000 for WA Wild in support of our efforts to protect Washington’s wild places

MAY
Worked to support Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Emily Randall’s (D-WA06) reintroduction of the Wild Olympics legislation to permanently protect 125,000 acres of new Wilderness and 460 miles as Wild & Scenic Rivers

JUNE
Built a statewide bipartisan coalition of more than 400 supporters in defense of our federal public lands including more than 200 elected officials, 100 local businesses and dozens of conservation, recreation, and wildlife organizations

JULY
Hosted our second annual Lagerhead Beer Fest alongside No Boat Brewing, featuring nearly 60 breweries and wineries and raising $14,000 in support of the WA Brewshed®

AUGUST
WA Wild staff rafted the Skagit River with Triad River Tours for a much-needed day of adventure, connection, and team bonding on the river whose headwaters WA Wild led a campaign to protect three years ago

SEPTEMBER
Led a statewide coalition of more than 900 to oppose the repeal of the 2001 National Forest Roadless Rule

OCTOBER
Our 20th Wild Night Out event celebrated awards presented to Kat Brigham of the Indigenous Climate Project, No Boat Brewing, Spokane activist Jeff Lambert and volunteer Leilani Balais

NOVEMBER
Generated 140 emails urging Senators Murray and Cantwell to vote against confirming Steve Pearce, the pro-drilling, pro-fracking and pro-public lands sell-off nominee to be the next Bureau of Land Management Director

DECEMBER
Finalized the Washington Wild Lands and Waters Explorer Booklet and printed more than 2,000 copies for distribution to parents, outdoor educators, and classroom teachers to engage local youth with the outdoors throughout 2026

PDF OF WA WILD’S 2025 CONSERVATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS